How To Plan A Vegan Wedding

There is no denying that veganism is on the rise, and the wedding sector is no exception. Vegan couples are demanding more options and making more effort to choose wedding vendors who align with their values.

For the uninitiated, having a vegan wedding isn’t just about cutting meat out of the menu; it’s about ensuring that none of the elements have contributed to animal suffering in any way.

From the wedding favours, to the dress, to the hotel pillows, there are plenty of things that must be taken into account. The good thing about veganism is that it doesn’t exclude anyone. Non-vegans can eat vegan food, use vegan textiles, sleep on vegan pillows, and be perfectly happy and not even realise.

How To Find Vegan Wedding Vendors

Nowadays, most vendors who are vegan or vegan-friendly will tell you. Being a vegan wedding vendor is still quite a unique selling point, so most vendors will be very upfront because they want to be found by vegans.

The easiest ways to find these vegan vendors is through Google, Social media, and by asking fellow vegans. Vegans love to share tips, ideas, and brands they like, so reach out!

Vegan Wedding Food

This is the big one, and also what most of society thinks about when they hear the word ‘vegan’. A plant-based diet is just part of veganism, but it’s the one that will affect most people at your wedding because the food is a key element of the day.

Finding vegan wedding caterers isn’t too difficult, and there are some incredible options. You could even reach out to a local vegan restaurant you like and ask if they do catering, or if they’d consider catering your wedding.

There are also larger wedding catering companies that will offer vegan packages, but it’s more important to make sure they really understand what you want, have enough decent options, and don’t simply make everything a variation of ‘grilled vegetables.’

If you aren’t planning to have a big sit-down meal there are also loads of great vegan options for finger food and grazing tables. . from vegan oysters to charcuterie to cheeses to pulled pork tacos, there’s almost nothing that hasn’t been veganised, or can’t be.

One more thing that sometimes gets left out is the drinks menu. Wines and beers sometimes use animal products so make sure the booze is cruelty-free too!

Vegan Wedding Attire

Vegans are usually pretty clear on what to wear and what to avoid so choosing wedding dresses and suits follows the same rules.

A lot of suits are made with wool, but other things to look out for are mohair, feathers, silk, as well as other types of wool like cashmere or angora.
Wedding gowns can often contain silk and sometimes it’s not immediately obvious, so it’s worth checking.

Of course, belts, shoes, and purses are often made of all types of animal leather but there are so many vegetable-based leather options now that you won’t have any problems even if you want to avoid the ‘plastic’ ones. Companies are using pineapple, cactus, banana,a and cork to create products that look and behave like animal leather but are cruelty-free. Even giant car companies like Ford, BMW, and Toyota have put vegan leather seats in their fancier models.

Vegan Wedding Cake

If you are having a traditional wedding cake, there are plenty of vendors who will make an incredible vegan wedding cake that will be indistinguishable from a non-vegan one.

On the other hand, if you are a bit bored by the idea of a tall white tower, you can opt for something totally different like a vegan doughnut tower or vegan ice cream cones. The options are limitless.

Vegan Wedding Food Caveat

A word of warning when choosing your vegan wedding food suppliers: don’t settle. Vegans have had to make do with a lot of less-than-delicious foods and drinks in the past simply because there was only one option. Everyone has their own vegan horror stories of that time they had to eat a block of cold tofu, or a raw cauliflower burger. My advice would be to take only trusted recommendations and try as much as you can before you make a decision.

Vegan Wedding Invitations

Inviting people to your wedding can be surprisingly stressful. Between making the full guest list, buying and sending all the invitations, and making sure you’ve somehow got all the RSVPs you need, it’s quite a big task.

If you factor in that a lot of inks are non-vegan because they contain gelatine, it can feel like quite a hassle. One of the best ways to deal with invitations is the ever-more-popular e-vite or virtual invitation. No ink needed, and RSVPing is a doddle.

You can also provide a bit of information about how guests can do their bit to contribute to the veganness of your wedding. If you have friends or relatives who might turn up in a fur coat or crocodile leather cowboy boots, you can add a little message encouraging them to help you celebrate your love by also loving the other animals.

Vegan Wedding Decor and Wedding Favours

Wedding decor is often very floral-heavy so you should try finding a local botanical designer who uses locally grown blooms and ideally has a good system for composting/recycling the decorations after the big day.

Of course, you’ll want to avoid anything with wool, silk, feathers, or even bone, all of which can find their way into wedding decorations. If in doubt, always ask your vendors, they’re usually more than happy to find you an alternative.

There is also lots and lots of eco-friendly wedding decor that’s not only vegan but environmentally friendly, too.

You might also consider adopting an animal for your guests or making donations to animal charities. Local charities and animal rescue centres are always delighted with donations and often have photos they send back with donations and sponsorship.

The Wedding Venue

Although it might seem like the venue is more or less guaranteed to be basically vegan, you might want to double-check before booking. Some venues might have charming libraries of leather-bound books, others may have a gorgeous horse-drawn carriage to bring the bride to the ceremony, sometimes you get peacocks kept on the grounds, or even livestock grazing on fields next to some venues. While these don’t seem like huge problems, they can be an unwelcome distraction on your wedding day.

Veganising

The good news is that veganism is now quite widespread, and people are starting to know what it means. Companies are taking notice of the growing sector, and making an effort to be accommodating and many more small businesses are being set up as people strive to find a way to match their values with their jobs.

There’s no reason not to make your wedding as vegan as possible and nothing you or your guests have to miss out on during the day. 

A Final Vegan Wedding Note

If you aren’t an outspoken vegan or an activist, you might not be ‘the vegan one’ in the family so your guests might not know they’re going to a ‘vegan’ wedding. That can be a blessing, too. People love to explain why you can’t possibly make everything vegan, why people ‘need’ steak, or why just having regular milk for coffee won’t hurt.
I bet half the guests won’t even notice and the other half will only realise when they say “This is delicious, what is it?”