How To Plan a Sustainable Celebration Without Sacrificing Style
Planning a green wedding and/or event doesn't mean choosing between your vision and your values.
Whether you're organizing an intimate celebration or a large-scale gathering, sustainable choices exist for every detail, from locally-sourced catering to zero-waste decor.
This guide breaks down actionable tips across seven key categories to help you create green events that look stunning, feel intentional, and honor the planet.
No greenwashing, no compromise: just practical advice from Chicago's sustainable events community to make your celebration as beautiful as it is responsible.
What You'll Learn:
This guide covers sustainable strategies across seven essential categories: Bar & Drinks, Beauty, Catering, Decor, Favors, Flowers, and Invitations & Stationery. Each section includes actionable tips you can implement regardless of budget or event size.
Key Takeaways:
Prioritize seasonal and local sourcing across all categories
Choose reusable and rental items over single-use purchases
Compost food waste and use biodegradable materials when possible
Work with vendors committed to sustainable practices
Reduce packaging wherever you can
Remember: every sustainable choice matters, even small ones
Ready to Find Sustainable Vendors? Browse our collective of vetted Chicago wedding and event professionals committed to eco-conscious practices. From caterers to florists to rental companies, we've done the vetting so you don't have to.
Your Sustainable Celebration Planning Guide: 50+ Tips for Green Weddings & Events
Sustainable Bar & Drinks: Serve Cocktails Without the Waste
Your bar doesn't have to choose between great drinks and green values. From locally distilled spirits to skipping single-use plastics, these swaps reduce your environmental impact while keeping guests happy and hydrated.
Whether you're planning a full bar or signature cocktails, small choices add up to major waste reduction—and often save you money in the process. Check with your caterer to make these ideas a reality!
Consider offering specialty cocktails
This can reduce your purchasing and the energy needed to transport heavy bottles of booze. Many caterers use their own cordials, liqueurs, and bitters as well as seasonal fruit to create delicious specialty drinks.
Buy local!
Select local, craft-brewed beer, sustainable/organic or biodynamic wines, and craft distilled spirits. If your venue is BYOB-friendly, have some fun choosing great local options for your bar.
Buy sustainable wines
Sustainably grown wines don’t have to be out of your budget. And while sustainable is a nebulous term, it takes into account the environment, biodiversity, and worker issues.
New Zealand and Australia are leaders in sustainable wine, but there is wine from every region that is grown in sustainable ways.
Skip the plastic
Don’t offer bottled water. Create an infused water station to be served out of pitchers or decorative dispensers.
Use small paper cups for guests to serve themselves. Plastic is the hardest material to recycle and generally can only be down-cycled, converted into lesser quality plastics for reuse.
Think recycle-ability
Aluminum is light, uses less gas to transport, and is easily recycled. Glass, while heavier, is a better alternative to plastic because it can be recycled endlessly. Many craft beers are in cans and Goose Island even offers sodas in glass bottles.
Skip the toast
Champagne toasts require renting glassware and often end up being wasted. Let your guests either choose champagne at the bar or toast with their preferred drink and you'll save money and energy in the process.
Less is more
Avoid unnecessary packaging & choose keg beer, spirits or wine.
Planning a sustainable celebration? Our vetted caterers can help you design a bar program that's delicious and eco-conscious. Find your next event caterer!
Think Green & Clean When It Comes To Makeup For Your Big Day
Your wedding day glow doesn't have to come at the earth's expense. From non-toxic makeup to conflict-free jewelry, these beauty choices help you look and feel your best while honoring your values.
Whether you're hiring a full glam team or doing your own makeup, small swaps make a big difference—and many are better for your skin too.
Work with beauty professionals who prioritize clean, cruelty-free products to bring these ideas to life!
We've compiled these tips & ideas from our members to help guide you to make informed decisions when it comes to looking beautiful for your Big Day.
Go natural
Opt for organic and non-toxic beauty supplies and shampoos. Many salons offer a variety of chemical-free products both for sale and with their spa services.
Book an appointment at Credo Beauty (Wicker Park & West Loop) for wedding day makeup using their collection of clean, non-toxic products.
If it’s good enough for PETA…
Request that your makeup artist use PETA-friendly products.
