MY BIG FAT Green WEDDING

Event planners and sustainability experts dish out wisdom on the art of conscious celebrations in an exclusive conversation with Sharon D'Silva

- Sharon D'Silva

In a serendipitous encounter at a beach clean-up event in Mumbai, Nupur Agarwal and Captain Ashwin Malwade found not only a shared passion for the environment but also an undeniable connection that blossomed amid picking up hundreds of kilos of trash. From the very beginning, they envisioned a marriage ceremony that would leave no waste footprint, and this dedication to each other and the planet culminated in a beautiful and eco-friendly wedding celebration in December 2019.

From adopting cloth bags for their shopping sprees to using old newspapers as gift wrap and printing invitations on recycled paper, every decision was a testament to their commitment to the environment. While the decor incorporated refurbished umbrellas and locally-sourced flowers, they replaced the conventional baraat with an entrance on an electric vehicle and made sure to have a dedicated waste management team on-site to ensure waste was segregated at source and sent to recycling and composting facilities. Adding a touch of uniqueness, Nupur upcycled her mother’s wedding sari while Ashwin sourced his ensemble from an eco-conscious designer. Both were embroidered with hashtags such as #beatplasticpollution and #climatechangeisreal. As a memorable gesture, they also planted a tree in the name of every guest who graced their special occasion, harmoniously blending love and sustainability. When asked about the most rewarding aspect of their endeavour, Nupur and Ashwin enthused, “Creating minimal waste at our wedding and ensuring that whatever little that was generated didn’t end up in a landfill was the greatest joy for both of us.”