Eco-Friendly Weddings & Events
How to Celebrate Your New Hampshire Wedding Without the Waste
This couple took full advantage of the natural beauty of their wedding venue, using minimal (reusable) decor and letting the mountain views provide the vibe.
It is no secret that unless we are being particularly mindful, weddings and large events tend to generate an excessive amount of waste. At Cold Spring Farm, we believe that your special events should be both memorable and environmentally friendly. As a New Hampshire farm wedding venue, we are committed to minimizing our environmental impact and creating a sustainable celebration space. We are aware that every detail contributes to our footprint and the impact we have on the land we love so deeply. Please read on to learn about the action items we already have in play, our plans to continue improving in the future, and how your decisions can impact the footprint of your wedding day.
Energy efficiency/sustainable features in our buildings:
- Solar Power
- Solar/LED lighting
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Efficient/Wood-fired heat
- Recycled cotton/denim natural fiber insulation
- Rainwater barrels
Energy consumption has always been at the top of our minds at Cold Spring Farm, since long before we became a New Hampshire wedding venue. We invested in a large, 52-panel solar array in 2010, shortly after officially moving onto the property. These panels provide all the power we consume at the house (including the loft apartment used for getting ready and the electric horse fencing) for about 8 months of the year. They are less productive in the winter, when the sun is not present for as many hours in the day. We intend to add more solar panels to the barn in the future as our project budget allows. Our lighting in the parking lot is also completely solar-powered.
Utilizing energy-efficient appliances, smart thermostats, LED lightbulbs, and high-quality recycled insulation throughout the house, cabin, cottage, loft, and barn has also helped us reduce our energy needs. In addition, we have newly installed mini-splits for heating/cooling that boast up to 300% efficiency in the right conditions. When temperatures reach dramatic lows, rendering the mini-splits less efficient, we rely on a wood-fired radiant heat system at the house/loft, and a very efficient gas heating system in the barn. Wood for heating the radiant system is harvested from right here on the property each year as we clean up fallen trees, prune around roads and trails, and take down dead trees to help maintain forest health.
When it comes to watering, we have strategically placed two rainwater barrels on either end of the barn where we catch rainwater to use for watering the many gardens located around the barn.
Waste Reduction/choosing eco-conscious products:
- Recycling
- Composting
- Rags vs paper towels
- Bathroom/Paper products
- Cleaning products
- Donation
- Décor Closet/Reusing
Waste is one of the biggest issues with the event space, and minimizing it is a key priority for us. We provide many trash/recycling sorting stations throughout the venue to encourage our guests to help us keep things separated. New Hampshire does require that we separate these items ourselves, so we genuinely appreciate our couples’ and guests’ help in locating the correct receptacle for their needs.
Plastic is not an ideal material for many reasons, but in addition to the obvious, our town no longer accepts it for recycling. This is why when using our in-house bar service, you will be provided with compostable cups, straws, and napkins. Cups are from the Tossware brand, created from fermented corn starch. Although we love the idea of biodegradable paper straws, we have heard the feedback and are currently stocking straws made of agave instead – still biodegradable, but they hold up in your drink comparable to plastic ones. We do acknowledge that glassware can be another great option, and we would love to be able to offer it. However, we are currently not set up with the proper industrial dishwashers to handle this in-house, and with our concrete dance floor, there is a concern about breakage (and potentially bare dancing feet.) However, if you are interested in renting glassware, we can point you in the right direction!
At the end of each wedding, there is typically a good amount of compostable items left over in the form of food, flowers, and greenery. There are some options concerning what we can do with these items. We encourage you to take your leftovers when possible and enjoy them later, so they don’t go to waste! If you’d like to leave them, or if there is simply too much – we are happy to redistribute to folks we know will appreciate them, feed them to our chickens (when possible, healthy, and appropriate for them), or compost leftovers in our compost pile (also when possible and appropriate for our pile.) Flowers and greenery can also be composted if left behind. If floral arrangements are left intact and still have life left in them, we often donate them to either the local church, senior center, or our incredible neighbors to enjoy.
As you might imagine, wedding venue owners and staff are constantly cleaning. We are also hyper-aware that most cleaners contain harmful chemicals that we don’t want to be touching all day, every day. We have always been committed to choosing safe products for cleaning every space we have. You will always find eco-friendly/safer options for sprays, soaps, and sanitizers in our bathrooms, behind our bar, and in our overnight stays. We also buy in bulk to reduce packaging and refill dispensers/bottles as needed. Additionally, we utilize washable rags to clean instead of paper towels. While we do stock quality, biodegradable paper towels and wipes just in case, our staff typically cleans with reusable rags to reduce waste/purchasing needs. We also only stock certified biodegradable toilet paper, a choice we can feel ethical about that also helps maintain our septic system.
Décor is another item we often see come with tons of packaging, get used once, and then potentially never again. To combat this, we have curated a collection of décor items we see most used that we keep in stock at the farm for our couples to borrow from. This eliminates waste from packaging and saves on one-time-use purchases for our couples, allowing them to focus on the personalized décor elements they’d like to keep forever in their homes, such as custom neon signs, guest books, and picture displays. Additionally, couples often donate items to us after their weddings have passed, knowing that the items will continue to be useful for future couples at the wedding venue. If it’s something we can’t store or don’t think will get used here, we pass it along via donation.
Wood Farm tables look beautiful with just a runner and minimal decor.
Photo Credit: Becca Rose Photography
Layout/furniture choices that make a difference
While our wood farm tables are a gorgeous aesthetic choice, they are also an ethical one. Our wood tables are beautiful on their own – no need for a linen. The use of linens adds up quickly per event, often requiring countless loads of laundry and creating increased water consumption. While we have wonderful well water at Cold Spring Farm, we are still very mindful about our water consumption. Our wood tables help us reduce the need for laundry, ultimately saving us countless gallons of water throughout a wedding season. Just a quick wipe with a rag brings them back to new.
