Eco-Awareness On the Big Day
- Tanya T
- Apr 22, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: May 19, 2021
I'm a big fan of party planning, but weddings are always my favourite! The extravagant events are always so fun to attend, and learning the planning behind them can reveal a lot that I would've never considered. So, I was very excited when Netflix released The Big Day, a show that showcases the lead-up to Indian weddings of couples that come from various backgrounds, and how they incorporate pieces of themselves into their big day. In the first episode of Collection 1, titled "Love is in the Details," we meet Aman and Divya. They were planning a Big Fat Indian wedding, but with a little more awareness behind their actions.
Location
The couple decided to have their wedding in Jaipur, India, choosing to go where their families are, they appreciate the local culture. With that, they wanted to have a purpose with their wedding. They found a venue in the small village of Bishangarh, and Divya had one goal in mind: how much can be sourced and employed locally. They decided from the beginning that their wedding should not be as wasteful as many are, and that was a piece of their personality that they included.
Decorations
In Sanganer, just outside of Jaipur, they found local block-print fabrics. Instead of importing fabrics, they chose local, which was less wasteful and more inclusive of their culture. They continued to be aware of their carbon footprint, discussing how flowers should also be locally sourced instead of transported to their venue from far away locations. So, they ordered 25,000 long-stemmed mustard flowers, and included that yellow colour into the rest of their wedding decorations. Finally, all the paper involved in the wedding was printed with seeds in them, so the papers can then be planted to help grow a garden for each guest.
The Best Detail of All
Every aspect of Divya and Aman's wedding had a note explaining what would happen to the decorations after. The flowers would be sent to a paper factory to become recycled paper, and the fabrics would be used to make uniforms for local children. This was my favourite detail because they understood that once things don't just magically disappear. Just because you source materials wisely, doesn't mean you can't still be wasteful. They are accountable to the environment at every step of the way and make sure that their guests are also aware of it.
In the entire show, this was the most considerate couple showcased, because their wedding was not only about their aesthetics, but also about their beliefs as people. They started their life as a married couple with their core values as the focus and ended up creating a socially responsible wedding to the best of their abilities. This got me thinking a lot more about the wastefulness of parties that I hold for my friends and family. Sure, it's fun to have a big balloon arc and confetti everywhere, but we end up throwing all that plastic in the trash. Just because there's a cheaper option, doesn't mean it's the best option. It's wiser to invest in decorations that are recyclable, or even biodegradable, and reuse plastic decorations as much as possible. I think Divya and Aman really opened my eyes to the possibilities that come when you put a little more effort for the sake of the environment. Their wedding was just as extravagant as the rest, yet so much better for the Earth in the long run.
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