Say no to conflict diamonds
A conflict diamond is a gem mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency. Make sure to know the source of your gems, or opt for synthetic diamonds which are much more affordable & indistinguishable in look.
You can also find a fabulous vintage ring to symbolize your love or shop alternatives like wood rings.
On-site is better
Choose to have your hair and makeup done on-site – it’s much more fuel efficient to have one or two stylists come to you than to take your whole wedding party to the salon.
Plus, it's less coordinating on your part!
Read the ingredients
Be on the lookout for toxic, petroleum-derived ingredients in your beauty products. CALM skin care products come with full disclosures of the ingredients they contain.
Rinse & repeat
Look for vendors that use reusable or biodegradable tools and implements, such as bamboo makeup brushes with vegan or cruelty-free bristles.
High pressure = saved water
Ask your beauty vendors if they use low-flow, jet-less tubs with cold water for cleaning towels and implements. Ask your beauty vendors if they use low-flow equipment and renewable energy.
Progressive salons can reduce water usage by 50% or more with the right systems.
Revamp fabrics
Recycling old fabrics to create something new and lovely is a great way to bring life to items that may otherwise be thrown into a landfill.
Even a dull high-necked, long-sleeved gown can be updated into a vintage-inspired, stylish gown with the right imagination!
Sustainable makeup artists and hair stylists: Join our collective to connect with eco-conscious couples planning their celebrations. Learn more!
Create A Menu That's Delicious & Planet-Friendly With Sustainable Catering
Your menu is one of the biggest opportunities to reduce your event's environmental footprint, and it doesn't mean sacrificing flavor or variety.
From seasonal sourcing to composting food scraps, these choices create delicious meals while honoring the planet.
Whether you're planning a plated dinner or family-style feast, thoughtful decisions about what you serve and how it's prepared make a real difference.
Work with your caterer to bring these sustainable practices to your table!
Eat with the season
Use locally available produce when possible. For example, everyone loves caprése skewers, but when local tomatoes aren’t available, your caterer might offer a fall/winter version with apples instead!
Remember the meal’s “food mile”
A food mile is the distance food travels from producer to consumer. To reduce your food miles, source foods from local producers.
Many bakeries love to use seasonal fruit in their cake fillings.
Big Delicious Planet grows herbs and vegetables in their own garden right outside their kitchen - you can't get much closer than that!
Choose organic and sustainable
When you need ingredients that aren't in season or grown nearby, look for organic and sustainably sourced alternatives.
Less is more
More food means more waste. Although you’ll want to offer a good selection to satisfy your guests, sticking with plated meals is guaranteed to create the least amount of waste.
Compared to buffets, stations, or family style service, plated meals control portion size.
Skip the late-night snack
If you think most of your guests will pass on that snack, just put that money into your main meal, or choose packaged favors that guests can take with them, like ones from Katherine Anne Confections that are hand-made, local, organic and use tree-free paper!
Have it made in-house
Making food in-house reduces food miles and packaging. Does your caterer make their breads and crackers in-house to ensure freshness and quality? This will certainly reduce packaging!
Less packaging = savings
Packaging affects every business, but food businesses definitely use a lot of materials to store and transport food.
Make sure your caterer is using reusable containers to bring the food into a venue, then washing them and bringing them back rather than using aluminum hotel pans or other things that get tossed at the end of the night.
Skip the meat
Consider having a predominantly vegetarian menu, like all-veggie appetizers, which your vegetarian guests will appreciate.
Vegetarian diets use less energy, water, and land space as compared to meat-based diets.
Eat meat smarter
But if you simply can’t imagine a menu without meat or if you’ll have a lot of protesting relatives, consider smaller animals like chicken, duck, or pork.
Feed conversion ratios (FCR) measure the amount of feed such as grain needed to create the equal amount of meat and are approximately 7:1 for beef, 5:1 for pork, and 2.5:1 for poultry.
And of course, chicken doesn’t have to be boring!
Save the scraps
Hire a service like Urban Canopy or WasteNot Compost to reduce your event's overall impact by composting the food scraps.
Food for Thought Catering composts all food and compostable product waste in their kitchen and at many events.
