Planning an eco-friendly wedding is easier than you might think. If you are reading this, and are planning a smaller wedding, then you have already taken your first important step towards a more sustainable wedding day.
“Something Old, Something Renewed, Something Borrowed, Something Tofu!”
Something Old. The Pilgrims Rest is more than 600 years old to be precise. Any embedded carbon footprint from when she was built is long gone with more recent work being 400 years ago when some oak from a wrecked ship was used to construct the dining room ceiling.
Something Renewed. Designed to be beautiful without the need to hire props and furniture, we have furnished the venue with antiques and vintage pieces. Added decoration in the form of our seasonal looks are all included in the venue hire.
Something Borrowed. Our Aladdin's Cave prop room has a room full of items you can borrow with no extra charge. We have hundreds of props around the building and stored from table numbers, cut glass decanters to champagne baths and lanterns. We even have vintage wooden skis and sledges for no additional charge.
Something Tofu (!) Tofu isn't for everyone but by having a smaller guest list you are making a huge leap towards a more eco-friendly wedding day. Do ask you chosen caterers what they can source that is locally grown, rather than shipped from overseas and don't forget food waste - it's a big offender.
Other areas we have worked on to make weddings more sustainable are:
Wedding waste. Keepwedding waste down to a minimum. Aiming for a zero waste wedding is an excellent way to help the environment on your big day. To avoid food waste a plated meal is always a good choice, but if you prefer the idea of a buffet, an en-famille meal or a grazing platter, then speak to your caterer and ask their advice about leftovers. and how they can deal with them. Don't feel have to feed your guests twice - they will still be full from their meal!
Recycling:
Bar and catering staff should manage any recycling on the night. Even better, they will also take it away when they leave and ensure it is recycled correctly. At The Pilgrims Rest we have no financial arrangement with any of our suggested suppliers but we are pretty ruthless who is added to our Tried, Tested and Trusted list. To improve wedding waste we now ask that caterers do not drop off food and leave. No matter how good their intention, the last thing your bridesmaids and family want to do is head to the kitchen in their new dresses and scrape plates. Having a couple of waiting staff who can tidy up, recycle and pop the leftovers in the fridge means your family can enjoy them the following day and you will nailed your zero waste goal.
Flowers. We have designed The Pilgrims Rest to be stunning all year round meaning you need few (if any) flowers. If you love fresh flowers then try to avoid those that are imported and buy locally grown ones. East Sussex has some great florists, some of whom have their own cutting gardens. Often they can grow flowers for you at the fraction of the price of imported ones, without their associated carbon footprint. Really fresh flowers that also smell amazing.
Location. Consider the proximity to public transport and how your guests can get to the venue. The Pilgrims Rest is a short walk to the train station with trains going via Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells to London and St Leonards and Hastings in the other direction. For those who don’t want to make the last train home there are lots of places nearby to stay.
Accommodation. We do not offer accommodation on site as we are situated in Battle with hotels and Air Bnb's a short walk away. Staying within walking distance means no need for taxis.
“Something Old, Something Renewed, Something Borrowed, Something Tofu!”
Something Old. The Pilgrims Rest is more than 600 years old to be precise. Any embedded carbon footprint from when she was built is long gone with more recent work being 400 years ago when some oak from a wrecked ship was used to construct the dining room ceiling.
Something Renewed. Designed to be beautiful without the need to hire props and furniture, we have furnished the venue with antiques and vintage pieces. Added decoration in the form of our seasonal looks are all included in the venue hire.
Something Borrowed. Our Aladdin's Cave prop room has a room full of items you can borrow with no extra charge. We have hundreds of props around the building and stored from table numbers, cut glass decanters to champagne baths and lanterns. We even have vintage wooden skis and sledges for no additional charge.
Something Tofu (!) Tofu isn't for everyone but by having a smaller guest list you are making a huge leap towards a more eco-friendly wedding day. Do ask you chosen caterers what they can source that is locally grown, rather than shipped from overseas and don't forget food waste - it's a big offender.
Other areas we have worked on to make weddings more sustainable are:
Wedding waste. Keepwedding waste down to a minimum. Aiming for a zero waste wedding is an excellent way to help the environment on your big day. To avoid food waste a plated meal is always a good choice, but if you prefer the idea of a buffet, an en-famille meal or a grazing platter, then speak to your caterer and ask their advice about leftovers. and how they can deal with them. Don't feel have to feed your guests twice - they will still be full from their meal!
Recycling:
Bar and catering staff should manage any recycling on the night. Even better, they will also take it away when they leave and ensure it is recycled correctly. At The Pilgrims Rest we have no financial arrangement with any of our suggested suppliers but we are pretty ruthless who is added to our Tried, Tested and Trusted list. To improve wedding waste we now ask that caterers do not drop off food and leave. No matter how good their intention, the last thing your bridesmaids and family want to do is head to the kitchen in their new dresses and scrape plates. Having a couple of waiting staff who can tidy up, recycle and pop the leftovers in the fridge means your family can enjoy them the following day and you will nailed your zero waste goal.
Flowers. We have designed The Pilgrims Rest to be stunning all year round meaning you need few (if any) flowers. If you love fresh flowers then try to avoid those that are imported and buy locally grown ones. East Sussex has some great florists, some of whom have their own cutting gardens. Often they can grow flowers for you at the fraction of the price of imported ones, without their associated carbon footprint. Really fresh flowers that also smell amazing.
Location. Consider the proximity to public transport and how your guests can get to the venue. The Pilgrims Rest is a short walk to the train station with trains going via Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells to London and St Leonards and Hastings in the other direction. For those who don’t want to make the last train home there are lots of places nearby to stay.
Accommodation. We do not offer accommodation on site as we are situated in Battle with hotels and Air Bnb's a short walk away. Staying within walking distance means no need for taxis.
