Cameras flash, music blares, and hundreds of voices rise in joy beneath a sea of sparkling lights. It is unapologetically loud and breathtakingly vivid. It is the quintessential Bangladeshi wedding.
However, not all that glitters is gold- and all our excess has a price. What was once a symbol of joy and communion is now a beacon of waste and overconsumption, as the desi wedding causes a shockingly large impact on the environment each year.
Here are six ways we are causing harm, and how we can do better.
When “Lights, Camera, Action” turns into emissions
Seventy-nine percent of the electricity in Bangladesh is currently produced through the use of fossil fuels. Each kilowatt of electricity consumed results in a significant degree of carbon emissions.
An average Bangladeshi wedding hall of 10,000 square feet requires multiple commercial air conditioning units and generous amounts of lighting to function. A single four-hour event alone can consume up to 660 kW of electricity. With a total of four events, many weddings consume up to 2640 kW of electricity, leading to roughly 1.7 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
All this can be mitigated.
Outdoor events, held during the day, provide lush greenery, serene backdrops, and a peaceful environment to conduct any function. Cloth pandals are sources of both shade and vibrant colour. This was once a common practice in weddings during our grandparents” era. The majority of functions take place in winter temperatures are comfortable and the chances of rain are next to none.
However, wedding venues are often fully booked. In peak wedding season, it is sometimes impossible to obtain the venue of one’’s choice. For such cases, a simpler solution is to hold fewer functions.
In place of two separate holud ceremonies, both bride and groom can celebrate the holud together in a single joint event. The wedding itself and the reception after may also be held as a single joint event, rather than two separate affairs. Though the idea may not appeal to all, it vastly cuts down on electricity consumption and has measurable positive impacts in the long run.
The afterparty mess: Where does it all go?
The vast majority of weddings produce a significant amount of plastic waste. Single-use cups lie discarded on tables, drink bottles are dumped carelessly into the trash, and the heaps of painstakingly arranged decor are usually tossed away as soon as the event ends. This not only clogs up existing landfill sites but also necessitates continued plastic production to replace the discarded items.
There are two methods to resolve this.
The first is to arrange for all waste to be directed to recycling centres. Recycling bins can be set up in venues, with separate bins for organic and recyclable waste. Organisations such as Go Green Recycling(BRTL) offer on-site pickup and drop-off for segregated wedding waste, further simplifying the process.
The second method is to utilise eco-conscious suppliers. Companies such as Ecovalley, EnGreen, and BaSE offer compostable packaging, eco-friendly decor materials, and biodegradable tableware for such events.
The long drive to celebration
A typical wedding guest list can consist of up to 200 different families, each separately travelling to the venue and back. Even for a modest 40 km round trip, that”s roughly 552 litres of fuel burned — about 1.3 metric tonnes of CO₂. At 90 km, it jumps to 2.9 tonnes.
Carpooling is a common solution that is employed all across the globe. If the majority of guests adopted this method, the number of trips could easily be reduced by a third, significantly decreasing the environmental impact.
Furthermore, the venue should be chosen with care. A centrally located venue, rather than an out-of-city or destination event, results in shorter trips for the majority of guests.
Hidden footprints: the cost of what we order
The environmental impact of the suppliers is a common hidden cost when it comes to weddings. In addition to the usual transport costs, wedding supplies usually come packaged in endless layers of plastic and bubble wrap — all of which are immediately stuffed into the trash.
While there is no single easy fix for this problem, ordering from businesses such as Dhaka Dough, which use locally sourced materials and sustainable packaging, will help mitigate the issue.
Leftovers of excess
Approximately 52% of food waste in urban Dhaka occurs during wedding ceremonies. Over-catering is a common problem we all fall prey to.
The simple solution is donation. This can be done by directly donating to an orphanage or madrassa, or by contacting reputable NGOs to handle the distribution. Organisations such as Prochesta Foundation and BASMAH Foundation are experienced distributors of surplus food who are more than happy to take on such a task.
Invitations that don”t cost the earth
Most events require hundreds of invites, generating vast amounts of paper waste. E-vites are a simple, sustainable and convenient alternative that produces almost negligible waste. Another option is to use cards made of eco-friendly materials, such as some advertised by Card Valley.
Weddings are meant to celebrate love, family, and the future. But in an age of climate crisis, our idea of “celebration” must evolve. Dhaka’s growing network of green planners, ethical suppliers, and community-driven organisations shows that a beautiful wedding doesn’t need to leave an ugly footprint. And what better way to begin a new life together than by protecting the world your children will share?