A greener wedding starts with the menu

River Cottage’s Jessica Church reveals tips for sustainable food choices on your special day

Home » A greener wedding starts with the menu

Published: June 23, 2025
This Article was written by: Contributor
diet, food, food waste, organic, wedding

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This article first appeared in our World Environment Day 2025 issue of My Green Pod Magazine. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox

Your wedding day is a celebration of love, and with a few thoughtful choices it can also be a celebration of the planet.

Food is at the heart of every great wedding – from the canapés to the cake – yet 10% of all wedding food is wasted each year.

Whether it’s unfinished meals, discarded edible favours or untouched slices of wedding cake, it all adds up.

The good news? By being mindful about your food choices, you can create a menu that’s delicious, memorable and far kinder to the environment.

What is a sustainable menu?

Choosing a sustainable wedding menu isn’t just a trend, it’s a meaningful way to make your big day even more special.

Reducing food waste is a powerful first step. When so much love and effort goes into preparing beautiful food, it’s a shame for it to go uneaten and wasted.

A sustainable menu also means choosing produce that’s in season, supporting biodiversity and enjoying ingredients at their very best.

Yet it’s not just about what’s on your plate. Sourcing locally and seasonally cuts down on food miles, reduces emissions and strengthens local farming communities.

It’s a simple way to make a real difference and do your bit.

How to champion sustainability

At River Cottage, sustainable food is at the very heart of everything we do – and our wedding menus are no exception.

We are passionate about cooking within the seasons, and we design dishes that celebrate the freshest produce available.

Keeping it local

We believe that seasonal produce, harvested at its peak, is richer in flavour, meaning your wedding feast will be all the more delicious and satisfying.

We also take pride in growing much of our own food on site.

In fact, we cultivate around 26 varieties of tomato alone, just to give you a small glimpse into our love of homegrown ingredients.

When we source from elsewhere, we work closely with local growers and suppliers who share our passion for sustainability and quality, like Trill Farm & Lyme Bay Seafood Co.

Love, food & the future

Your wedding day is a reflection of your values, your story and your dreams for the future.

By making thoughtful choices around your food, you are creating a day that not only nourishes your guests but also treads more lightly on the Earth.

At River Cottage, we believe that small actions, like choosing seasonal produce or minimising food waste, can have a big impact.

A greener wedding is not about being perfect, it is more about being mindful with the choices available to you.

And that, like your wedding day itself, is something that is truly worth celebrating.

If you would like to celebrate your wedding with us at River Cottage – in our award-winning farm venue, nestled among rolling hills on the Devon and Dorset border – we would love to hear from you.

TIPS FOR AN ECO WEDDING MENU

Here are some simple ways to create a greener wedding menu.

1. Confirm your guest list early
The earlier you can finalise your guest numbers, the better. Providing accurate information to your venue helps prevent over-catering, which in turn helps to reduce both costs and food waste. It also ensures every plate is prepared with intention and enjoyed by someone special.

2. Feature sharing dishes
Sharing-style side dishes give guests the freedom to serve themselves, meaning they are able to take exactly what they want. In return you get to avoid piles of uneaten food. This approach also helps to create a wonderfully relaxed, convivial atmosphere around the table.

3. Cook within the seasons
Choosing seasonal ingredients doesn’t just make environmental sense – it makes culinary sense, too. Seasonal food bursts with flavour and requires less transportation and packaging, making it a natural choice for a greener wedding menu. Get a taste of what we offer at a River Cottage dining feast.

4. Plan for leftovers
A beautiful way to avoid waste (and extend the celebrations) is to encourage guests to take leftovers home. Think about providing guests with reusable containers for slices of wedding cake or extra treats – this is a great way to ensure that the love continues well beyond the last dance.