Are you thinking of having a vegan wedding? Perhaps you’ve been invited to one, and you’re wondering what it’s all about. We’ll explain what a vegan wedding is, what to expect – and how you can plan one!
There’s a lack of awareness in the wedding industry, of what a vegan wedding might be.
There’s also a kind of nervousness from non-vegans, about attending a vegan wedding. Will it be weird? Will I have to eat raw vegetables all day? Can I have a drink? The answers are, in order, no, no – and YES of course you can!
Eco Styled shoot captured by Sarah Hoyle Photography
Vegan weddings – a foodie treat
Vegan catering is often far more interesting than the alternative! Vegan chefs and catering companies can have super creative menus, playing with flavour and ingredients.
Consider Indian or Eastern menus for your day – they’re packed with flavour and colour. If you can find a local food truck / vegan vendor, go for festival-style catering and a wonderful, relaxed vibe to your day!
Vegan weddings – the wider picture
Choose your venue carefully. A farm venue may not be appropriate; even arable farmland is a huge user of pesticides. If you’re considering a country house wedding venue, is it used for hunting or shooting? Do the owners own land where fox hunting or deer stalking is permitted? (It’s worth looking into ownership and other interests sometimes.)
Manor by the Lake is one of our fave venues catering for vegan weddings – not every reception is vegan, but they cater beautifully if yours will be!
Look for a purpose built wedding venue, a boutique hotel or even an animal sanctuary as suggested here!
“Make your wedding day as unique as you are. Mix and match wedding traditions and formalities and create the wedding YOU both want. Don’t be influenced by family or friends that suggest you do this and that. Create the wedding day you want because after all it is YOUR wedding day.” ~ Sian Bowron, vegan wedding planner at Amethyst Weddings
Eco Styled shoot captured by Sarah Hoyle Photography
Your wedding outfits
Suits are often made with wool, and hired suits from high street chains are cleaned with chemicals which may not be vegan friendly. Consider wearing alternative wedding attire, or searching for vegan menswear online. If that means a more casual look, embrace it! You can tart up your outfit with a colourful bowtie and a floral buttonhole.
Dresses and separates have more options – there are wedding dress designers who use peace silks and other materials. At the top of the scale is Sanyukta Shrestha. Also consider a vintage wedding dress; or a beautiful floaty floral cotton summer dress for your wedding.
Accessories are a little easier, with vegan friendly shoes, jewellery, hair accessories and ties widely available these days.
More outfit advice for your vegan wedding here.
Candles
Avoid candles with animal fats, or non vegan-friendly production methods. (Small, independent candle makers are a reliable alternative, but do check your candles are safe and conform to all safety regulations.)
If you’re working with a wedding planner or stylist, ask them about the smaller details like candles. To be absolutely sure, find a vegan wedding planner like Sian at Amethyst Weddings, who will be able to advise on all aspects of your wedding design and styling.
Flowers
The more prescriptive you are about your wedding flowers, the harder it will be to ensure they’re vegan-friendly. Organic, locally-grown blooms are your best bet, but from the grower-florist’s point of view it will be harder to guarantee specific types of flowers for your date.
So have an open mind; choose a grower whose attitude you love, and let them choose your florals. You can give an idea of colour; but a ‘summer’ colour palette and a few ideas of your favourite flowers – nothing more – adds excitement into the equation.
Flowers grown using pesticides are a no-no for a vegan wedding. Likewise, monocultures aren’t helpful to pollinators, so avoid large-scale flower farms. Small, local and independent is perfect!
Alternatively, grow your wedding flowers at home! Use peat-free compost, avoid pesticides and embrace what’s ready in your garden on the day of your wedding!
Drinks
There are plenty of vegan wines and beers for you to choose from – a vegan wedding can include alcohol! If in doubt, ask! The winemaker or brewery will be able to tell you if their ingredients are vegan – and most importantly, how your drinks are filtered. (Some beers use isinglass in production, which makes them non-vegan friendly.)