Looking for a caterer who gets it? Our vetted catering vendors source responsibly, minimize waste, and create menus that prove sustainable food is unforgettable.
Sustainable Wedding & Event Decor That Brings Your Vision to Life
Beautiful event design doesn't require buying everything new.
From vintage rentals to energy-efficient lighting, these decor choices create stunning spaces while keeping waste out of landfills.
Whether you're going for romantic elegance or modern minimalism, sustainable options exist for every aesthetic, and often add more character than mass-produced alternatives.
Work with rental companies and venues to source pieces that can be used again and again!
Reuse vintage items
Avoid purchasing new items by renting furniture, glass, china & candles. Vintage items make for a truly one-of-a-kind look!
Check out your local garage & estate sales to create an eclectic collection, or check out Arcana Vintage Rentals & Anew Vintage Rentals, who have found the used items for you and have a wide selection of amazing pieces!
Arcana Vintage Rentals offers beautiful vintage furniture in addition to decor & tabletop rentals, lending a unique look to your wedding without producing new material.
They carefully maintain their pieces using a green cleaner for upholstery and green detergents for tabletop items.
What does your venue offer
Oftentimes, venues have items available for rent such as arches, candles and other decor items, thus reducing new purchases or transportation of rented items.
Highlights from some of our sustainable event venues:
The Joinery created 20 beautiful reclaimed wood dining tables that are included in the rental of their space.
Colvin House has a full inventory of vintage dishes and furniture to be used during events.
Loft on Lake offers amazing lighting throughout their space.
Fairlie uses reusable candles to help enhance your dining area.
Lighting
Using LED lighting features is more energy efficient, lasts longer, and comes in a variety of colors.
Loft on Lake offers wonderful lighting throughout their space, including LED uplighting available in a rainbow of colors!
Fairlie has a beautiful chandelier with LED bulbs, as well as colored lighting that can enhance your dance floor!
No plastic straws
Find an alternative material, such as rice, hay or paper.
Ask your décor vendor if they transport and store items in reusable totes (like our SEC members) or if they use styrofoam.
Styrofoam is one of the most environmentally unfriendly types of materials that exist, not only releasing toxic chemicals when exposed to light or heat, it also has an extremely low decomposition rate.
Loft on Lake has banned the use of plastic straws by vendors in their space. They also encourage the use of water stations and don’t allow plastic bottled water at the bar.
Save the peanuts
Packing materials can create a lot of waste rather quickly. Rather than packing items in cardboard boxes, transport items using reusable milk crates that are easily washed and reused.
A sustainable decor vendor would re-use boxes and use reusable totes and padding to bring items to and from events.
Bonus tips
Ask your linen vendor or decorator how they wash & dry their linens and fabric drapes. High-efficiency machines with cold water and non-toxic detergent are best.
Using rental plates, silverware and glasses is clearly better than using disposable materials, but if you have to use disposables, consider compostable items like paper or bamboo plates, and plant-based plastic utensils and cups.
Sustainable Party Favors That Feel Thoughtful, Not Wasteful
The best wedding favors are the ones guests don't leave behind. From edible treats to useful keepsakes, thoughtful favors show appreciation without creating waste.
Whether you're looking for something sweet, practical, or handmade, sustainable options exist that feel special, not like an afterthought.
And bonus: many eco-friendly favors actually save you money compared to traditional trinkets. Choose favors that align with your values and delight your guests!
Consider a consumable
Many guests are just not hungry enough for a late-night snack, so to cut waste, give them a small treat to be enjoyed later, or a consumable, useful item.
Katherine Anne Confections offers delectable truffles, caramels, and marshmallows that are made with local ingredients like Kilgus cream and Seedling Farms fruit and packed in boxes by Distant Village that is both fair-trade and sustainably-sourced.
Homemade items
Like spice blends, granola, or hot chocolate mix are thoughtful, inexpensive, and you can make them with organic ingredients.
Just avoid plastic packaging and opt for eco-friendly, biodegradable wrapping alternatives.
How about ‘upcycled gifts?
Put on your crafting hat and consider making a favor or gift that speaks to your DIY side. Plus, recycled or reusable packaging reduces waste on both ends.
Find a vendor who offers their hand-poured, natural soy wax candles in recycled wine and soda bottles that guests can keep.
