Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
In this blog post, Stressfree | The Venue Transformers explore some of the benefits of hiring rather than buying, for styling your sustainable wedding.
Most of us strive towards living an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral, sustainable life. Indeed one of the questions we are increasingly being asked is ‘how sustainable are your products?’
We know that for many of you, your wedding planning begins from an eco friendly viewpoint. Understandably, you are concerned that your happy event does not flippantly impact on the earth.
We were brought up embracing a “make do and mend” culture. Nothing was wasted. Clothes were handed down through families and friends and then sold at jumble sales. Appliances were mended rather than replaced. We made our own toys and watching Blue Peter was a weekly event in many households, teaching us – amongst many other things – how to transform empty toilet rolls into desk tidies! And milk was delivered to the doorstep in recyclable glass bottles with foil tops from an electric vehicle! How futuristic was that?!
So please be rest assured that sustainability is ingrained in our DNA. The throw away culture is an anathema to us.
We are extremely proud of our products, many of which are bespoke, beautifully handcrafted. We take great pride in caring for them; from the way they are stored to the way they are used in order that when dressing your wedding everything we use looks immaculate as if it is the first time out of its box.
The 3 R’s
The 3 R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle – are at the heart of our business.
These all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy.
By refusing to buy items that we don’t need, reusing items more than once and disposing the items that are no longer in use, we can all contribute towards a healthier planet.
1.Reduce
It is obvious that using a hire company enables items to be reused over and over again, especially when properly maintained.
The two images above show our popular muslin ceiling drapes used in two different ways at Farbridge Barns (photo credit James White Photography) and to dress the lower terrace at Devonshire Terrace, London.
Nothing gets disposed of if it can be remade into something else. Ceiling drapes may be repurposed into wall or curtain drapes. Damaged or torn drapes simply get cut down and remade into smaller sections.
Muslin window drapes, trimmed with ruscus, frame the view and soften the glass windows of this large marquee for a country wedding in Berkshire.
Muslin doorway drapes create an elegant approach to the function suite for this Silvermere golf club Surrey wedding.
And as so much of our work is bespoke, and there is such variety of different venues we work in, there are very few limits to how our stock can be repurposed.
This pretty backdrop brings a rustic element into this traditional venue, made using strips of lace, voile, muslin and ribbon, and overlaid with festoon lights.
2.Reuse
As we make many of our own props, wood, metal, plastic are all repurposed again and again.
Set pieces, frameworks and signs are just a few examples of the items we’ve created.
Our beautiful wooden wedding archway is extremely versatile and can be dressed in many different ways, shown here adorned with a simple muslin fabric swag (photo credit Nataly J Photography).
Our stunning illuminated BAR letters have been produced with a metallic finish, embedded lights and are modelled on the classic Serif font. They have hanging hooks enabling them to hung above or behind your bar, as shown here at Gildings Barn, but can also stand freely for a table top display. Photo credit Harriet Bird Photography.
Our large free-standing wedding signpost remodels wood from other props and can be easily customised with your own wording, and interchangeable finger posts.
Our engineering background always comes in handy and we even have a lovely little machine we use to trim used candles, making them look as good as new!
3.Recycle
Inevitably, everything comes to the end of its useful life at some point and we have a large group of followers on Freecycle, Nextdoor App and Facebook Marketplace who are always happy to relieve us of part-used candles and part-used batteries. Fabrics, wood and metal are gifted to local schools and charity groups for arts and crafts. Local amateur dramatics groups sport some of our lighting and backdrops which have been superseded by newer technology.
And finally, if anything we can’t use can’t be given a new home then we ensure that it is recycled in a responsible way, rather than going to landfill.
Let’s bring your wedding to life!
If you’re ready to be blown away by your venue, then we’re brimming with ideas.
To discuss how to design and create the sustainable wedding of your dreams …
Call us on 020 7610 1060
Email info@stressfreehire.com
We’d LOVE to work with you.
For more examples of our repurposed stock
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Venue credits: