How to have a sustainable wedding at The Hall Barns in 2026

We love a wedding here at The Hall Barns, but we also love our planet. A traditional, all-out big day can have a whopping carbon footprint, but believe us when we say it doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many different steps towards having a more sustainable wedding that can be easily (and cheaply, hooray!) worked into your planning and the day itself. Having a greener wedding doesn’t mean compromising on the excitement, style, scale or personality of your day, it simply means being kinder to the planet. Now that is something we can get behind. Want to find out how to have a sustainable wedding at The Hall Barns? Let’s get stuck in…

sustainable stationery

Invites, table plans, menus, place settings – a typical wedding requires a lot of stationery. While there’s always the option of emailing wedding invites (we’re talking a beautifully-designed invite, not “Hey, want to come to my wedding?” hastily typed out in Arial font – unless the laid-back approach is more your thing) it’s not your only option. Thankfully there are plenty of wedding stationers out there who are embracing the eco-friendly way. Look for little indie businesses who only work with sustainable products, using FSC® certified paper and card, that’s all fully recyclable. 

eco-friendly flowers

We are massive fans of flowers at weddings, and the excellent news is there are loads of ways to still fill your day with blooms without feeling any eco-guilt. For a start, stick to seasonal flowers that are available through your local florist. You may have your heart set on a particular type of wedding flower but let your florist help suggest in-season alternatives rather than shipping in flowers from another country. Stacking up airmiles for a peony is not great for the eco-credentials.

If you really want to have a sustainable wedding, you don’t want your flowers to end up in the bin once the party is over. Repurposing flowers is the way to go, so either check with your florist if they can be delivered to a local hospital, hospice or care home, or round up a group of friends and take them yourself the next morning.

Alternatively, why not hire realistic silk flower displays for your day instead? The Floral Hire is a genius concept, where you can order ready-to-use silk flower displays for your wedding, then return once you’re done.

be clever with décor

The Hall Barns is the coolest wedding space – even if we do say so ourselves – and doesn’t need much in the way of extra décor. But of course every couple likes to put their own stamp on their wedding day, and we are here to help make it happen. If a sustainable wedding is what you’re after, the best way to go is to opt for reusable décor. Scour Facebook Marketplace or eBay for glass vases (which you can then sell on) or trawl your local charity shops for vintage candlesticks and votives.

Alternatively, there are some brilliant eco-friendly wedding stylists who have done the hard work for you, so you can hire whatever you need from them, meaning zero waste. Another option is to go for one big piece of statement decor for your wedding, like some giant light-up lights. Again, this cuts out waste or anything ending up in landfill, plus they make awesome photo backdrops. 

keep it local

When it comes to your wedding food, make sure whatever caterer you use is dedicated to sourcing local ingredients and sustainable products. Thankfully you don’t need to worry about that when you get married at The Hall Barns as our chefs are all about locally-sourced, eco-friendly menus that are famously delicious. You’re welcome.

consider a pre-loved wedding dress

Never has there been more choice for brides who want to be more sustainable but don’t want to sacrifice on style. There are thousands of drop dead gorgeous, worn-once wedding dresses available on preloved sites like Bridal Reloved, where you can pick up a total bargain without having to buy new. Vinted is also a goldmine for nearly-new wedding dresses. Renting is another option; try bridal rental services like Something Borrowed, where you can rent amazing dresses for a fraction of the cost. That dream wedding dress just got a whole lot more affordable…

try to Limit travel

With friends and family scattered all over the country, it’s unavoidable that most weddings mean travelling. But if you want to cut down on adding unnecessarily to that carbon footprint, choose a wedding venue that has accommodation on-site. Enter: The Hall Barns. We have the dreamy Laundry Cottage just a short stroll from the Barn, which sleeps up to 8, as well as The Lodge, which sleeps up to 6. And for a real festival-wedding experience, we’ve 10 glamping pods as well as an epic newlyweds’ suite perfect for a chilled-out end to your day. Sustainable and fun, what’s not to love? 

Book your sustainable wedding at The Hall Barns

If you’re on the hunt for a cool, unique and sustainable barn wedding venue in Leicestershire, The Hall Barns needs to be on your radar. We’d absolutely love the chance to show you around and talk to you about how we can help you throw the most epic sustainable wedding ever. Give us a call on 01509 880 236 or click here to book your viewing or ask us a question.