Sage Green, spring green, fern green…Just green
NIAMH WHITE
Wedding Coordinator, Horetown House
In the past few years there has been a steadily growing hum around sustainable lifestyle choices and local and low impact produce. Our impact on the planet is getting out of control and the enormity of the problem is starting to hit home. So if you are wondering where this is going, bear with me.
At home we have been making some changes and some are easy, but others are really tricky. The bit I am finding the hardest is figuring out which option is best, it takes a lot of research to discover what sustainable alternatives are available and which will work best. There isn’t usually a perfect solution and it often feels like trying to chose the least worst option.
So what does this have to do with your wedding venue? Read on.
Gold stars for green
Weddings are celebrations and once-in-lifetime events and are not generally synonymous with reduce, reuse and recycle. At Horetown we know you are creating a once in a lifetime event and you want to be generous and take care of your guests every need. We thrive on showing your guests good hospitality and plenty of delicious food and drink in the luxurious comfort of our big old house.
The question we have been asking ourselves is, how to deliver our luxury service while reducing our impact on the world around us. Over the last couple of years we have done some restoration work in the house to curb our energy use. We have replaced our old oil heating system with a more efficient gas boiler. Our original slide and sash windows have been restored, making our rooms cosier and cutting our fuel consumption. These of course are all money saving measures too, so don’t send us a gold star just yet!
We are however intent on continuing this journey to look at areas around the house and gardens where we can leave a lighter footprint by reducing single use items and continuing to learn more about the choices we make as a venue. Below you can see some of the steps we have already taken.
Grown not flown
One of the easiest (and most gorgeous) ways to make your wedding a little greener is to choose “grown not flown”. There are lots of amazing florists growing sustainable, seasonal flowers and foliage to create incredible bouquets. In Horetown we now grow all of our own flowers and foliage to decorate the house and style your tables. And of course these are all composted and returned to the soil so there are zero miles and zero waste.
“…our flowers are all composted and returned to the soil so there are zero miles and zero waste”
How to reduce plastic
The fight against plastic is a little trickier. The first thing we decided to do was remove plastic from the bar. So far we have gotten rid of any plastic bottles and now only stock glass which is returned for reuse or recycled. We have replaced plastic straws with cute stripped paper ones so that was no big burden! If only all sustainable options were cute!
Another place we were able to make a change was in our water. We had used plastic bottles of water in our bedrooms and these have now been replaced by glass bottles with metal lids. Avoiding bottled water is the best solution for reducing unnecessary waste. However, we still want to supply water in a hygienic way for our guests in their rooms, so we have compromised by choosing a fully recyclable bottle. We are happy to make progress even if it’s not perfect.
“…we can make progress even if it’s not perfect..”
the Handmade Soap company
Our cosmetics come from an amazing Irish company based in Meath. The Handmade Soap Company make incredible soaps, shampoo and a whole host of dreamy products. Their products are made with coconut derivatives, vegetable emulsifiers and scented with essential oils and are 99.7% natural.
To further reduce our plastic use we will also change from single use shampoos and soaps to full size products in each room. We hope you like this change and if you are looking for a sustainable cosmetics brand you should definitely check them out.
OUR TOP TIPS ON HAVING A GREENER WEDDING
Choose Irish grown flowers to reduce your carbon footprint.
Consider using digital stationary or if you love paper just make sure it’s sustainable and recyclable.
Instead of buying disposable decor consider collecting reclaimed and vintage props or work with your venue to use the props on site.
Use natural materials in your decor scheme, muslin, hessian, beeswax candles, foliage and plants.
Avoid unnecessary waste by not supplying favours or choosing food or charity donations which don’t leave anything behind
Help your guests to choose shared transport, have a Whatsapp group or share contacts for a bus service.
Choose a venue that makes sustainable choices (that’s a sales pitch!)
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