Provide for guests who don’t drink alcohol with colourful and tasty mocktails in summer; alcohol free vegan wines and beers all year round, and vegan hot chocolate stations and mulled wines in the colder months. (More tips on an alcohol-free vegan wedding here!)
Styling: Amethyst Weddings | Photography: Sarah Hoyle Photography | Stationery: Ellie and Liv
Cake
Most areas of the UK will have a vegan wedding cake company – there are some amazing independent cake businesses out there. Look for an experienced wedding cake maker like The Hazlebury Kitchen for a cake no one will even know is vegan! (And why would you!)
Makeup
Check with your hair and make up people (if you’re booking someone) that they only use vegan and cruelty-free products. There are plenty out there.
Favours
Vegan wedding favours are fun, quirky and easy to find! Discover your perfect vegan wedding favours with Amethyst Weddings!
Tips for planning a vegan wedding
- The message: Decide whether you’ll have a vegan wedding quietly (no need to announce it to your guests) or proudly (you’re showing everyone how amazing vegan can be!). If it’s the latter, communicate that message loud and clear from the start! If it’s the former, you can still have a fabulous vegan wedding without all the questions from your relatives which might become a tad annoying!
- Stick to your guns: you’re most likely having a vegan wedding because that’s your lifestyle. You believe in caring for animals and the planet, and it really, really matters to you. So don’t be swayed by well-meaning advice from anyone who wants you to do otherwise, whether they’re your suppliers or your loved ones. You CAN have a vegan wedding, and you’ll work out how that will work for the two of you. You got this.
- Focus on the love: as with any wedding, when things get tough and planning is challenging, remember why you’re doing this.
- For guests: the key to any memorable, joyful wedding is happy guests. Fill their tummies, make them chuckle and ensure they feel loved. Communicate all the whats, wheres and whens of your day, so everyone is comfortable. And choose your guests: invite people you hug, who make you feel happy! (Check out Maša and Michael’s vegan wedding for tips!) There’s never any need to spend your wedding day with guests you hardly know.
- Help animals on your wedding day! World of Vegan has some lovely little extras you can add into your celebrations, like charity gifting and signage with vegan messaging for your guests!
Photography credits:
Photographer, initial concept and planning https://www.sarahhoylephotography.co.uk/
Stylist and co planning https://www.amethystweddings.co.uk/
Hair and Mua https://www.ethicalbridecompany.com
Hand Painted Backdrop https://allthingsconsideredevents.co.uk/
Hair accessories https://www.clarelloyd.co.uk/
Brides Dress https://www.jessicaturnerdesigns.com/
Jewellery https://www.wildfawnjewellery.com/
Stationery suite and table stationery https://ellieandliv.com
Florist https://bloomingcowflowers.co.uk/
Venue https://www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/wedding-venue-hire/
Celebrant https://www.celebrationsforall.com/
Cardigan https://thesimplefolk.co.uk/
Table runner https://www.magpielinens.com/
Napkins https://www.willowandribbon.co.uk/
Soy candles https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/InBloomInHabit
Model couple https://naneveralways.wixsite.com/couplemodels
We do love planet-friendly, sustainable weddings! This lovely and super useful article to help you plan your eco-friendly wedding was written for English Wedding by Hampshire wedding photographer Sarah Hoyle
If you are planning your wedding this year, you might be well aware that it can actually have a huge impact on the environment. There are lots of things only used once for the day and at high cost. You may be feeling the pressure to fly guests in from abroad and also to fulfil a more traditional idea of a dress or suit, or flowers.
All images are by eco conscious Hampshire wedding photographer Sarah Hoyle Photography
Remember it is YOUR day done YOUR way, and if caring for the environment is something you do as part of your lifestyle, all your values shouldn’t go out the window, just because it’s your wedding day. Also if you are the kind of couple who wants to help make positive change in the world this should be reflected in your wedding as part of who you are. Celebrate your selves and honour all that is important to you.
