Four Sustainable Choices I Made For Our No Regrets, Country Wedding.

I've always been a sucker for a good party. And let's be honest —I was never going to have a low-key wedding. There’s something about dreaming up a day that’s entirely yours, and for me, it’s a vision I held long before I met my fiancé. The whimsical tables, the bridal cars, the live band, champagne on arrival… you name it, I wanted it all.

Luckily, my husband-to-be felt the same way. So, naturally, we had the big bridal party, the three-course sit-down dinner, and even a Nashville themed recovery party to top it all off. It was absolutely beautiful, and we were even featured in Together Journal's inspirational wedding section.

But here's the thing: big weddings, with all the bells and whistles, are incredibly taxing on the environment. Think about it—there’s travel, waste, single-use decor, and don’t even get me started on the energy used just to make it all happen. As much as I was determined to have the day of my dreams, I couldn’t ignore the impact I was making on the planet. Instead of brushing it off as "just a once-in-a-lifetime event," I decided to take a different approach and make a few sustainable choices along the way.

Here’s how I managed to keep my

"I want it all" wedding while staying mindful of the environment

3. Reusable chalkboard wedding seating chart

When it came to organising the seating, we ditched the typical printed seating charts in favor of a simple, reusable chalkboard. I initially hunted around for a secondhand board, but unfortunately, nothing quite big enough popped up. Thankfully, our local Bunnings came to the rescue with the perfect-sized board that matched our wedding style. The best part? It'll have a secondlife in the play area at home, and won’t be relegated straight to the landfill. This was purposeful upcycling at its finest. Not only was it eco-friendly, but it’s also versatile— win-win!

I purposefully chose to use a chalkboard so we can give it a second life after the wedding



4. Customised wishing-well bridal registry

As a professional organiser and lover of less, it's pretty clear that clutter and I don't match. Everything in our home serves a purpose, and I avoid buying things just for the sake of it. Wedding gifts, though, bought with good intentions are notorious for being totally unsuitable—or worse, overly sentimental, which makes it hard to let go when it’s time to declutter. While wedding registries are a great way to reduce the chances of receiving something you don't want, at the end of the day, they’re still… stuff. And if you’re like me, the less stuff, the better.

For us, the best solution was a wishing well. Yet, instead of just asking for cash, we customized it to make it a little more personal. We gave guests the option to contribute to our honeymoon, landscaping project, or kitchen upgrade. It was such a thoughtful way to ask for what we actually needed, while still keeping it meaningful. The "cash gift" request can sometimes feel awkward, but this made it feel more natural and appreciated. There are plenty of sites that offer this option, but we chose @thehintregistry, and it worked out perfectly.

At the end of the day, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning a big event, but I’m so glad we took the time to make these small, conscious choices. Our wedding was everything I had dreamed of—gorgeous, fun, and full of love—and the fact that we were able to make it a little more sustainable made it even more special.

No regrets—just a beautiful, memorable day that was kind to the planet.

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