How to Throw the Perfect Eco-Friendly Engagement Party

Getting engaged is a significant moment in the lives of you and your partner, and it’s only right that you’d want to celebrate it with your closest family and friends. Especially if you’re not planning on getting married for a few years yet, or you’ll be having a micro-wedding with a limited guest list, an engagement party is a chance to celebrate before the big day itself. 

As well as marking the occasion, it’s also a great chance for your loved ones who haven’t yet met to get to know each other. This can make the conversation flow a little easier on your big day, creating an informal atmosphere that’s full of happiness and laughter. 

Your engagement party should share the same values that your wedding will – in the case of sustainability-minded couples, this means an eco-friendly celebration will be on the cards. So how can you make sure you start your journey towards your vows with the planet in mind? In this post, we share our easy tips.

Go digital for the invites

Paper invites are lovely to look at, but most people will put the date in their digital diaries and then throw them in the bin. Whilst you can opt to print your invitations on recycled paper, sending an e-invite is a better way to cut your carbon footprint even further. 

There are plenty of free invitation maker tools online that allow you to create personalised, elegant invitations. With a paper invite emitting approximately 20-35 g of carbon emissions, in comparison to the 4 g footprint of an email, this is a quick and easy swap to make your event more eco-friendly from the start.

Choose your venue carefully

Your chosen venue can have a big impact when it comes to setting the tone for your event, so it’s important to find one that you love. The atmosphere, decor and menu will all be important to consider – but have you thought about how your guests will get there?

If possible, choosing a venue that is easily accessible by public transportation is a simple way to make your engagement party more eco-friendly. Not only is this better for the planet, but it means that your loved ones can raise a glass to celebrate with you – without worrying about who is the designated driver.

Be mindful of your menu

Whilst you might not be serving a full sit-down dinner at your engagement party, the chances are that you’ll at least have some snacks or canapés out for your guests. Choosing seasonal and locally sourced ingredients can help minimise the impact of your food choices – with the added benefit of probably tasting better, too.

You should also carefully consider how much food you need to serve, and what will be done with any leftovers. Just one wedding can generate 65% of the waste a standard home will produce in a whole year, and whilst an engagement party won’t be quite on this scale, they can still be chief offenders when it comes to food waste. 

The perfect celebration

Once you’ve planned an engagement party that lines up with your values, all that’s left to do is relax and enjoy. With all the details sorted, you can simply let your hair down and toast this big milestone – and look forward to starting life as a married couple.

This is a collaborative post.