Double duty
A wedding favor can also serve double duty as an escort card. A prettily wrapped piece of fruit is yummy, looks beautiful, and can even add fragrance (fresh peaches, anyone?) to your reception.
Living plants
Succulents or mini terrariums are great takeaways and add décor to your tables. Pollen and other SEC florists can add individual succulents right on to your flower order – eliminating one more vendor.
Gifts that give back
Some couples, in lieu of favors, will make a donation to a charity with significant personal meaning and put up a sign saying so. You can also let guests know by giving them a small item like a bookmark.
Re-use
Try to avoid plastic in wedding favors. While it is often convenient, the most memorable favors, and the ones most likely to be taken home, use simple or reusable packaging, like a string bow and a sprig of lavender.
Include as little packaging as you can, or use reusable glass or ceramic, or recyclable paper bags.
Looking for party favors guests will love? Our vendors specialize in edible treats, reusable goods, and thoughtful gifts that feel special and sustainable. Browse Party Favor Vendors!
Sustainable Flowers That Are Beautiful and Locally Grown
Your floral arrangements can be stunning without flying halfway around the world to get there.
From seasonal blooms to local growers, sustainable flower choices reduce your environmental impact while supporting your community.
Whether you're dreaming of lush centerpieces or simple bud vases, eco-conscious options exist for every style and budget.
And as a bonus, seasonal flowers often cost less than imported varieties. Work with florists who prioritize locally-sourced, pesticide-free blooms to bring your floral vision to life!
Shop seasonally and save
Flowers that bloom naturally during the month of your wedding require less resource-heavy maintenance and, as a bonus, are less expensive!
So choose your flowers based on seasonality, and even better, opt for locally-grown flowers instead of ones from Latin America.
As with food, this means a shorter distance to transport and less fuel for shipping/cooling!
If local isn’t an option
Request that your florist use Veriflora, Rainforest Alliance, organic, and fair trade certified flowers.
Skip the floral foam
Floral foam is mostly plastic, is non-biodegradable, and contains toxic chemicals like formaldehyde! Ask your florist about alternatives.
Vintage is beautiful
Vintage, mismatched vases make for vibrant vessels and save waste. Some florists even have their own collection. You can also source them from second-hand shops or shop at our annual Fall and Spring Wedding Recyclery.
Give the arrangements a second life
If you opt for cut flowers, donate them to a local hospital or retirement home after your event. Be sure to coordinate the donation ahead of time. Many florists, like Flowers by Stem, can help organize the pickup and delivery for you.
Alternatives to cut-flowers
Potted plants and herbs or planted succulents which come in an endless variety of shapes, are a low-impact way to decorate your wedding or event. Plus, you can still support a small, local business by ordering from your local greenhouse.
And to make them waste-free, at the end of the night, invite guests who’ve been married/together the longest to take home a potted plant from their table.
It can be a sweet way to honor their commitment and also ensure that all the plants will be taken home at the end of the night.
Some florists have their own flower farms
For example, The Roof Crop grows specialty cut flowers on 14+ rooftops across Chicago, making them truly hyperlocal—your flowers travel from rooftop to vase with zero food miles.
They're known for their responsibly grown dahlias and a curated selection of seasonal and native blooms available from their urban farms between spring and fall.
Our vetted florists prioritize seasonal sourcing, local growers, and practices that honor the planet as much as beauty. Browse Our Florists!
Beautiful Invitations That Honor Your Values and the Planet
Your invitations are your guests' first glimpse into your celebration, and a great opportunity to showcase your values.
From recycled paper to seed-embedded designs, eco-friendly stationery proves that sustainable doesn't mean sacrificing style.
Whether you're going fully digital or choosing beautiful printed pieces, thoughtful choices about paper, ink, and design reduce waste while creating memorable invites.
Work with stationery designers who understand sustainable printing to bring your vision to paper (or screen)!
Since invitations are your guests' first clue as to the kind of event you're planning, set the expectation for a green wedding.
Here’s how to use real invitations and still be eco-friendly:
Choose your paper wisely
Be mindful as you choose what kind of paper the invitations are printed on. There are endless options, including recycled, tree-free and sustainably-sourced papers that are available in every color and texture. Ask your vendor for suggestions.
