Consciously Coupling Your Way to a Sustainable Wedding

With over 270,000 nuptials expected to take place in 2024, two-thirds of couples are planning smaller, more sustainable weddings to protect both the planet and their wallets. Read on for tips on how to thrift your way to the big day.

Take note, 2024 is the year of consciously coupling, you read it here first. A big expense at the best of times, couples making their way down the aisle this year are facing one of the biggest cost-of-living crises of our generation. What steps can you take to save costs, waste less and make use of second hand items? Because a sustainable wedding is always in fashion.

Something old, nothing new, plenty borrowed, something blue

Beyond saving costs, sourcing second hand or borrowing items for your wedding goes a long way to reducing the impact on the environment. Our research* found that 33% of couples planning their weddings are conscious of its environmental impact. In addition, 1 in 3 nearly-weds will either source or sell items for the big day secondhand. Cue Gumtree: where you can source everything from centrepieces to your wedding attire, all pre-loved rather than brand new. Your sustainable wedding is just a few clicks away!

When it comes to wedding day fashion, one in ten soon to be brides say they are planning to wear a second-hand wedding gown – and with wedding dresses being listed on Gumtree for an average of £353, brides could save a whopping £1000 in this one purchase along.

However, the whole wedding party can benefit from pre-owned or rented outfits for the big day. Fifteen percent of grooms and 1 in 5 bridesmaid plan to cash in by selling their wedding outfits after the big day.

Tips for a sustainable wedding

  • Save on flight and accommodation costs (and the carbon emissions) by going for a local wedding venue
  • Choose local suppliers (for catering, furniture, flowers…)
  • Send electronic invites
  • Think about edible favours rather than items that are unlikely to be reused
  • Opt for in-season flowers or dried arrangements
  • Provide a gift list to avoid unwanted presents
  • Consider the finishing touches by choosing sustainable options such as biodegradable confetti

Get creative to cut costs at your sustainable wedding

The average wedding costs an eye-watering £32,000**. So it makes money sense to find ways to cut back costs without cutting back on the experience of your special day. Here are a few ways the couples we surveyed are making little changes with big impact:

  • Ditching the wedding planner
  • Asking a friend(s) to be your photographer
  • Doing your own hair & make-up
  • Set the date out of peak wedding season
  • Ditch the free bar (guest could even bring a bottle of their favourite fizz along with them)

If that still isn’t thrifty enough for you, why not try your hand at baking your own wedding cake? And even get crafty with making your own decorations?

Wedding guests, we haven’t forgotten about you…

Do weddings ever feel like buses to you? You wait forever for one, and suddenly three come at once. With the average Brit expected to attend three weddings over the next 12 months, it is estimated guests will spend a whopping £367 per wedding. Not to mention travelling over 200 miles to get there. It’s no surprise then, that 30% have admitted they aren’t planning to ‘save the date.’*

So we asked ourselves, how can you take part in the big day but lessen the burden on your wallets, the environment and be part of a more sustainable wedding?

  • Car share with other guests
  • Buy and style a pre-owned outfit
  • Donate to charity or thrift a gift second-hand instead of buying an expensive gift from a registry

Methodology *Data conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Gumtree between 16-23 January2023, polling 5,000 nationally representative consumers aged 16+.adults aged 18+ across the UK.

*https://trulyexperiences.com/blog/uk-wedding-industry-statistics/ – data taken from The UK Weddings Task Force

** https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/blog/life-events/how-much-does-an-average-wedding-cost