Vegan wedding guide from A to Z

If you have embraced the vegan philosophy, even before your partner, you have landed on the right article. More and more couples are vegan and want to live it on their wedding day and anyone who thinks that this choice can only be reduced to a question of the menu is wrong.
The idea of building a vegan fest is part of a much broader culture and your wedding is the opportunity to share your lifestyle with people who are close to you. In fact, this is not a whim or a fashion: if for you it is a true philosophy of life, the only possible way to plan a wedding that fits you perfectly is to involve all-round guests with consistent choices, original but all connected by a single thread.
I think it’s important to start from the concept that none of us can impose our principles and values on others, this would only create unnecessary conflicts and clashes. Rather, choose to communicate the reasons for your choices in an authentic, sincere and empathetic way. We’re sure that whoever is ready will welcome it and be part of it with enthusiasm!
There are so many questions where to start and how to put everything together that works and respects the principles of a vegan wedding;
how can I make a plant based wedding menu tasty for my guests by making sure they don’t miss the animal products? How can I communicate this decision in a humane way, by saying that you celebrate your wedding as is your own lifestyle and that you do your best not to participate in animal exploitation? Here’s our guide from A to Z to have your best vegan wedding.

WHAT IS A VEGAN WEDDING?

A vegan wedding it means celebrating love to the fullest, because to be love one should give love and surely the most sincere way is to express it to Mother Earth of which we are part!

Respect for nature is the basis of the Vegan Wedding concept and the keywords to describe this type of weddings are eco-sustainability and cruelty-free.

Now this is no longer a trend but a fundamental need for our planet and consequently also for us and the future generations. It’s a way of deeply respecting the surrounding environment in every aspect of the ceremony, from decorations to the outfit you wear, from moving around during the day to the food you eat; with no consumption or use of meat and animal products. So you will choose environmentally friendly products and fair trade materials and you’ll avoid leather, silk, wool, feathers, beeswax, live animals as custom – such as wedding doves, butterflies. Below we will go further into the topic.

FIND A VEGAN WEDDING CATERING

First of all, it is important to choose a vegan catering company, which takes your ethical choice at the table with enthusiasm and passion, not considering it a problem, but a stimulus. The menu, rigorously 100% vegetable with locally produced products, must be studied in detail, in order to be able to please everyone.

Search online or in the area where you live for vegan wedding catering and visit the place directly to try their cuisine. Or maybe contact those who have already used catering services of this type in the past to ensure a perfect and smooth day. Regarding this topic, you absolutely must not miss our article „ THE BEST VEGAN MENU “ where our friend Daniele helped us to create a vegan menu so inviting that you will want to celebrate your wedding every day.

Also, bring a non-vegan friend to taste your vegan catering food for another perspective. I think that those who have chosen this lifestyle also have the task of re-educating others, always in a respectful and empathetic way, because the big change comes from the little one.Find a caterer with a thorough knowledge of plant-based ingredients, not a traditional caterer trying to create a plant-based dish.
Look out for vegan caterings like this in larger cities, where plant-based food is better known than in the country.
Bring a non-vegan friend to your wedding tasting to test the food for another perspective.

WEAR VEGAN WEDDING ATTIRE

Anything that isn’t cruelty-free is obviously banned. So no to shoes or leather belts, silk tie or wool jacket, for the groom. Also for the wedding dress you will have to pay attention. Today, on the market, there are many interesting proposals, which create eco-chic wedding dresses, using certified organic fabrics, from linen, to hemp, lace, chiffon, georgette. As an alternative to silk there is fabrics based on viscose and nylon or the so-called „Peace silk“, the only one in the world to be appreciated by vegans and animal rights activists, because it does not do violence to the worm.

The eco-chic also blends well with the „vintage theme“: why not readjust mother’s dress, saving fabric and money?

You can also buy a used wedding dress, regardless of its vegan status. Then you can donate the saved money to animal welfare to compensate!

And don’t forget the accessories; the animal-friendly wedding couple should choose shoes and belts made of synthetic leather or vegetable materials, and no feathers, unless you innocently found it while taking your walk!

CHOOSE CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS

The market for cruelty-free cosmetic products is now expanding and more and more professionals in the sector use cosmetics for an ethical question. If you’ve already contacted the makeup artist, make sure that for the big day they’ll have vegan-friendly brushes and makeup. The same goes for the hairdresser. Tell him or her about your choice and the desire to have you apply only eco-organic hair styling products that do not contain products of animal origin. Non-vegan ingredients in cosmetics include carmine, a red dye made from crushed beetles and beeswax is very often found in lip products. Also pay attention that the products you use do not contain MICA, it’s that ingredient that creates that gliterate and sparkling effect on the skin; to extract it there is almost always child exploitation in third world countries! Best to avoid it if you can.

SEARCH AN ETHICAL JEWELER

Jewels are such enchanting, precious and sparkling objects that we tend to forget that even this type of industry can contribute to violence against animals, the pollution of the surrounding environment and, in some cases, the social exploitation of entire populations.

In fact, it must be remembered that, in addition to the pollution of the air and groundwater generated by certain manufacturing processes, too often the extraction of gold and some precious stones takes place in circumstances of poor protection or exploitation of workers, to damage of a workforce that is also minors and in full violation of the most elementary human rights. An emblematic example is the so-called “ blood diamonds “, illegally extracted by workers without any rights.

For those who want to consciously and responsibly choose their wedding ring, knowing that this purchase will not finance violence and civil wars and will not harm the environment, today there are numerous supportive and eco-sustainable alternatives. You can opt for jewels adorned with certified conflict-free stones and for gold and metals that are recycled and not subjected to chemical treatments, perhaps even with the possibility of contributing to the production with your own old gold and even saving a little. Also avoid jewels made of shells, pearls or corals, especially the latter; as their production destroys an already weak but extremely important ecosystem for ocean life.

ANIMAL FRIENDLY WEDDING DECORATION

The ideal location for a vegan wedding is certainly outdoors, surrounded by the greenery of an enchanted forest, for example, or even by the sea, or in the high mountains, in the midst of nature. Organise a single large table, instead of separate tables, or a picnic on the grass: both would be perfectly in tune with the vegan ideology.

When selecting fabrics and materials, ensure that they are produced in an animal-friendly manner and that they do not contain any animal ingredients. For decorations you don’t necessarily have to use fake flowers, on the contrary! Often fake flowers are even worse, since some artificial flowers are made of silk, so we definitely suggest you real flowers. The recommended choice is seasonal flowers: they respect the environment and also satisfy the wallet. For the bouquet, rely on those who make natural Bridal Bouquets – you can tag someone here if you have – with seasonal or wild flowers, local plants and also materials supplied directly by the Bride, for a perfect vegan wedding.

No silk tablecloths and beeswax candles for the settings, rather prefer natural fabrics such as linen and cotton and soy wax ones for candelas.

Finally, the classic invitations can be replaced by electronic formats sent by email or chat or buy invitations made with plantable paper with flower seeds.

CHARITABLE DONATION AS WEDDING FAVORS

What better gift on the wedding list than to save a life? Ask your loved ones to donate the sum to an animal welfare organisations, a charity or to a cause you care about particularly.

Show guests how much you and your partner are committed to eliminating cruelty to animals by giving gifts to charity. Instead of spending money on wedding favours that are likely to end up in the trash, take this opportunity to help an animal in need.