Confetti.co.uk have just gone into administration, and the Daily Mail has reported that brides across the nation are in dismay/panic/(insert your favourite daily fail word here) because of the money they will lose on their wedding stationary. I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit smug, because of course we have made all of our stationary ourselves. That got me thinking about our ethical attitude towards our whole wedding, and I thought it would be nice to share:
There are some corporations that you cant avoid when it comes to planning a wedding; my bridesmaids dresses are from Debenhams, I want to wear make up from Chanel and Dior. Mike's suit will probably be hired from Moss Bros. And i'mnot going to pretend that's a problem for me: I love to shop, I love to consume, I love Debenhams! But the wedding industry is a big business, and there are lots of small companies taking part in it that are struggling to survive. I knew I didn't want to give money to the "big boys" of the billion pound wedding industry, so Mike and I made the decision that whereever possible we would only use small independent vendors, and if possible they would be Norwich based, to give something back to the community that means so much to us.
Our venue only offers locally sourced Norfolk food: it won't have to travel far, keeping its carbon footprint minimal. We're using the little florists at the end of the street we used to live on. Our photographer is both independant, and Norfolk based (low carbon footprint there too!!) The stationary has been homemade, right down to the place cards. The stamps for the stationary were handmade by a woman on etsy. Also made by hand will be the favours, gifts for the hen night, most of the decorations, my bouquet (using vintage brooches sourced from carboot sales and second hand shops) even the gifts for our wedding party will be homemade: i'm making them myself from some organic cotton I bought from a local haberdasher. Our tables will be littered with vintage tea cups and saucers mum and nan have been collecting for us. Our cake will be made by an independant Norfolk baker. Last week we brought our wedding rings from a small jewellers in the centre of Norwich: are you sensing a pattern here!?
We're doing everything we can to support independant and local businesses and to minimise the carbon footprint of our vendors. Do I feel smug about the low social impact of my wedding? A little bit. Then I think of all the driving to and from Norwich were doing, the travelling all our guests will have to do just so they can attend, and the big black carbon footprint our honeymoon will be leaving behind, and I realise i'm not doing anything at all. But at least we're trying!
Love, Tor xx
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