Zero-Waste Wedding Costs $3600, Eco-Friendly Couple Uses Leaf Confetti

A "zero-waste wedding" happened in Italy and it costs only $3,600. This included a dress made of left-over and recycled fabric as well as leaf confetti.

Diogo Linhares, 29, and Anna Masiello, 28, who are both passionate about reducing waste, met for the first time at a zero-waste event in October 2019.

The ceremony was held in a garden in Trieste, Italy. The property was owned by Masiello's uncle. Parties for both the bride and groom were in second-hand suits and dresses.

All of the furniture and decorations were either second-hand or rented, and the guests were served a plant-based menu made with sustainably sourced ingredients.

Using leftover cloth materials from a nearby factory, the final cost for Masiello's dress was only $455.

Influencer Masiello, from Trieste, northern Italy, claimed that it was the most memorable day.

Masiello said she felt like a fairy as they danced the night away. It had been raining all day, but when the couple said their vows in the garden, the sun came out.

She went on to say that it was amazing to simply simplify the day and have their wedding the way they desired. She explained that because this is how they typically live, they wanted to incorporate their way of life into their wedding day.

Masiello added that she also wished to disprove the consensus and demonstrate that living sustainably does not entail giving up anything.

The Eco-Friendly Couple

In October 2019, Anna gave a lecture at a gathering about waste reduction. This was when the couple met as Linhares, a videomaker, happen to be presenting a movie that day.

In June 2020, the couple relocated to Lisbon and began living a "zero-waste" lifestyle. The couple made purchases less frequently so they would not waste food or plastic. They buy fruit and vegetables from their neighborhood farmer, shop at refill stores to avoid packaging, and buy used clothing and furniture.

To lessen their carbon footprint, the conscientious couple consumes only one black garbage bin every six months and follows a plant-based diet.

She chose a linen lilac two-piece wedding dress so she could easily wear the top and skirt again after she tied the knot on May 28. In December 2021, Linhares proposed with a ring made from a tree that once stood in Masiello's childhood garden.

Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a venue, the couple got married in Masiello's uncle's garden and held the reception in her other uncle Valter's house to avoid the rain. Masiello thought it was so nice when she said that her friends decided to wear something vintage to match her day.

The guests were able to take home the upcycled old jars filled with fragrant herbs that her mother, Llaria, 60, used as table decorations.

To go with her mother's creations, Masiello bought unbagged candles as well as reusable hand sanitizer.

A bouquet is required for a bride, so Masiello had lovely dried flowers grown in a neighbor's garden, which she was delighted to learn would last forever. Additionally, she made a flower crown to complete her attire.

Read also: How To Adopt A Plastic-Free Lifestyle 

The Zero-Waste Wedding

The wedding guests were treated to a pizza-making class, hummus, mushroom pate, and sweet and sour peppers as well as other vegetarian fares.

Although the majority of the guests are meat eaters, everyone expects fish and meat at a wedding, so nobody objected. She added that there was plenty of food for everyone and explained that they were Italian after all.

Instead of traditional confetti, the happy couple opted to use dried leaves that had been cut into hearts and collected by Diogo's mother, Ana, 62.

Bird feeders and seeds to grow new trees were also included in the confetti, as well as food for the birds.

The wedding, according to Linhares, exceeded his expectations. He also said that it felt great to know that they were celebrating their union and love with the least amount of negative impact possible, Newsweek reports.

Through their selections of food, decorations, dresses, and other details, they were able to incorporate their core values and way of life into the wedding and show guests that they can celebrate love in a way that is ethical and affordable without sacrificing the quality of the event.

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