So, where on Earth (excuse the pun) do you start?! There’s a lot to think about and juggle anyway with planning a sustainable wedding and trying to make eco choices along the way just adds to the confusion and overwhelm. This is why I’ve put 5 easy tips down as a starter for ten. Small swaps can make BIG differences so shop smart and I’m sure you will have the day of your dreams without compromising your vision and creating a large carbon footprint.
1. Firstly ethical wedding food!
Try to avoid using too much meat and dairy in your wedding menu. The way we farm and produce meat and dairy at the moment contributes to 14.5% of global greenhouse gasses. Vegan food is much more accepted now and plus it’s super tasty! And whatever your food choice, choose caterers who source local produce.
When you book your caterer check their eco policy. Do they recycle, separate and compost the waste food or do they throw it into the same bin afterwards? Also who oversees if this will actually happen? Sometimes caterers have great intentions, only to then hire in agency staff who know nothing of the environmental policy and unknowingly throw everything into black bin bags. A catering manager should keep ALL staff up to speed with what happens to the food afterwards.
Styling: Amethyst Weddings | Photography: Sarah Hoyle Photography | Stationery: Ellie and Liv
2. Your guest list
Consider a smaller guest list. After Covid most people have started liking the idea of small intimate weddings anyway. The more people means more waste at your wedding. So who could you get away with leaving off the list? Aunt Beryl? Also consider how far your guests have to travel to be with you. If any are driving miles, could they take the train or car share? Or if some would need to fly over, would you consider not inviting them? Maybe having a live feed to the ceremony instead? This is an emotional one, rife with family politics and pressure. But remember it’s your day!! But a tough one so just do what you can to reduce your wedding’s carbon footprint here.
3. Sustainable flowers
Styling: Amethyst Weddings | Photography: Sarah Hoyle Photography | Florist: Blooming Cow
Flowers are one of the most beautiful things about weddings. But do your research beforehand. Find a florist who works sustainably. This means seasonal, locally grown flowers. Not imported from abroad. Using natural ways to create displays and not floral foam, which is very damaging to the environment. It is made from synthetic, non-recyclable plastic and uses toxic foam.
Dried flowers that haven’t been bleached are also super on trend right now and are more sustainable as they last. I know it’s all very tempting to try and recreate that Pinterest inspired bouquet but if it’s using out of season flowers, the florists would have to import them in and they may well have been grown using pesticides and chemicals. Ask your florist first what is available at the time of your wedding and plan your flowers around what can be sourced ethically.
4. Ethical wedding favours
Try not to give favours just for the sake of it, it’s a tradition that seems to have lost its meaning of late. Most people don’t even use or take home the favour unless it’s edible! So consider whether or not you want to give them. But if thought about more, you could give something that can be reused or has an actual purpose. For example, a seed packet, small plant, homemade jam, homemade lemonade for example. All have small carbon footprints and are super cute sustainable wedding favours!
5. Your wedding outfits
Now of course your dress can be VERY important! However it’s a dress worn for one day, not the most eco friendly item on the list! So to reduce the waste and carbon footprint, source a locally made dress, use a sustainable bridal shop, use recycled fabrics, buy vintage or second hand or you could even rent. All great options and actually probably less of a strain on the old bank balance too!
The same applies to wedding suits – often hired, but there are other options including a local tailor, or buying second hand. Wearing a suit you already own is absolutely fine as well: why not accessorise with a beautifully patterned waistcoat, a bowtie or cute pocket square and tie from a local Etsy seller?
Hopefully you are feeling like you have more of an idea how you can help the planet and still plan the sustainable wedding of your dreams.
Here are some little extra thoughts too, I’ve seen these kinds of items panic bought at the last minute, so as long as you are planning ahead you can avoid buying mass produced tat from China!