While we still have tables that require linens (buffet tables, rounds, and cocktail tables), our plans include replacing all of these with wood-top tables that won’t require linens in the future. To combat the impact of our current need for linens, we have purchased our own and provide them in-house in hopes of reducing the cost of additional rentals and the need to drive them back and forth to washing facilities.
Our majestic boy, Wolf, walks through the pasture where he lives and eats.
Photo Credit: Lisa Smith Photography
Health and Earth-Conscious Groundskeeping
As a New Hampshire farm wedding venue, we are home to many grazing animals. As such, we are incredibly vigilant about what ends up on the ground around our property. You won’t find completely weed-free lawns or gardens here, because we will never spray them with pesticides or fertilizers. We cannot allow faux petals, glitter, or confetti (unless comprised of dried flowers), because it could contaminate our beloved animals’ food and water sources. We aren’t opposed to leaving what many consider “weeds” to grow in most areas as they feed the pollinators that we require to support the natural ecosystem in which our gardens can easily and naturally thrive.
We are a beautiful New Hampshire wedding venue with sprawling mountain views and gorgeous sunsets, but we are also a farm. We grow our food here, we raise our animals and children here, and we care deeply about the health of the land, animals, and humans who live here.
Locally-sourced mini maple syrup favors on display from Jessie James Maple Farm.
What choices can you make when planning your wedding to keep it more sustainable?
Reduce waste
o Food
Minimize food-related waste by working with a caterer who provides reusable or compostable plate/flatware options.
Donate, save, or compost leftovers.
Go for a plated meal over a buffet to ensure the caterer can be more specific about portion sizes, ultimately creating fewer leftovers.
Choose a menu comprised of locally-sourced, in-season ingredients.
o Digital Invites
Digital invites or even going half-digital with RSVPs reduce your cost in postage and stationary, as well as save on one-time-use paper products.
o Reusable décor
Choose a wedding venue that offers décor to borrow
Choose décor elements that can be reused or repurposed, like cups that are also favors, seed paper for labels, etc.
o Avoid single-use items
Plastic cups, sparklers, balloons, and confetti are all one-time use items. Find eco-friendly alternatives like petals instead of confetti, light wands instead of sparklers, etc.
o Recycle & Donate
Set up recycling stations to encourage your guests to recycle cans, bottles, and plastic when possible
Pre-plan donations to food pantries
Thrift or borrow décor when you can, and consider selling, donating, or passing along to another couple once your event has passed.
Locally-sourced cheeses, meats, and veggies on a beautiful charcuterie display created by The Brussel.
Minimize your carbon footprint
o Choose an Eco-conscious wedding venue
Consider venues whose values align with yours and who have information available about how they are consciously attempting to combat the wastefulness in the event industry.
o Encourage the use of shuttles/carpooling
Encourage carpooling by setting up information or a message board for this on your website.
Book a shuttle or a bus for guests to utilize to reduce the number of vehicles traveling to and from the wedding venue. (Also a great way to reduce the risk of impaired driving!)
o Choose local, small-business vendors
Support local businesses to reduce the need for travel and long-distance shipping. This also helps support the local economy where your event takes place.
Choose vendors who align with your goal towards creating an eco-conscious event.
o Choose locally grown, in-season flowers
This reduces the need for long-distance shipping and encourages sourcing flowers from local flower farms.
o Be selective with your guest list
Consider reducing your guest list to include only your nearest and dearest to reduce the overall impact (and cost) of the event.
Potted succulents as an eco-friendly favor option.
Source sustainably
o Choose local & organic food options when possible
Caterers who utilize local organic farms to source ingredients not only support organic farming but also provide the freshest food without the need for long-distance shipping.
o Sustainable attire
Consider a vintage or pre-owned dress and altering it as needed.
Consider designers who practice ethical production with fabrics that are not harmful.
Consider local shops for your attire.
o Eco-conscious favors
Skip the favors altogether
Opt for something useful and environmentally conscious like seed packets or locally sourced goodies. In New Hampshire, that might be maple syrup, honey, or baked goods from a great local bakery. Edible favors rarely get left behind.
o Sustainable décor
Use recycled, thrifted, borrowed, or biodegradable materials for décor
Potted plants for centerpieces/aisle décor or favors.
Choose in-season flowers to reduce the need for shipping and encourage sourcing from local flower farms
Choose a venue that is naturally beautiful/doesn’t need much décor, and/or allows you to borrow décor.
Beautiful centerpiece arrangement of in-season blooms created by Winnipesaukee Woods Farm, an ethical flower farm in Gilford, NH.
After the wedding
o Green Honeymoon
Consider locations known for their environmental focus, where you’ll find abundant eco-conscious resorts and activities.
o Digital Memories
Set up a digital space for your guests to share wedding pictures, reducing the need for sharing prints.
While there are many wedding industry professionals and spaces who are becoming aware of the need to focus on sustainability, there are many still who are falling behind. We recognize the importance of bringing this energy to an industry that has long had a negative reputation for wastefulness. We hope to bring awareness to the need for evolution in this industry, and we strive to lead by example. While we are not perfect, we are searching every day for ways to be better.
Thank you for stopping by our blog today. We use this space to share information about our New Hampshire wedding venue, resources for wedding planning, updates on the farm, and to support some of our favorite locally owned businesses and wedding venues. In an effort to support our peers in the industry, we always share a few other locally owned businesses at the bottom of each post. If you happen to be here looking for some great resources, check out their blogs as well!
