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1 Catering
One of the most important aspects of planning a vegan wedding is to get the food right. You want to wow your guests (many of whom will have preconceived ideas of what vegan food is like) and show them how incredible and delicious vegan food is. You may even decide not to tell your guest beforehand that the food will be vegan to avoid anyone turning up with negative preconceptions of what they will be served. Before meeting with your caterers, make sure you do some research and have ideas of your own you can suggest for the menu, and do not settle for stuffed peppers!
2 Clothing
Most vegan brides and grooms know to watch out for and avoid clothing that contains silk, wool, leather etc. When trying on outfits, check the labels first so you don’t fall in love with something that contains animal products before you realise! Another idea is to buy a second-hand wedding dress or suit, which is better for the environment and would count as your ‘something old’!
3 Hair and makeup
Try to find hair and makeup artists who use cruelty-free and vegan products. If you can’t find anyone who uses exclusively vegan products, then ask if they would be happy to use only products that you supply. It’s also a great opportunity to show how easy it is to create a beautiful look that’s cruelty-free.
4 Favours
Not everyone gives wedding favours, but if you decide to treat your guests there are lots of vegan-friendly options, such as soy candles, handmade bath bombs, soaps, cake jars, chocolates and sweets. One of my favourite ideas is small envelopes containing seeds, which your guests can sprinkle in their gardens to attract bees and other wildlife.
5 Gifts
It is very common nowadays for couples to ask for money as a wedding gift rather than having a traditional gift-list. If your guests would like to give you money, then why not put it towards a honeymoon to a vegan-friendly city like Berlin or Barcelona? You could even ask for donations to your favourite animal charity.
6 Flowers
If you opt for real flowers at your wedding, then try to make sure they’re Fairtrade. Rather than having cut flowers, a lovely idea for centrepieces is to have potted plants. At the end of the day, either you or your guests could take them home to enjoy. If you choose to buy artificial flowers, be careful to avoid ones that contain silk.
7 Jewellery
Choosing vegan-friendly jewellery to go with your dress is easy as long as you avoid real pearls. When looking for your wedding rings, try to go with a company that uses ethically sourced diamonds and fairly traded gold or silver.
8 The wedding cake
There are many exclusively vegan bakers around the UK offering wedding cakes. Meet your cake maker to taste different flavours and take pictures with you of the design you would like. If you can’t find a totally vegan bakery, then go with a baker who offers a vegan option.
9 Drinks
Remember that many wines and beers aren’t suitable for vegans due to brewing processes. Use barnivore.com to check for vegan-friendly drinks. Luckily there are a number of beers, wines and champagnes that are vegan-friendly, so there’s plenty to choose from.
10 This is your wedding!
Your wedding day is about you as a couple, and it’s the one day you’re allowed to have things just the way you want. Being vegan is about living life in the most compassionate, ethical way you can, so you will want your wedding day to reflect that.
