We understand that planning a wedding is stressful and expensive. Did you know the average wedding costs between $29k to $31k in 2019? Consider how you can use some of this money to help a worthy cause if that number makes you dizzy.
Your wedding can have a huge impact! We have rounded up 20 vendors and designers who give back to the community. This may help you feel less guilty about your expensive wedding.
You can also check out our Fashionable Clothing.
Roulette Bride is a Brooklyn-based bridal designer that gives back in many ways, from using compostable bags to fair and ethical labor to planting trees in the name of a bride for each gown sold. They are eco-friendly and choose a dress each season that will donate a portion of the proceeds to a charity. For example, 5% of their Queen Bee collection is donated to Honeybee Conservancy.
Plum Pretty Sugar: We’ve been gushing over their bridal and bridesmaid products for quite some time now. But did you know that they also run a Buy-one-Give-One program? One more reason to love Plum Pretty Sugar! PPS donates a piece for every item purchased to women in need or domestic abuse survivors.
Bridals for a Cause – This PNW-based resale wedding dress business sells gently used gowns to charity at their Seattle and Tacoma boutiques. The give-back program of Brides for a Cause has recycled more than 15,000 dresses and donated over $1,000,000 to women’s charities.
Brides Do Good is a UK bridal business that supports worldwide projects to empower young girls. See the impact of their project on the world by visiting their page.
You can also find out more about the following
MiaDonna If you struggle to find ethically sourced engagement rings, you will appreciate MiaDonna. This Portland-based wedding jewelry company specializes in lab-grown conflict-free diamonds and gemstones. The Greener Diamond Foundation donates a minimum of 10% of its net profits to “educational and mentorship programs, agricultural projects, and urgent relief in diamond mining communities.”
Do Amore’s “Choose A Ring, Build a Well” Sales of stunning, ethical rings from Do Amore provide clean water for a needy community?
Photographers
Corinne Graves: A destination wedding photographer based in Alaska, Corinne Graves donates a portion of her proceeds to an animal sanctuary every year. She is donating all proceeds to the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand.
Claire Eliza- Claire Eliza, our managing editor and destination wedding photographer, shares Corinne’s love of wildlife & environmental issues. Claire Eliza donates a portion of each wedding photography package to a charity annually. She chooses charities like the Gray Wolf Conservationists Defenders Of Wildlife or the African Wildlife Foundation, which works to save big cats.
Stationery
Paperlust is an Australian wedding invitation business partnered with One Tree Planted to support reforestation. Paperlust will plant one tree in Borneo to help restore the areas ravaged by fires around Tanjung Puting National Park for every order placed.
Greenvelope – Speaking of trees, Greenvelope, a Seattle-based eco-friendly online invitation company, donates a portion of each sale to Mountains to Sound. This PNW nonprofit is focused on conserving the natural landscape in Washington State.
Bella Figura If you’re not into online invitations, then check out Bella Figura’s “green” stationery. They’ve used many sustainable techniques, from organic and vegetable-based inks to recycled packaging and 100% tree-free Bella Cotton or Bella Smooth Cotton paper. The company also donates a percentage of its sales to environmental groups.
Cards For Causes — Don’t forget to send thank-you cards! Cards for Causes will donate 20% of the revenue from your order to a charity you choose.
Florals & Decor
Rebloom — Forget about wasteful centerpieces that you will never see again. At Rebloom, you can purchase recycled and redesigned centerpieces at local events. You can then select a charity for a significant portion of the proceeds.
Repeat Roses – Or do the excellent thing yourself by donating flowers to Repeat Roses. They will take flowers from your wedding and turn them into beautiful arrangements that can be given to patients at hospitals, cancer centers, hospices, etc. The organization collects and composts the bouquets to double down on their good deeds.
Vaseful- Men and women with disabilities create a floral online vendor, Vaseful’s beautiful floral arrangements.
Planning
New Creations Wedding Design & Coordination – A Seattle-based women-owned wedding planning company that donates a part of its service fee to one of the preselected charities listed below.
LLG Events — Every year, international luxury wedding planner LLG Events puts together a team of incredible vendors to gift a dream wedding pro bono to a couple who are in need. They accept nominations here for this year’s LLG-gifted couple.
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Honeyfund: So you are struggling to create a registry but already have everything you need. Lucky you! Create a cash fund using web-based registries such as Honeyfund, which allows you to donate a portion of the gifts received to your chosen cause.
The Knot Gifts Back- This program partners with over 100 charities to receive a donation every time a guest purchases a gift off your registry.
SoKind If you are anything like me, and the thought of “stuffing” your house with more stuff gives you anxiety, then look no further than SoKind. SoKind offers an alternative registry where guests can give you gifts such as experiences, second-hand goods, handmade items, and charitable donations.
Are you looking for ways to make your wedding more memorable? Claire Eliza, our editor and bride, used these 12 tips for planning an eco-friendly marriage.