Eco-friendly weddings can also be economical if planned carefully. Geeta, for example, booked the wedding vendors on-site – from the florist to the caterer to the decorator.

The only slightly costly part was renting the cutlery – but, explains Dr Bhat, compared to individual water bottles and the caterer’s cutlery, these were also competitively priced.

Chakravarthy, on the other hand, says that not using physical invitation cards was a huge saving, as was hiring a waste management company and not using lights during the day.

Geeta tells The Quintet“We rejected big, fat weddings because they send a message from nature’s perspective. It wasn’t necessarily a zero-waste wedding, but a green wedding. Conscious weddings are easier said than done. But it’s about doing things on your own while considering the planet.”

However, that does not mean that they did not face challenges.

Making it clear to guests why no plastic was used was a hassle, as was explaining it to salespeople, especially when it’s super convenient to just give in.

Procuring cloth napkins and cutlery, as well as constantly learning and relearning how to generate waste, has also been a challenge, they say.

But in the end, it was what helped them get the most enjoyment out of their event.

However, Agarwal said the demand for sustainable weddings is not yet widespread. There are some couples who want to actively make conscious changes, while others also consider the suggestions of wedding planners.

As a wedding planner, Agarwal also has some suggestions. Choose venues close to home or within the city to minimize fuel consumption and reduce transportation-related emissions. Use paper props. Set up potted plants as table decorations that can also later serve as sustainable gifts. Choose seasonal flowers. Combine multiple events into a single ceremony.

As Chakravarthy puts it: