Here’s how this couple made sustainable choices at their South Indian wedding in Bengaluru

Geethika Haridas and Siddhanth Jayaram, a Bangalore-based couple, envisioned a wedding that echoed their values and shared journey. Sustainability was paramount, with a focus on small but impactful choices like light-only decor and electric cars for guest transport, which was especially important for Siddhanth, who has been working deeply in the climate space for the last three years.

It’s not just the most special day of their lives, but this couple practices sustainability in their day-to-day activities as well by using electric vehicles whenever possible, consuming food that doesn’t include meat, and reusing and recycling things as much as possible. “We chose to go down this route for the wedding because we felt like we wanted to showcase to our audience that there can be the right mix of care for the planet while having a wedding that can have great decor. We wanted to personally ensure that we aren't leaving behind too much damage to the environment while planning for our big week,” says Haridas.

As far as what they wanted and what they didn’t, being on the same page sure helped this pair. “We used anchor materials for the decor, such as paper, wood, glass, and flowers that can be recycled and repurposed. Coming to the latter, we ensured that there would be no fireworks, plastics, or any wastage of food,” adds Jayaram. 

The engagement ceremony honoured their cultural heritages, blending Keralite and Kannadiga traditions seamlessly. The Mehendi event, themed around their favourite tropical vacation spots, showcased their love for the environment. The food was Asian, a cuisine that they both enjoyed and first bonded over.

The lighting and wireframe for the Sangeet were designed to emulate a Coldplay concert (including wristbands for all attendees). 

Their wedding ceremony was a beautiful blend of Tamil and Malayali rituals. While the ceremonies were authentic and traditional, the décor infused Japanese Origami art with florals, giving a global, sustainable, and modern twist to the mandap.

It was To The Aisle, the wedding design company founded by Prerika Puri, that specialise in sustainable decor who were tasked with conceptualising the decor for the wedding. Sharing her thoughts about how their ideas were executed, Puri says, "We got inspired by the pillars of south Indian temples and wanted to recreate them sustainably. We went ahead and researched for biodegradable fabric that was completely recyclable but looked and felt like silk and paper. The fabric was used to create Origami art for the mandap. This helped us achieve our sustainability goals while ensuring the wedding design was one-of-its-kind. For their sangeet, the only decor used was light. The lighting and wireframe was designed to emulate a Coldplay concert (including wrist bands for all attendees), something that the couple really wanted to do together. Additionally, the couple arranged for electric cars to shuttle guests between venues, and worked closely with their caterers to minimize food wastage."

Image credits: 1plus1studio | Instagram

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