- No single use plastic toys for kids
- no single use flip flops
- no pots of bubbles
- Ensure bar suppliers don’t use single use plastic cups
- Thoughtful thank you gifts for Mums and bridesmaids rather than bouquets that won’t last.
- Also you could consider offsetting carbon with planting trees or ask guests to contribute to tree planting initiatives as part of their wedding gift.
- You could use the National Trust to plant trees or sign up to Ecologi to plant trees and fund carbon offsetting initiatives.
Have fun, do your research and don’t be shy to ask for your wedding suppliers’ Eco Policy!
Sarah x
Styling: Amethyst Weddings | Photography: Sarah Hoyle Photography | Florist: Blooming Cow
Real wedding at Cain Manor, captured by Sarah Hoyle Photography
A breathtakingly beautiful, sustainable and eco chic styled photoshoot from an amazing group of talented suppliers in Hampshire. We’re thrilled to be sharing this wonderful wedding style inspo from lovely English Wedding member and vegan wedding planner Sian at Amethyst Weddings, along with more of our faves and members: images are by super lovely Sarah Hoyle Photography, dresses are by Jessica Turner Designs, and accessories from the incredible Clare Lloyd. There’s a full supplier list just below.
It’s a treat to share insights into how the look came about, from each of the suppliers involved in this collaborative shoot. Please grab a cuppa, snuggle down somewhere cosy and find out how to create such a gorgeous, sustainable wedding. Oh, and do reach out to any of the suppliers involved to book their services or ask a question – they’re all super lovely and talented people.
Photographer, initial concept and planning https://www.sarahhoylephotography.co.uk/
Stylist and co planning https://www.amethystweddings.co.uk/
Hair and Mua https://www.ethicalbridecompany.com
Hand Painted Backdrop https://allthingsconsideredevents.co.uk/
Hair accessories https://www.clarelloyd.co.uk/
Brides Dress https://www.jessicaturnerdesigns.com/
Jewellery https://www.wildfawnjewellery.com/
Stationery suite and table stationery https://ellieandliv.com
Florist https://bloomingcowflowers.co.uk/
Venue https://www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/wedding-venue-hire/
Celebrant https://www.celebrationsforall.com/
Cardigan https://thesimplefolk.co.uk/
Table runner https://www.magpielinens.com/
Napkins https://www.willowandribbon.co.uk/
Soy candles https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/InBloomInHabit
Model couple https://naneveralways.wixsite.com/couplemodels
Sarah Hoyle Photography, initial concept and planner
I wanted this styled shoot to be quite pared back and reflect the values of my new brand, which are all about simple living and sustainability. The shoot was designed to have a folksy feel to it…I described it as being a mix between Poldark and Mumford and Sons!
All the elements that were brought together to create the shoot were eco-friendly and sustainable. We had a wonderful team of gorgeous ladies who all believed in the same ethical and environmental values and they all worked their magic to great this beautiful shoot.
Gilbert White’s House barn was a perfect venue as they provide everything for weddings in house and they are classed as an eco friendly wedding venue. They also have their own in house brewery so we designed our table favours to be a bottle of specially brewed ale for the couple. Ticking all the sustainable boxes, not only would the favours be used but then the glass bottles could be recycled. Plus the fact the ale was brewed in house meant there was little to no carbon footprint for them.
The vibe of the barn was the perfect backdrop as it felt warm, cosy, rustic and had that Poldark feel to it, the views of the South Downs outside were so stunning too you just couldn’t get a better backdrop.
I chose to have a handfasting ceremony for the shoot again to reflect the 18th Century vibe of the shoot. Simple olden days living with an arts and craft aesthetic.
I loved the idea of the groom having a banjo to play on his wedding day, again minimal fuss and entertainment for the couple, just good old fashioned honest music and fun.
I wanted to produce a shoot that felt warm, loving but intense, Autumnal, rustic, folky and sustainable and I hope that the images do this!
