When we think of weddings, there’s a plethora of thoughts that run around in our minds. From the dates, to the outfits, locations, guest lists, food, décor, and arrangements—everything needs to be taken into account and planned right down to the T. And while we enjoy the festivities of a big fat Indian wedding, there’s no denying that a lot of weddings leave behind a lot of wastage in their trail. This can cause harm to the environment (think: decorations and paraphernalia). If you’re someone who wants to minimise your carbon footprint, while making the most of the resources you have, and still having the wedding of your dreams, this one’s for you.
Devyani Kapoor, an eco-entrepreneur and founder of Shuffling Suitcases, a platform to connect sustainable brands and consumers, spills the beans on how she managed to host an eco-friendly wedding in February 2020. For the Gurgaon-based entrepreneur, sustainability is deeply rooted in every aspect of her daily life. Be it her wardrobe, her kitchen, or everyday essentials, she aims to keep things minimal and eco-friendly. It was no surprise then, that her wedding, too, followed the same principles. “Both Varun (her husband) and I knew that we wanted to be accountable for every aspect that goes into the wedding, without causing much harm to the environment. We wanted to lead by example. I’m glad our parents understood our vision and encouraged us to follow our ideas.”
This is how she pulled off an eco-friendly wedding:
The Functions/Venue
- The whole affair lasted for one and a half days, and was held at a 100-year-old palace in Jaipur. They stuck to day ceremonies in order to save on electricity, barring the wedding reception, which was held in the evening.
- The guest-list comprised 120 people, and they all stayed at the venue itself.
Décor/Paraphernalia
- The weddings invites were sent electronically to everyone, and seed paper was used for the invites that had to be printed for the older members of the family. Once you were done with the invite, you could plant the seeds that came within the invite.
- The flowers used were all locally-sourced, eliminating the need to importing exotic ones.
- All the decorations were re-used and repurposed for the different functions.
- Instead of confetti, dry and fallen leaves were used to shower and bless the couple during their ‘pheras’. They also re-used brown paper that is used to cover notebooks, in place of confetti.
- The smaller decorative pieces were handmade by Kapoor and her family members.
- The centrepieces for the dinner tables were candles made out of soy, adorned with leaves to add visual aesthetics.
- The wedding favours included potlis and bracelets made out of leftover fabric from designer, Payal Singhal. They also included tulsi seeds in the gift bags.
Food
- The food preferences of the guests was accounted for. Guests were served a largely vegetarian fare; a non-vegetarian item was added to the menu for just one function.
- They opted for steel cutlery to be used, as it was easier to re-use, and wouldn’t leave behind a trail of wastage.
- Kulhads (clay cups) were locally sourced from vendors, in which water and other beverages were served. In fact, guests were encouraged to take their kulhads to their rooms and keep using them as much as possible. Once disposed, they could be made again.
Outfits
- For the outfits that were to be a part of the bridal trousseau, the fabrics were sourced from the weavers and local stores, and stitched by a local tailor.
- Her wedding saree was a Jamdani Dhakai from Bangladesh, bought directly from the weaver.
- The outfits used for smaller functions, like the haldi ceremony were repurposed from other outfits. She wore a suit made from mekhala chador, an Assamese saree, which originally belonged to her sister.
- The jewellery worn by the bride was handmade and sourced from local designers. She used a lot of old, heirloom pieces to complete her look.
- The footwear for the wedding was something that Kapoor already had in her wardrobe. The one or two pairs of shoes that she bought were also worn repeatedly throughout the wedding festivities.
- The make-up used was organic and natural. The beauty services chosen by the bride used sustainable and organic products from Shuffling Suitcases. She kept her looks minimal.
For those who want to follow in her footsteps, Kapoor advises, “Having an eco-friendly wedding doesn’t mean you cannot have a lavish experience. It’s a special day, and you deserve to enjoy every bit of it. However, what matters is that you are mindful about how you celebrate, and are accountable for how this impacts the environment.” She hopes to inspire more people to take the sustainable route on their special day.