here-s-how-you-plan-a-zero-waste-wedding

If you believe people only make news by splurging millions on weddings aboard luxury liners or chartered jumbo jets - think again.

 

Design a mandap from sugarcane sticks, feed it to the cows later, serve food on plantain leaves and give out return gifts in jute bags, and you'll be surprised to find how much netizens love - and learn - from it.

 

Instagrammed viral videos of Dr Poorvi Bhat, who introduces herself as a nutrition and wellness doctor from Bengaluru are going viral because of some great ideas showcased for a zero-waste wedding minimising plastic use.

 

According to Bhat, the celebrations also honoured Mother Earth.

 

"You don't need a fancy plan or a big budget. We wanted to celebrate our union along with Mother Earth," read captions on photographs posted on Instagram handle Herbeshwari showing the couple going through wedding rituals joyfully with family members looking on.

 

"What need is a mindset to try and do what is possible," Bhat wrote.

 

The bride and groom wore flower garlands made with cotton thread. Guests were served food on plantain leaves with stainless steel cutlery and each of them got return gifts in jute bags.

 

Sugarcane sticks were used to make the mandap and fed later to cows.

 

The venue had coconut and mango leaf decorations from trees that had been nurtured using minimal water.

 

The organic waste generated was composted in Bhat's farm.  

 

Water from rinsing hands after the wedding feast was used on trees and "I am proud to say that the venue was spotless by the evening,” Bhat wrote.

 

There was no plastic generated at the eco-friendly wedding and everything possible was done to minimise "our footprint," she added.

 

Watched by millions of viewers online the wedding video is definitely spreading a positive message and getting a lot of love.

 

"This is exactly how I want mine to be," wrote Psychopepperr.

 

"People should see more of such videos," wrote Vishalishankar11. "Lavish weddings are a waste of hard earned wealth, resources and tremendous food

waste. Parents put in all their hard earned money for people to waste food and decorations that become trash the next day. The lakhs can be rather invested and the children can decide how they want to use that money.

"I have 2 daughters and this type of wedding (if they choose to get married) is what I would want to root for. For my own wedding 18 years ago, I would have preferred a registered marriage with a reception with close family and friends! Instead I had a 2.5 day wedding with so much stress and no one even remembers anything now," she added.

 

Sarma-madhavan wrote,"As a wedding filmer I witnessed people wasting so much edible rice, ghee and all in the name of rituals. Whenever I discuss these with my colleagues,they will say things like, 'their money and they are wasting it what do you care?' I was talking about the waste of food not who bought it or who owns it! Wastage is wastage! I am so glad to see this post, thanks guys for showing that it can be done this way too!"

 

Bhat certainly made her wedding meaningful - not just for herself and her loved ones, but for others too who can think creatively and plan celebrations with minumum waste and much happiness.