Amethyst Weddings – Sian
Sarah first approached me because of my vegan and eco credentials. She asked for my help and input with the styling of the tablescape. Following our initial conversation I instantly knew what aesthetic Sarah was looking for. Inspired by her original mood board I created a warm and inviting tablescape using brass and wooden candlesticks which were all preloved items and vegan friendly soy candles in neutral tones.
I picked naturally dyed napkins along with a natural gauze table runner in a taupe tone that added texture along the centre of the trestle tables. These natural tones helped to create a cosy homely natural vibe combined with the beautiful amber tones of the glassware and the medicine jars we used for the flowers.
Blooming Cow Florist used a combination of British dried flowers, grasses and seed heads along with some freshly cut rosemary from her cutting garden.
More specifically: Lagurus seed heads or the aptly named ‘Bunny’s Tail’, a soft and tactile grass seed head that you just want to stroke! Nigella seed pods which are globular shaped seed pods that have a lovely golden hue to them once dried. Mustard yellow Achillea flowers and statice in apricot shades also featured as well as dried fennel seed heads, wheat and oat grasses. I included the fresh rosemary to give the bouquet a bit more life, I find that the greens in any dried material can look a little too dull.
The bouquet was tied with hessian ribbon and natural twine with the addition of some beautiful silk ribbon from The Botanical Dyer in a limited edition colour of Caramel Bronze.
The Wedding Altar
A natural hessian runner marked the aisle walkway with a combination of glass vases on log slices featuring dried flowers and seed heads and a scattering of Helichrysum flower heads. A hand painted botanical backdrop was used and decorated with hops. Two galvanised metal milk churns / barrels marked either side of the alter with tall Pampas grass fronds. The Pampas grass used was obtained from The Hampton Estate as well as from one of my customers gardens in exchange for some dried hops!
The Entrance: The double barn doors that face out into the landscape at Gilbert White’s House were decorated with hop bines. We re-positioned the milkchurns and also used them here to mark either side of the doorway. Along with a scattering of Helichrysum flower heads in a lovely deep burgundy.
The Table: My contribution was quite simple – mainly Nigella seed pods in the vases with a few smaller dried pieces in smaller vases.
Hop Bines were sourced from The Hampton Estate, a family owned and run traditional agricultural estate located in Farnham. British Dried Flowers were from Shropshire Petals and Daisy Shop, with plant dyed silk ribbon from The Botanical Dyer</a
Eco friendly wedding dress by Jessica Turner Designs
The process and ideas of the shoot were parallel to my way of working, looking into natural organic sources and sustainability. I was honoured to be asked by Sarah Hoyle Photography and Sian from Amethyst Weddings. The Daisy dress was chosen, made from cotton and lined with organic cotton for a boho bride. I loved the folksy design of the dress which also matched the rustic charm of the setting.
The sleeves were redesigned to create a whole new bridal look, a sustainable way of working creating something new from something old but also the sleeves are detachable so the dress can also create two looks in one night.
Stationery by Ellie and Liv
When Sarah asked me to be part of her styled shoot involving other like minded eco-friendly and sustainable suppliers my heart sang. Her vision was everything I dreamed of in regards to the colours, feel and tone.
After delving into Sarah’s mood board and Pinterest inspiration I drew my inspiration from the month of the shoot October and all things Autumn.
I had thoughts of Anne of Green Gable, Wuthering Heights fleeting through my mind as my muse. Taking inspiration from Gilbert White himself, I looked to nature and the season for the colours and dried foliage that can be found in the wild countryside of the British Isles.
Using natural taupes, oranges and a pop of burnt ochre I used watercolour as my medium of choice.
I knew eco-friendly zero waste poppy seed paper would be the perfect choice for the stationery, mixing it with recycled kraft card to create a natural depth. As dried poppy heads appear in late Summer and early Autumn, the seed in the paper gave an extra layer to the story the stationery told. I even included a painted poppy seed head, hidden in the foliage.
Then when the stationery is finished with, it can be returned to nature. Growing new poppies next Summer for everyone to enjoy.
