3 Eco-Friendly Wedding Flower Ideas That Are Simple and Impactful

If you wish to host an eco-friendly wedding, start with your flower selection. There are many ways to keep the environment in mind as you design your celebration's floral landscape. We consulted Sarah Johns of Something Styled Events + Floral Design for her top tips.

Work with a local flower farmer.

To take a greener approach to wedding-day flowers, source your blooms from local farmers who grow their varieties in organic soil, using chemical-free treatments, advises Johns. Doing so ultimately leads to longer lasting blooms: "A local flower farmer will cut the flowers right before you pick them up, so they are fresh," she explains. On the hunt for an organic flower farmer in your area? Johns recommends researching VeriFloral-certified vendors, who grow in an all-natural, chemical-free environment with no harsh working conditions.

Swap cut centerpieces for potted plants.

Ultimately, you don't have to use cut flowers in every big-day arrangement; dried iterations look lovely in bouquets. Or, swap arrangements with freshly-cut blooms for potted plants, suggests Johns. "We once had a client want to walk down the aisle with kale as her bouquet; she used potted plants and herbs as her centerpieces," she explains. "Guests were able to take the centerpieces home and replant those herbs and plants."

Donate flowers after your event is over.

At the end of the evening, consider donating any fresh arrangements to a nursing home or hospital (check your local institutions, which should outline flower exchange or donation policies on their websites). This is a better option than simply tossing them out, and gives your blooms a second life as you support members of your community in the process, says Johns.