Use seed papers
Your guests can plant them after your wedding (or when it’s finished living its best life on the fridge door), and perhaps think of you when they see that plant in bloom every season. 🌸
Avoid plastic
Like with all other areas, steer clear of plastic-coated or metallic papers that are not easy to recycle. And always avoid those little liners as these are entirely unnecessary.
Think ink
Ask your printer about what kind of ink will be used to print the invites. Of course, vegetable and soy-based inks are preferable to petroleum based ones.
Save the scraps
Paper scraps are a resource in themselves and can be saved for other uses, reused for jotting notes or for art.
Some local companies donate pretty scraps to Chicago Public Schools art programs. Ask your stationer if they have similar community partnerships!
Go paperless
Online wedding invitations aren’t necessarily tacky, especially as the world feels the impact of global warming.
Consider online save the dates and invites to wedding and/or bridal shower and direct guests to your wedding website to RSVP for these wedding events. (This is also a great way to gather guests’ email addresses!)
Simplify
Does your mother insist on sending paper invites?!
Reduce the number of pieces in your invitation, including a simplified card and direct everyone to your wedding website for up-to-date information on when & what is happening during your wedding weekend!
You can include rehearsal dinner, hotel reservation info, maps, post-wedding brunch, gift registry, and any other information on your wedding website.
This is especially helpful for out-of-town guests!
Skip wedding programs entirely!
Consider posting a schedule of events by the entrance and avoid programs altogether. Put that money you saved toward your bar package! But if you do want to have programs, don’t feel the need to print one per person. Many guests will take one program per couple.
Talk to your caterer about escort cards
While we’re on the topic of paper.. With certain styles of dinner service you may not even need escort cards, eliminating another need for a paper item.
Consider having maybe 10 or so cards listing the appetizers being passed along with the dinner menu and place these on highboy tables during cocktail hour. Now you’ve informed your guests with a fraction of the paper!
Stationery designers and printers: Join our collective to connect with eco-conscious couples planning their celebrations.
You now have 50+ ways to make your wedding or event kinder to the planet—without sacrificing a single moment of beauty, joy, or celebration.
Whether you choose seasonal flowers, compost your food waste, or work with our vetted vendors across every category, every decision moves us closer to a world where sustainable events are simply how we celebrate.
The Sustainable Events Collective is here to support you every step of the way. Browse our community of Chicago vendors, join our Green Circle, and let's create something beautiful together.
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Not necessarily! Many sustainable choices actually save money, like seasonal flowers, plated meals that reduce waste, skipping single-use decor, and renting instead of buying. Some eco-friendly options (like organic products) may cost more, but overall you can plan a beautiful sustainable celebration on any budget.
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Ask specific questions: Where do you source materials? How do you handle waste? Do you use reusable containers? What sustainable certifications do you have? Genuine sustainable vendors will have clear, detailed answers. Our collective vets every vendor to ensure they meet real sustainability standards.
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Absolutely not! Every sustainable choice matters, whether you implement one tip or fifty. Start with the categories that matter most to you: maybe it's local flowers or composting food waste, and build from there. Progress over perfection.
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Food and waste are typically the largest environmental impacts. Prioritize: choosing a caterer who sources locally and seasonally, composting food scraps, using rental dishes instead of disposables, and working with a waste management service for day-of support.
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Yes! Sustainable doesn't mean sacrificing style. Vintage rentals often have more character than new items, seasonal flowers are stunning, and many eco-conscious vendors specialize in elevated design.
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The earlier the better, especially for booking in-demand sustainable vendors. However, you can implement sustainable practices at any stage—even last-minute swaps like adding composting bins or switching to digital programs make a difference.
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You can still make sustainable choices! Bring in composting services, work with sustainable caterers and florists, skip single-use items, choose renewable energy venues when possible, and communicate your values to your venue—they may be more flexible than you think.
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We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and community of vetted sustainable wedding and event vendors in Chicago. Since 2012, we've been connecting eco-conscious couples and event planners with professionals who meet real sustainability standards—no greenwashing in sight. Book 3 or more of our vendors for your event and you'll join our Green Circle! Learn more here!
