Wedding designer, Ambika Gupta revealed 5 unique ways to style your wedding mehndi function in an eco-friendly way.
Mehndi celebrations are becoming increasingly green thanks to eco-sensitive couples who know exactly how to minimise waste and to achieve sustainability and an eco-friendly sensibility. Here are five ideas to make your Mehndi festivities truly green in more ways than one.
Go boho
Try and use natural elements and earthy accents in the decor which basically means, use what is available. This includes time-worn pieces of furniture, antique tapestries as drapes or wall hangings, cushions covered with vintage fabrics, baskets filled with natural grasses and backdrop frames made of jute or straw. Instead of building additional structures, create a vibe that resembles a cosy interior. Reusable items add as much beauty to a place as expensive, new things. Rustic table settings, green installations, candles, hurricane lanterns, recycled bottles serving as bud vases are only some of the ideas that can make your Mehendi very different, free-flowing and organic.
Go green
Potted plants and even succulents can cut out the waste that fresh flower installations result in. These plants can be rented from a nursery or you can buy them to add to your balcony or garden later. If you want a Mehndi themed around tropical lushness or a Boho-chic aesthetic, potted flowers, natural green foliage and scenic backdrops that need minimum decor interventions can create a stunning impact. Even the meals you serve can make a statement if they are sourced from local farms and are made from organic produce.
Discard waste
If you do want fresh flowers at your event, there are ways to still minimise waste. Reach out to NGOs like ‘Phool’ to help you create an eco-friendly ceremony. They will collect flowers after the ceremony and recycle them to create pretty and useful stuff like potpourri, incense sticks etc. Every event also leaves behind excess food and NGOs can come to your rescue. This is a volunteer-based organization that works to get surplus food and make it accessible to the less fortunate sections of society. Plated meals also work well in cutting down waste.
Get rid of plastic
Paper is wasteful and even if you don’t want to switch to e-invites, you can use recycled paper or even upcycled fabric for all your needs. Using seed paper for invitations and menus is a perfect alternative as well. Instead of paper napkins, you can also rent linen napkins. Remember that single-use plastics and excess paper packaging create unnecessary waste so cut them out completely. Avoid plastic water bottles as much as possible.
Give meaningful gifts
Replace store-bought gifts with meaningful goodies hand-crafted by artisans and NGOs. Patchwork bags, seed papers to help your guests plant something beautiful, delicious fruit preserves sourced from farms, candles and curated wellness hampers can be great gifting ideas. When it comes to receiving gifts, invite your guests to donate to a charity of your choice. A Mehndi celebration is a once-in-a-lifetime affair but it can also be an opportunity to give back to the earth and to those who need a helping hand.
Also Read: 5 Tips to keep in mind for a Monsoon Wedding
