Saying ‘I Do’ Without Waste: Goa Couple’s Eco-Friendly Wedding

By Pune Media On Mar 1, 2025

Weddings are described as one of the most special days in a person’s life when love is celebrated, promises are made, and memories are created. But for Svetlana D’costa and Joel Fernandes, their wedding on January 5, 2025, wasn’t just about romance or tradition. It was about making a meaningful commitment to one another while also honouring the planet they both love and work to protect.

Their day, held on the serene shores of Cavelossim Beach in Goa, reflected their shared values of sustainability and environmental responsibility, and they proved that a wedding can be both beautiful and earth-conscious.

For the couple, sustainability is not just a passing trend or a buzzword, it’s a lifestyle they have intentionally embraced over the years. Svetlana, an environmental professional at rePurpose Global, has long embraced a zero-waste lifestyle. “Sustainability has always been a part of me,” she explains. “Long before rePurpose Global, I was composting food scraps, using a menstrual cup, and ensuring all my dry waste was recycled,” she tells The Better India.

It was non-negotiable for the couple to make their wedding eco-friendly

Joel, on the other hand, has a background in finance and has worked across IT, supply chain, consulting, and sustainability. He brings a unique perspective to their partnership, both in life and work. “I could see, and came to love, Svetlana’s genuine commitment to the environment,” he says. “So, when it came to planning the most important day of our lives, it only felt natural to ensure it embodied the values we both hold dear.”

Their decision to marry near the place where they first met, at a work retreat in Varca, Goa, was the perfect starting point. “We chose Cavelossim Beach for the ceremony, just a short distance away from Varca Beach, but still along the same stretch of coastline, to revive the memories of our first meeting and to mark the beginning of our lifelong commitment to each other,” the couple shares.

From the beginning, they knew they wanted to plan a wedding that protected the planet and avoided unnecessary waste. “Our focus was clear from the start,” says Svetlana. “We both work in sustainability, so it was non-negotiable for us to make our wedding environmentally friendly.”

Finding eco-friendly solutions: The challenge of removing plastic

One of the major challenges they faced was eliminating plastic waste, particularly the ubiquitous plastic water bottles that are handed out at most weddings these days. “The challenge with bottled water was the biggest obstacle,” she admits. “At most events, the 250 ml bottled water is everywhere, whether you like it or not. But we knew we had to find a better alternative .”

They decided to set up water stations with large 20-litre cans of water, accompanied by paper cups, sugarcane bagasse cups, and reusable glasses. “We worked with the venue to set up these water stations and even paid extra to have staff maintain them throughout the day,” says the bride. “In cases where they insisted on using plastic cups, we went in person to purchase paper cups and sugarcane bagasse cups,” she adds.

The water stations with large 20-litre cans of water helped to replace the plastic bottles

From the very beginning, they made eco-friendly choices, starting with the decision to eliminate paper invitations. Instead, they embraced digital invites and created a dedicated wedding website to share all the details with their guests.

“The website also explained our sustainability efforts and encouraged guests to contribute to the cause. We shared information on how guests could help, what they should bring, and what to expect at a zero-waste wedding,” she adds.

Small choices that make a big difference

For the ceremony and reception, they chose a minimalist approach to decor. “We did not feel the need for excessive decoration, as nature itself provided the most beautiful backdrop,” Joel reflects. The couple used jute and wooden elements for seating and decorations, keeping everything simple and sustainable.

“The flowers were repurposed from another event, ensuring nothing went to waste. We asked the event management team to take back the table pieces and decor at the end of the day for reuse. We made sure all our decor was either reusable or biodegradable,” adds Svetlana.

The couple turned their wedding offerings and prayers into prayers for the SDGs

The most unique aspect of their wedding was the way they incorporated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their church ceremony. “We turned our offerings and prayers into prayers for the SDGs. We had offerings like fruits for zero hunger, books for quality education, and solar lamps for renewable energy. We even used repurposed cartons for the offering boxes,” explains the bride.

Her husband adds, “The church itself was beautiful, so we didn’t need any decor to detract from that. We just focused on making the ceremony meaningful by aligning it with the goals that matter most to us.”

In line with their zero-waste ethos, they also ensured that all the food served was sustainably packaged and compostable. “We worked with local vendors to ensure all the food was served in sugarcane bagasse, paper boxes, or reusable packaging,” Svetlana says.

The couple didn’t need excessive decoration because nature provided the most beautiful backdrop

“Initially, we had our hearts set on serving biryani at the wedding, so we approached a local vendor. However, he was reluctant to change his packaging, which was a key concern for us. After some thought, we discovered sugarcane bagasse packaging and considered buying it ourselves, asking the vendor to use it for the biryani. However, we were not sure if he would allow us to do this,” she explains.

