Sustainable & LGBTQ+ Friendly Wedding Suppliers in Sussex and London
Why I Love These Sustainable, LGBTQ+ Friendly Suppliers
Throughout my previous career I always made a point of working with ethical businesses that had strong sustainability credentials. My years at The Body Shop made sure of that! And now that I run my own small business, I am proud to say that I am pretty much paper free. The only time I use paper is when I do my large A4 mindmap for each ceremony soon after my first meeting with a couple or family, and when I come to print the vows or keepsake scripts. Everything else is digital and all my ceremonies are performed using my Remarkable device.
It also means I am attracted to other suppliers that are committed to working sustainably by using local or seasonal produce, upcycling materials or thinking differently about the impact of their business. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community also means I want to work with suppliers who are either part of our community or strong allies for us.
This is a guide to some suppliers whose work I admire for some, or all of, the above reasons. I hope you find it useful. If you contact any of them do let them know you read about them here. I’m not being paid to promote them but I’m sure they would like to know.
Upcycled & Vintage Wedding Dresses
I have been lusting after these upcycled gowns by Poppy’s Perspective for ages. They really are a work of art and made from vintage piano shawls, Hungarian embroidery and other fabric remnants, yet you would never know. Each piece is totally unique, so if you want a whimsical wedding gown that is a one-off you can commission a made to measure dress. However if you are having a budget wedding then follow this small business on Instagram as they often sell off their gowns for a bargain price.
Photo credits: Photography @hayleyfraserphotography / Dresses @poppyperspective / Elopement planning, photography and film @wee.elopmentco / Models @femmeinlove
Ethical & LGBTQ+ Wedding Planners
Wild Soul Weddings is the wedding planner to choose if you want to ensure your wedding is ethical and sustainable. She will be able to link you up with incredible suppliers and you can rest assured they will have great eco credentials.
And if you want a wedding planner that really understands queer celebrations, then look no further than Red Deer Weddings & Events. They too have a fantastic contact book and can ensure that your suppliers are all LGBTQ+ owned or allies. And they seem like they would be great fun to work with.
Wedding Photographers in Sussex & Brighton
Why book one photographer when you can get two photographers on the day? WinCo Photography is run by two cousins - Winter and Corinne - and what I love is that they can cover so many more angles and snap those candid shots you don’t expect, as well as the usual confetti shots. That way, when you look back through your photos, you will see how your guests were enjoying themselves too. WinCo travel all over the UK but have family in the Brighton and Worthing area so are well placed for Sussex weddings especially.
Wedding Flowers and Paper Flower Bouquets
My local florist, Forest Rose Flowers, has added the innovative Bloom Bar to their offering and I love
this idea. You can have guests making the table posies, you can have the kids decorating wooden flowers to keep them occupied, and guests can take home the flowers afterwards so there is less waste. So if a DIY wedding is your vibe then the Bloom Bar could work well. I recently led a wedding ceremony where guests all placed a flower in the centre of the ceremonial circle to create a flower mandala, and the bloom bar would also work very well for this type of creative wedding ritual.
Alternatively, you could commission paper flower bouquets and decorations which will last forever and could be reused for future events. The Pom Pom Factory creates fabulous installations and wedding bouquets.
Ethical Wedding Rings Made from Family Jewellery
Designing your wedding bands together can be a lovely creative project and if you have family jewellery from both sides already, then you could create something completely unique using existing metals and jewels. Imagine knowing you were wearing gold from your grandmother’s rings coupled with diamonds from your mother in law? This is something that Bea Ramsay specialises in. Her work is intricate and beautiful, and she can often sell some of your precious metals to help fund the creation of your unique rings. Reusing existing gems and metals is the ultimate in ethical buying too.
Vegan, Gluten-Free & Queer Friendly Wedding cakes in Brighton & London
I know two cake makers who are super fun to work with, make incredibly tasty, innovative cakes and who love the gays!
I have been working with Planet of the Cakes for years. Based in Brighton, the female owner Louise, sends you the most brilliant pencil sketch design of your cake to your brief but always adds her own incredible extra touches and ideas. And the final result is a real showstopper. Each cake is unique and made to order.
And Punk Cakes, based in London, have this audacious punk rock attitude. Think disco ball cakes or croquembouche pyramids. They look awesome, taste fantastic and have a wide range of both vegan and gluten free options. Delivered all over London.
I hope my blog post has helped you discover some new people! Have fun planning your wedding and try not to get influenced by all the wedding trends - just do what will make you both happy.
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