Wedding ceremonies have been an important feature of nearly every culture, religion, generation and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so meaningful that we acknowledge it’s special status by sharing it with others.
Despite all our differences, love is what we all share. It’s the great unifier and one universal truth. No matter who we are, we know one thing…love is what we’re doing right. And love is what brought everyone together for this special Handfasting ceremony.
A hand fasting and hand things have been used throughout history to symbolise the union of two individuals in marriage. It quite literally symbolises ‘Tying the Knot!’
Inspired by the earthy tones of this styled shoot, we decided to take the Handfasting ceremony outside beneath the branches of a big oak tree. The roots of the tree growing beneath our feet felt grounding and expansive as the couple exchanged rings, shared vows and sealed their union with the tying of hands grounding them to the roots of the tree and to each other. It was as if all of those gathered in that moment were at one with the earth and one with the couple as they made their vows.
Each of the ribbons used in this Handfasting carried meaning. Brown symbolised nurturing, home and hearth. Next, Gold meant wisdom, prosperity and longevity and finally, Yellow for joy, happiness, and unconditional love.
We used plant dyed silks and velvets sourced from a variety of small businesses via Etsy.
The Ethical Bride Co. is run and founded by friends and fellow hair and makeup artists Jen and Lisa. They have been working together for many years now. They believe in trying to use products in their kit that are vegan friendly which ultimately means cruelty free as well. The beauty industry is full of wastage around packaging and unused products so Lisa and Jen carefully try to use products that they know are effective and where possible use sustainable methods of packaging.
The duo jumped at the chance to work with a more sustainably minded team and loved what Sarah was trying to achieve. ‘We want to show that you can still get high quality hair and makeup results from being an Eco-conscious hair and makeup artist’
They wanted to use autumnal rustic colours and shy away from the ‘oh so natural boho look or the typical bridal looks’.
The brands that they used on the wonderful models are as follows: Beauty Kitchen / Jaclyn Hill /Morphe eye shadow palette / Elf cosmetics
Chantecaille / Too faced / Hourglass / Beauty Made Easy / Natulique Natural Styling (hair) Maria Nila (hair)
Sumptuous blues and graceful styling make this shoot a real beauty. There are so many ideas to help you create a luxurious wedding look here, from the classiest florals to the navy and blue hues, and elegant, minimal wedding stationery. Thank you to lovely Sian at Amethyst Weddings for sending this our way! You’ll find a full supplier list below.
Photographer – https://www.jlawrence-photography.co.uk/
Stylist/ planner – https://www.amethystweddings.co.uk
Venue – https://www.nortonparkhotel.com/
Venue décor – https://dressedevents.co.uk/
Florist – https://www.pompandpetals.co.uk
Stationery – https://www.londonpapercrafts.com/
Table linen – https://www.365catererslinen.co.uk
The inspiration for this shoot originally came from the crystal chiavari charts that Emma at Dressed Events stocks. Everything else was pulled together around the crystal detail.
I chose navy blue to contrast with the crystal chairs so the chairs were the centre of attention. Navy is such a classic colour for weddings and is hugely under utilised. It’s perfect for any event and gives you a classic and formal look with a touch of luxury and elegance.
I chose to incorporate plenty of glassware with candles for the decor to create some additional detail and a few focal points for the ceremony setup whilst adding extra light and depth to the centre of the tables cape. A small gathering doesn’t need to be dull and lifeless. The table for 12 just oozes luxury and was so simple and inexpensive to create.
The white florals worked perfectly in the rooms we chose for the shoot as natural light was at a minimum particularly in the drawing room that we used for the ceremony.
Kay used the filling white blooms to great effect, creating striking arrangements for both the aisle and the table – hydrangeas “Schneeball” variety, sweet peas, nigella, phlox, spray veronica, stocks, roses and carnations.
The selection of grey candles is from Flying Tiger, Copenhagen.