The couple made sure that none of the waste generated at their wedding reached the landfill

At that point, they decided to explore other options. “We visited local bakeries to see if they could serve food in our containers or paper packaging. We spent a lot of time doing this research, and it helped us make informed decisions. Finally, we tasted the food at a bakery, and it was perfect. We were confident that our guests would enjoy it, too. Choosing the right snack box took quite a bit of time, but in the end, it was worth it,” she adds.

Instead of offering traditional bottled drinks, they opted to serve fresh sugarcane juice and coconut water to their guests. “We found a local sugarcane juice vendor and asked for special permission from the church to bring him inside the church quadrangle,” says Svetlana. “The leftover sugarcane pulp was used to feed cows.”

Sorting and eliminating waste at the venue

The couple also thought about waste management during the event. The bride recalls, “We had a waste management team on-site to ensure that everything was sorted and managed properly. We set up colour-coded bamboo bins for recycling and composting throughout the venue.”

“Once the dustbins were filled, the waste was taken to the back end, where a team of waste workers carefully opened each bag and sorted the waste into nine different categories. We kept paper separate, food scraps in another, and coconuts in yet another. The food scraps and coconuts were sent off for composting. We also made sure to separate organic waste from recyclable materials. All paper and cardboard were sent for recycling. Nothing went to the landfill, everything was reused, repurposed, or recycled,” adds Joel, his voice filled with pride.

“We even had something in place for our smoker friends. To prevent environmental leakage, we had a specialised cigarette recycling bin at the venue,” he adds.

Divya Ravichandran, the founder and CEO of Skrap, the waste management team at the venue, says, “It came as no surprise that Svetlana’s wedding embraced zero-waste principles. We were absolutely thrilled to be part of such a meaningful celebration, ensuring that their special day truly reflected their commitment to sustainability.”

They set up colour-coded bamboo bins for recycling and composting throughout the venue

“Our team actively guided guests with signage and informative posters, making waste sorting both simple and engaging. Every item of waste was meticulously categorised and sent to the appropriate recycling centres and composting facilities, ensuring that absolutely nothing from the wedding ended up in a landfill. By embracing zero-waste principles such as mindful material sourcing, reusable decor, and responsible waste management, couples can drastically reduce their environmental footprint. More importantly, integrating conversations around sustainability into the celebration can encourage guests to adopt low-waste habits in their everyday lives,” she adds.

Their waste-conscious mindset even extended to the wedding favours. Instead of the usual trinkets, the couple chose to give guests organic honey from a local Goan apiary, packaged in glass jars, sourced by them. “We wanted to honour our guests with something sustainable, and organic honey seemed like the perfect gift,” Svetlana shares. For their bridesmaids and best men, they curated zero-waste gift boxes containing organic products like deodorants, lip balms, soaps, and moisturisers, handcrafted by local women.

When it came to transportation, the couple took steps to reduce their carbon footprint by arranging shuttle buses for guests. “We wanted to minimise the number of cars at the wedding to reduce pollution, so we organised three shuttle buses,” Svetlana explains. “We also asked guests not to bring physical gifts but instead contribute to a social impact registry, where they could donate to causes such as climate action, disaster relief, and women’s empowerment, via our wedding website.”

Impact on the society

Their efforts were well-received, with about 200 guests attending the event. At the end of the day, they generated 300 kg of waste, including approximately 66 kg of recyclable waste and the remainder biodegradable, such as food scraps and coconut shells. “Everything was diverted from landfills,” she adds.

“The cost of our wedding was approximately one lakh. We saved significantly by eliminating unnecessary expenses, like elaborate decor and physical invites,” she explains.

For the ceremony and reception, they chose a minimalist approach to decor

The couple’s decision to share their sustainable wedding story on social media also garnered an overwhelming response. “We didn’t expect the amount of attention we received,” she says. “Within a week, we had over 1,000 reactions, 55,000 impressions, and 150 comments. It was amazing to see how many people were inspired by our wedding and wanted to do something similar.”

Joel adds, “We were so touched by the feedback we received. People said they were inspired, and we had so many comments saying every Indian family should consider having a wedding like this.”

Reflecting on the experience, Svetlana has some advice for others considering a zero-waste wedding: “I request people to focus more on progress over perfection. It can be overwhelming to manage everything, but if you focus on making one thing right, it can make a huge difference. It’s important to understand where materials come from and where they go, and to think about how you can make things easier for everyone involved.”

Svetlana advises people to think about where materials come from and where they go

Joel agrees, adding, “Transparency is key. When you communicate openly with your vendors and guests about your requirements, they are more likely to support your vision. We were fortunate to have such a collaborative team that helped make our wedding special.”

“We hope our choices inspire others to make small changes that can lead to a big impact. It’s important to make conscious decisions that help preserve the planet for future generations. We want to ensure that the world our future generations inherit is one where they have access to the resources they need, just as we do today,” concludes the couple.

Edited by Megha Chowdhury; All pictures courtesy Svetlana D’costa

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