After plastic ban, weddings go with green alternatives

From switching to flower and leaf-based stage set ups to using wooden or steel cutlery, the industry is making quite a few changes

Indian weddings are glamorous and expensive affairs and the families go all out to make it an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. But buried beneath the pomp and glitter are enormous amounts of waste.

Besides food waste, single-use plastic is one of the biggest polluters in a wedding. From packaging used for gifts and stage and venue decoration to shopping bags and cutlery, plastic waste accumulation in weddings is quite high.

With the government banning the use of single-use plastic, how is the wedding market faring? Metrolife finds that though many couples are becoming aware of the carbon footprint of their big day and are opting for eco-friendly weddings, there is still a long way to go.

Tina Tharwani, co-founder, Shaadi Squad, feels that the plastic ban is a welcome change for the wedding industry.

“It is not difficult for us to ensure no single-use plastic is used; alternatives like recycled paper can be used. It just depends on stakeholders like vendors, venues, planners or clients. The information is communicated at all levels so the process is easy,” she says, adding that they plan weddings keeping in mind the environmental impact it can have.

“From using handmade, seed or plant papers for invitation cards, to replacing plastic luggage tags with wooden ones, we keep a close eye as to what we choose in the planning stage itself,” points out Tina.

She adds that well-travelled and informed youngsters don’t mind spending an average of 10 to 20 per cent extra to go eco-friendly.

“A wedding is a gathering of a lot of people and also gets a lot of social media exposure. An unusual style, like a plastic-free wedding, gets a lot of traction. Ultimately, it impacts everyone positively and makes them want to follow the lead,” she says.

J P Yaduvanshi, founder, Myshaadiwale and Wedware House, points out that the maximum usage of plastic in weddings is in decorations, wrapping of gift items and catering. Which is why his company chooses green alternatives like wood, papers and earthen pots for decorations.

“When we are doing a destination wedding, we make sure to use local organic items. For example, at a wedding in Kerala, we used banana leaf to serve food and also pack gifts,” he says.

Yaduvanshi and his team also opt for traditional gifting options like coconuts and pack these in a bamboo or leaf basket.

Noor Khan, co-founder, Wedding Tales, says that stringent laws have caused a shift in thinking and many clients are now willing to try out alternatives, keeping in mind the wallet factor. And since the demand for alternative products has gone up, the prices are starting to become competitive.

“Not just families, even caterers, who traditionally used a lot of single-use plastic spoons and cups, are now opting for reusable cutlery options like steel spoons, plates and bowls,” says Noor.

She and her team ensure segregation of waste at functions and take help from waste management organisations like ‘Hasiru Dala Innovations’ for this.

A stage setup by Myshaadiwale made using plantain leaves.

What are your options?

Planning for your big day? Here is how you can ensure a no-plastic, eco-friendly celebration...

Digital invites

Go digital and send out e-invites to your guest. You can also opt for handmade papers if the number of guests is small. Seed wedding invites add a cool touch too.

Fresh flowers for stage set up

Use real fresh flowers, palm leaves, bamboo sheets or plantain leaves instead of a canopy. “We use dry foliage or paper flowers made out of origami which looks different. Plastic doesn’t appeal to people anymore,” says Tina.

Yaduvanshi and his team once set up a stage using plantain leaves for the backdrop. The earthen pots on the side of the stage gave the set up a rustic vibe.

No packaged drinking water

Though convenient, plastic water bottles generate a huge amount of waste. Opt for water dispensers or stainless steel tumblers.

Potted plants as gifts

Use handmade paper to wrap gifts or opt to gift potted plants or alternatives like coconuts.

“Jute is a great alternative for packing gifts, and so are cloth bags and cane baskets,” says Noor.

Steel or wooden cutlery

Use steel plates, banana leaves, wooden spoons and areca leaf plates. Even edible spoons are now available in the market. Earthen cups for beverages are ideal.

“We have switched to cutlery made of natural fibres like areca leaf and wood, or bone China, melamine or steel utensils,” says Noor.