Charitable weddings are growing in popularity all over the world. With so many people coming together to celebrate your magical day, it’s a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of a cause close to your heart and make a lasting impact long after the knot has been tied. If you’re wondering how you can incorporate charity into your wedding day, read our three top tips to get you started.
Start with the venue
Viewing different venues is a common starting point for lots of couples kicking off their wedding planning journey. With the most popular sites getting booked up months and potentially even years in advance, securing your first-choice venue should be high on your list of priorities. Choosing somewhere that already has strong ethical policies in place will help to make the rest of the process easier, since you can work with your venue to ensure your wedding can leave a positive impact.
Or, why not forgo the traditional options altogether and opt for a more alternative venue that has been primarily set up for charitable purposes? If you share a love for wildlife, look out for any local animal sanctuaries that may be happy to host your special day. Or, for history buffs, explore any museums or sites of interest and let them know your plans – you might be surprised at just how magical a wedding site these unique venues make for. In addition to your venue fee going directly to a good cause, this is a great way to spread awareness amongst your guests.
Spread the word
In order for your charitable wedding to have the biggest impact, it’s important to get your nearest and dearest involved in your philanthropic efforts throughout the entire process. This starts with making them aware of your plans by spreading the word in the build-up to the big day. One way to do this is by adding some extra information on your invites around your chosen charity and the background behind why you picked this particular cause.
In addition, if you’re planning on building your own wedding website, this is a great place to point your guests in the direction of the charity’s social media pages. You could also include a link on your site to a donation page, giving your guests the opportunity to contribute to the cause.
Find the right vendors
As part of the planning process, it’s important to identify vendors that align with your ethical approach. Doing so will not only help to spread the word about companies that are making a positive difference to the community and wider world, but it will also ensure every aspect of your wedding has been arranged with a charitable theme in mind.
It can take a lot of research to find ethical suppliers, especially ones that are local to your venue. However, a great place to start is by looking for any companies that have gained B-Corp certification. This indicates that they are making an ongoing commitment to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, and are taking responsibility for doing good in the world.
Small details make a big difference
It can feel overwhelming to try and incorporate charitable aspects into every little part of your wedding day. However, remember that any small gesture you make will go a long way and leave a lasting impact after the big day, so consider which parts of your wedding you want to tie in with the charitable theme and you’ll be able to organise an event that’s truly special in more ways than one.
Blog post brought to you by Bethany Tomlyn with 6XDMedia
Images all by Endless Exposures Photography