8 Sustainable Alternatives to Balloons for Your Eco-Friendly Wedding
Balloons have long been a wedding decor staple, even more so with the rising popularity of balloon arches, columns, and installations. Unfortunately, balloons have a negative impact on the environment and often go straight into the trash as soon as your guest's walk out the door.
According to the University of Michigan, "a balloon can travel thousands of miles and then end up polluting the ecosystem where it lands. Balloons can be especially harmful to birds and marine life"
Additionally, latex balloons will spend years in the landfill. Even balloons labeled “biodegradable” will end up getting ingested by marine life before they actually biodegrade.
With balloons out of the picture, consider these eight eco-friendly alternatives to balloons that don't skimp on that "wow" factor!
*Photos taken from Pinterest unless otherwise noted
Paper Flowers
2. Creative Fabric Displays
3. PAPEL PICADO - a traditional Mexican decorative craft
4. PAPER STREAMERS & FRINGE
5. LANTERNS
6. PAPER CRANES & BUTTERFLIES
7. UMBRELLAS
8. DISCO BALLS
After an event, we like to pass along most decor pieces to friends and family who are planning their own party. Anything else can hopefully be repurposed, recycled, or donated to a community organization or thrift store.
Balloons can bring a lot of joy and color to your wedding, but not necessarily to mother Earth. Choosing eco-friendly balloon alternatives for your big day can help you achieve your design dreams without creating extra trash.