Often, wedding businesses want to become more sustainable, but often feel unsure where to begin. In her recent UK Wedding Association session in Glasgow, sustainability expert Michelle Miles shared practical advice on how wedding professionals can take realistic, manageable steps towards building more sustainable businesses without overwhelm.
As Founder and CEO of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, Michelle has spent years helping wedding businesses improve their environmental impact while remaining commercially successful. Drawing on her background in both weddings and large-scale live events, Michelle’s message throughout the session was clear: sustainability is about progress, not perfection.
You can watch the whole session below:
1. Sustainability Is About More Than The Environment
Michelle explained that sustainability isn’t just about reducing waste or using eco-friendly products. At its core, sustainability means considering the impact businesses have on both people and the planet, while ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy and work within the wedding industry.
She encouraged businesses to think about sustainability across four key areas:
- People
- Planet
- Profit
- Purpose
Michelle highlighted that purpose has become increasingly important in recent years, particularly within the wedding industry where many businesses are driven by passion, creativity and community.
2. Couples Are Increasingly Looking For Sustainable Businesses
One of the strongest trends Michelle shared was the growing demand from couples for sustainable wedding suppliers and venues.
According to industry research referenced during the session, interest in sustainability has steadily increased year-on-year, with 81% of couples now wanting to include sustainable elements within their wedding planning.
Michelle explained that younger generations, particularly Gen Z couples, are becoming far more values-driven and are increasingly asking questions about environmental responsibility, ethical practices and transparency.
3. Many Businesses Are Already Doing More Than They Realise
A key theme throughout the session was that many wedding businesses are already taking positive steps towards sustainability, but simply are not talking about it publicly.
Michelle encouraged businesses to begin sharing the actions they are already taking, whether that’s reducing waste, improving recycling, supporting local suppliers or reviewing business practices.
She acknowledged that some businesses worry about criticism or “not doing enough,” but stressed that transparency and honesty are more important than perfection.
4. Your Biggest Carbon Footprint May Be Hidden
One of the most eye-opening parts of the session focused on the hidden environmental impact of finances and digital activity.
Michelle explained that where businesses bank, invest and hold pensions can significantly affect their overall carbon footprint. She highlighted that many major banks still invest heavily in fossil fuels and encouraged attendees to review where their money is held.
Resources Michelle recommended included:
- Make My Money Matter
- bank.green
She also discussed the environmental impact of digital storage, cloud hosting, email clutter and online content, explaining that digital activity still relies on energy-intensive data servers.
5. AI And Digital Content Need Ethical Consideration
Michelle also explored the increasing role of AI within the wedding industry and the importance of using it responsibly.
She shared examples of florists being shown AI-generated inspiration images by couples featuring arrangements that do not actually exist in reality. This, she explained, is beginning to create unrealistic expectations across the industry.
Michelle encouraged businesses to consider implementing clear AI and content policies, particularly around:
- Transparency
- Ethical content creation
- Data protection
- Client consent
- Social media usage
She stressed that sustainability also includes ethical business practices and honest communication.
6. Start With Small, Practical Changes
Throughout the session, Michelle repeatedly reassured attendees that sustainability does not require huge overnight changes.
Instead, she encouraged businesses to focus on small, achievable improvements such as:
- Monitoring wedding waste more closely
- Reviewing recycling processes
- Unsubscribing from unnecessary email newsletters
- Switching to renewable-powered website hosting
- Reviewing suppliers and supply chains
- Starting conversations about sustainability online
7. Your Supply Chain Matters
Michelle highlighted that no business operates in isolation, and that sustainability within the wedding industry also depends heavily on suppliers and partnerships.
She encouraged attendees to start asking questions within their supply chain, including where products come from, what certifications suppliers hold and how businesses can work together more responsibly.
8. Progress Over Perfection
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Michelle’s session was her emphasis on taking action without waiting for perfection.
She encouraged businesses not to feel overwhelmed by sustainability, but instead to start making gradual improvements that feel realistic for their business, team and clients.
As Michelle explained during the session, meaningful change often comes from consistent small steps rather than dramatic overnight transformation.
Key takeaway
Sustainability within the wedding industry does not need to be overwhelming or expensive.
Michelle’s session reinforced that meaningful progress often comes from small, consistent changes, whether that’s reviewing suppliers, reducing waste, improving digital practices or simply being more transparent about the steps your business is already taking. As couples increasingly seek out values-driven businesses, sustainability is becoming not just an ethical consideration, but an important part of building trust, credibility and long-term success within the wedding industry.
Resources Recommended By Michelle
Financial & Banking Impact
- Make My Money Matter
- bank.green
Digital & Website Sustainability
- The Green Web Foundation
- Ecosia
Further Support
- Sustainable Wedding Alliance
Our thanks to Michelle Miles for delivering such an insightful and practical session for Members. More information on the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, founded by Michelle, can be veiwed here.
