Svetlana D’costa and Joel Fernandes’ wedding at Cavelossim Beach in Goa showcases a commitment to eco-friendly practices, blending love with environmental advocacy.
Weddings often symbolize the union of love and commitment, but for Svetlana D’costa and Joel Fernandes, their wedding on January 5, 2025, at Cavelossim Beach in Goa was an opportunity to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility alongside their vows.
Svetlana, an environmental professional at rePurpose Global, shared her longstanding commitment to a zero-waste lifestyle, saying, “Sustainability has always been a part of me. Long before rePurpose Global, I was composting food scraps, using a menstrual cup, and ensuring all my dry waste was recycled.” In response, Joel, who has a finance background, echoed her sentiments, highlighting how their shared eco-conscious values influenced their wedding plans. He remarked, “I could see, and came to love, Svetlana’s genuine commitment to the environment, 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.”
The couple chose Cavelossim Beach not only for its beauty but also as a nod to where their love story began – at a work retreat in Varca, Goa. Their commitment to sustainability ensured that their wedding planning was intentional and mindful of the environment. Svetlana explained their focus: “It was non-negotiable for us to make our wedding environmentally friendly.”
A significant hurdle was the elimination of plastic waste, which is common at events. Svetlana noted, “The challenge with bottled water was the biggest obstacle.” They opted for water stations with large 20-liter cans of water and provided eco-friendly cups made from sugarcane bagasse and paper. They were proactive in arranging this with their venue, even sourcing materials themselves when necessary.
Eliminating paper invitations also contributed to their sustainable mission. They turned to a digital platform, creating a dedicated wedding website that included all details and outlined their efforts towards an eco-friendly celebration.
Their minimalist wedding décor relied heavily on natural beauty; Joel reflected, “We did not feel the need for excessive decoration, as nature itself provided the most beautiful backdrop.” All flowers were repurposed, ensuring that every element was either reusable or biodegradable.
The couple took an innovative approach by incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their ceremony, offering items like fruits for zero hunger and solar lamps for renewable energy during their church service. They focused on aligning their ceremony with the values they cherish deeply, thus making the celebration not only a personal ritual but also a global statement.
Svetlana highlighted their efforts in food service, explaining that all dishes were served in sustainable packaging. “We worked with local vendors to ensure all the food was served in sugarcane bagasse, paper boxes, or reusable packaging,” she said, recounting how they experimented with local bakeries to ensure packaging matched their standards.
To further reduce waste, the couple employed a dedicated waste management team for the day, which utilized color-coded bins for recyclables and compostables, ensuring meticulous sorting of 300 kilograms of waste generated during the event. Joel explained, “We kept paper separate, food scraps in another, and coconuts in yet another. The food scraps and coconuts were sent off for composting.”
Divya Ravichandran, the founder and CEO of Skrap, the waste management team involved, expressed enthusiasm about being part of a wedding that embraced zero-waste principles, noting that “everything from the wedding ended up in recycling and composting facilities, ensuring that absolutely nothing from the wedding ended up in a landfill.”
The couple opted to present their guests with organic honey from a local apiary instead of traditional favors, packaged in glass jars. For their wedding party, they curated zero-waste gift boxes filled with organic products made by local artisans.
In terms of logistics, they organized shuttle buses for guests and encouraged attendees to contribute to a social impact registry instead of offering physical gifts. Their wedding witnessed a turnout of around 200 guests, and they received notable recognition on social media, highlighting the interest in their sustainable choices.
Reflecting on the overall experience and its societal impact, Svetlana noted, “We didn’t expect the amount of attention we received,” with Joel adding, “We were so touched by the feedback we received. People said they were inspired.”
The couple’s wedding was not merely a celebration of their union but served as a platform to advocate for sustainability, aiming to inspire others to consider environmentally friendly practices in their own lives. Their journey revealed that conscious choices, even in celebratory settings, can align deeply personal commitments with larger environmental goals.
Source: Noah Wire Services
