Sustainability Archives

The Sustainable Bride: How A Wedding Dress Can Empower Oppressed Women and Children

Brides Do Good, is UK-based company that is redefining what it means to say “I do”
through ethical wedding dresses.
Their story is inspiring and thought provoking about how we spend money on our wedding. There’s nothing wrong with buying an amazing wedding dress, but if you could do more with your money at the same time – would you?
This company provides an option to purchase a designer dress of your dreams whilst also making the difference in the lives of millions of young girls who are oppressed and desperately need it.
It may be UK based, but it’s not the only model around, and who knows – perhaps if we share their story enough we might inspire others to set up a model like this in Australia.
Lisa xx

In the heart of every wedding celebration lies a story of love, hope, and dreams. But beyond the layers of tulle and lace, there’s an opportunity for couples to weave a deeper narrative—one that extends the joy and love of their special day to make a positive impact on society through sustainable and ethical practices. This is the ethos behind the pioneering initiative by Brides Do Good, a UK-based company that is redefining what it means to say “I do” through ethical wedding dresses.

The Facts

But let me start first with a fact. Any idea what the average wedding dress in Australia costs right now? Its about $2,300 plus another $500 to $1000 for alterations. It’s a pretty hefty price tag for something that is generally only worn once. I’m all for investing in and creating once in a life time experieces. And I understand and agree with the concept that some things are not about the money. Every couple deserves to experience those “wow” moments. But Brides Do Good demonstrate that we can still experience this, save a little money AND have a positive social impact.

Brides Do Good is not just another bridal boutique; it’s a movement that challenges us to rethink our choices and their ripple effects. Here’s the crux of it. Brides Do Good focusses on supporting a charity that empowers women and works to end child marriage. Here’s another fact. Did you know that every year there are approximately 12 million young girls who are forced into marriage before the age of 18. These girls are denied the chance of a future they choose, and trapped in a cycle that hinders their potential. Brides do good invites couples to stand in solidarity to protect the rights of girls everywhere, offering a brighter future for everyone.

What They Do

Brides Do Good believe that a wedding dress can represent more than just one love story. All of their dresses make a difference. One third of their profits go to charities that empower women and work to end child marriage. Their collection of ethical and sustainable bridal wear is donated by brides and brands. Everything you purchase from them is either preloved or pre-made, which means their product doesn’t introduce any new impact on the environment. They handpick their gowns and designers to offer a beautifully distinctive collection for the conscious bride with the desire to be different. They are also careful to work with brands that share our sustainable and ethical values. They are then able to offer selections to brides at up to 70% off RRP, and they never ever throw a dress away!

So far they have:

supported 4.7 million days of schooling to empower young girls
saved 87 lifetimes of water for people who need it
Saved 3215 kgs of dress material that would otherwise be living in storage or sent to landfill
Prevented 7 tonnes of C02 from entering our atmosphere

What an amazing thing to support with money you were going to spend anyway!

What Can I Do?

As Brides Do Good is a UK based company – it’s not very practical for us here in Australia. I contacted them to see if they were aware of any similar companies in Australia, and the answer was unfortunately no. Further research revealed that there are some different versions of this within Australia – not exactly the same model, but worth investigating, and I hope to write about these in a future article.

What I hope to inspire with this article, is the thought that where and how we spend our money, particularly weddings, can achieve our own dreams, as well as making a difference in the world. If this type of approach resonates with you – why not look for pre-loved wedding dresses and see if you can still achieve the wow factor you’re looking for, whilst also making a contribution to a more sustainable world?
Or perhaps there are other areas of your wedding that are worth considering with the same sustainable/positive social impact lens?

If you’ve already made some great choices, or perhaps you have some other great ideas I’d love to hear them! Let’s pool them all together and create resources to make it easier for others to do the same!

Head here to find out more about Eco Friendly weddings
You can find out more about Brides Do Good from the links below:

Brides Do Good

Brides Do Good Media

Greening Your Wedding Day: 9 Easy Eco-Friendly Ideas To Get You Thinking

By Lisa Cockington

We look forward to a wedding day for a very long time, and when it comes, it’s so easy to get caught up in everyone else’s expectations rather than sitting down and thinking about what’s truly important to you. It’s not just about how much your budget is, but also what you spend your money on, and what impact that has. Take a few minutes here to think about how eco-friendly your choices could be.

Let’s set the scene from my book of fables….

Once upon a time in a quaint village, there lived a couple, Sarah and James, who dreamed of having an eco-friendly wedding. But there was a challenge. The village had never seen such a wedding before, and many were skeptical about their unique idea. Some believed it would be too difficult to pull off, while others were resistant to change.
Undeterred, Sarah and James decided to press on. They sent digital invitations instead of paper ones, repurposed vintage decorations, and chose local, organic catering. Their wedding day was set in a lush forest, under a beautiful eco-arch, surrounded by friends and family. As they exchanged vows, they released biodegradable confetti, and the reception was lit by solar-powered lanterns.
Only a few people turned up at first, there was talk of sorcery and lack of respect for traditions, the older generation were shaking their heads, but eventually curiosity got the better of them. One by one they arrived until the whole village was present – FOMO was strong! This was the biggest wedding the village had ever had, and soon the apprehension was replaced with joy at the beauty and significance of the moment. The village elders realised that this could be the way to keep their village thriving for future generations.
For Sarah and James, their commitment to an eco-conscious celebration not only overcame the doubts of the village but also inspired everyone to embrace sustainability. Their wedding became a fable of love and perseverance, reminding all that even in the face of challenges, simple changes can make a difference.

Cute huh?

You don’t need to change a whole village like Sarah and James but it doesn’t hurt to consider contributing in some way towards a brighter, greener future, and to slowing climate change.

The Round Up

I’ve done a bit of round up of all the articles and ideas about eco-friendly weddings and here are my top 9 ideas. I’ve also given some thought into ordering them in terms of which ones might have the greatest impact. (The greatest is first) I can’t claim the order is scientific, purely a judgement call here in case its helpful!

Green transportation. Consider group transport where and how far you are asking guests to travel.
Choose a venue that is making efforts to be green, and put in place a plan for left over food to reduce wastage. If appropriate to your situation, serving an entirely vegetarian meal will have a lower impact on the earth.
Choose local foods in season, and local suppliers – this amounts to a lot less travel, refrigeration and increases the chances of items being re-usable.
Go paperless: electronic invites or website, marriage paperwork, menu’s (how about a bar code to scan), or 1 menu per table. Washable serviettes etc. If electronic isn’t your thing. How about recycled paper, or for a more personal touch home made paper? (I also have a cute little idea involving seeds – you can read about it here.)
Eco conscious decorating – re-use, recycle, upcycle, re-sell – avoid single use items.
How about vintage clothing and sustainable wedding jewellery? Lab diamonds are also more eco friendly than mined ones. You could encourage guests to look for vintage clothing too.
Flowers – if fresh – choose seasonal ones, and even better use silk, dried or felt ones that can be re-used. Consider also using live plants (potted) for living colour.
Consider eco-friendly unity ceremony ideas, such as tree planting – this could be done into a decorative large pot to take home.
Discuss the concept of charity registries and experiences over physical gifts

Key Messages For Going Green

The ideas above are just examples, but they are based on the following basic principles

Keeping it local
Avoiding waste and single use items
Consider fair trade when you do buy
Go electronic rather than paper

Finally – if you’re up for it – find some subtle way to let people know about your choice to be eco friendly -it can be subtle or overt, but keep in mind the bandwagon effect. You can read more about it here. You’ve made the effort because you think its important, why not help others to consider doing the same? Who knows, maybe its the beginning of a trend with your friends?

Imagine a wedding that’s not only amazing but makes a difference in the world!

By Lisa Cockington

Picture this:

“You’re strolling through Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, awestruck by its beauty, when you come across a sign that reads, “Your heritage is being vandalized every day by theft losses of petrified wood, 14 tons a year, mostly a small piece at a time.”

You’re initially shocked but continue your journey, observing a few people pocketing small pieces of wood along the way. These pieces seemed like amazing keepsakes. But why were they doing this when the signs explicitly warned against it?

A few years later you happened to meet a ranger who worked at the National Park. He explained to you that the theft of petrified wood had been significantly reduced. Relieved, you asked how the change occurred. To your surprise you discovered that all they did was to take down the signs and the occurrence of theft reduced.”
Whaaat?

This story, inspired by a true event at Arizona’s National Park, highlights a phenomenon – the unintended consequences of behaviour normalisation. The signs that were used to deter theft actually had an opposite effect by normalising the unwanted behaviour. Visitors actually internalised a message that if it was so common, it must be ok, everyone was doing it. Weird huh? Or not…

The Bandwagon Effect

“The bandwagon effect” is a powerful driver of human behaviour. People are drawn to choices based on what others are doing. More importantly, research has shown that we are even more drawn to choices made by people we like and respect. We want to be “a part” of that group.

How does this relate to your wedding? Don’t get me wrong, In no way do I want to suggest that your wedding should not be about fun, love, laughter and celebration. Of course it should. It should be everything you’ve ever dreamed of.

However, if you’re someone who wishes to make a positive difference in the world, and you want your wedding to reflect your authentic self, it’s worth considering the bandwagon effect. Your special day will be celebrated by many family and friends. What you do or don’t do can influence the way your guests perceive the world and the choices they make.

Weddings can make a difference

Let’s consider an example: incorporating an Aboriginal Acknowledgment of Country in your ceremony. By doing this, you are more likely to normalize and promote the value of respecting our first nations people. On the other hand, if you skip it due to concerns about making people uncomfortable, you may unintentionally contribute to normalizing its absence.

Now, think about other important issues like climate change, eco-friendly wedding considerations, sustainable weddings, reallocating the wedding budget to cherished charities, supporting local businesses, and fostering personal connections. Your wedding is a pinnacle moment in your life and an opportunity to add depth and value to your day, your guests, and the world.

Conclusion

Staying true to your values on your wedding day can elevate it to another level, but it doesn’t need to be stressful, or detract from the enjoyment of the day. Most of the decisions and actions just require a little extra thought in the planning. Weddings can make a difference – either by demonstrating what’s important to you, or directly through sustainable choices. And in my case, if I’m your celebrant I’ll take the load off your shoulders by listening to what’s important to you, supporting you with ideas that are authentic reflection of who you are – and ones that will add deeper meaning to your amazing wedding celebration.