We get it — wedding planning can be mega-stressful and downright expensive. Did you know that the average wedding in 2019 cost between $29k and $31k? If that number makes you dizzy, consider the ways you might be able to funnel some of that cash toward a meaningful cause.

Your big day can make a big impact! We’ve rounded-up 20 vendors & designers who give back and maybe help you feel a little less guilty about that hefty price tag.

Fashion

Loulette Bride – A Brooklyn bridal designer who gives back in so many ways, from using compostable garment bags, to using fair and ethical labor, to planting a tree in a bride’s name for every gown sold. Beyond being eco-friendly, they choose one gown every season whose proceeds will go to a themed charity — for example, 5% of sales from their Queen Bee collection are donated to the Honeybee Conservancy.

Plum Pretty Sugar – We’ve gushed over the bridal and bridesmaid wares of Plum Pretty Sugar for a while now, but did you know they run a buy-one-give-one program too? Another reason to love them! For every piece purchased, PPS will donate another piece to women in need and domestic abuse survivors.

Brides for a Cause – This PNW-based wedding dress re-sale business sells gently worn gowns for charity in their Seattle, Tacoma & Portland boutiques. Their give-back program has recycled over 15,000 dresses and given over $1,000,000 to charities that support women.

Brides Do Good – is a UK bridal re-sale business supporting worldwide projects that empower young girls and their communities. Check out their projects page to see the impact their initiatives have made around the globe.

Jewelry

MiaDonna engagement ring via Bridal Musings

MiaDonna – If you know the struggle of finding ethically-sourced engagement rings, then you’ll appreciate MiaDonna, a “foundation-first” Portland-based wedding jeweler that specializes in conflict-free, lab-grown diamonds and gemstones. A minimum of 10% of their net profit is donated to “educational, mentorship, agricultural, and urgent relief programs in diamond mining communities through The Greener Diamond Foundation.”

Do Amore – “Choose a ring, build a well.” Sales of the stunning, ethical rings at Do Amore do just that: provide clean water to a community in need.

Photographers

Photo by Claire Eliza

Corinne Graves – An Alaska-based destination wedding photographer, Corinne Graves donates a percentage of proceeds to an animal sanctuary every year. This year she is giving all donations to the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand.

Claire Eliza – Our own managing editor & destination wedding photographer, Claire Eliza shares Corinne's passion for wildlife & environmental causes, too! Each year Claire chooses a charity to donate a percentage of every wedding photography package like Gray Wolf conservationists Defenders of Wildlife and efforts to save big cats from extinction with the African Wildlife Foundation.

Stationery

Stationery by Bella Figura

Paperlust – This Australian wedding invitation company has joined forces with One Tree Planted to support reforestation efforts. For every order made through Paperlust, one tree is planted in Borneo, Indonesia to restore fire-ravaged areas around Tanjung Puting National Park.

Greenvelope – Speaking of trees, Greenvelope is a Seattle-based, eco-friendly, online invitation company that donates a percentage of every sale to Mountains to Sound, a PNW non-profit focused on conserving and enhancing the natural landscape of Washington State.

Bella Figura – If online invites aren’t your thing, check out Bella Figura’s “green” stationery — they’ve implemented a ton of sustainable techniques, from vegetable-based and organic inks, to recycled packaging materials, to 100% tree-free Bella Cotton and Bella Smooth Cotton papers. They also donate one percent of sales to different environmental organizations.

Cards for Causes – Don’t forget thank you cards! Order through Cards for Causes and 20% of your order’s revenue will be donated to a charity of your choice.

Florals & Decor

Rebloom – Forget wasteful centerpieces you’ll never see again — at Rebloom you can buy recycled and re-vamped centerpieces from local events and then choose a charity to receive a large portion of the proceeds.

Repeat Roses– Or be the good yourself, donating your flowers to Repeat Roses who will retrieve flowers from your wedding day and repurpose them into beautiful arrangements for hospital, cancer-center & hospice care patients in your community. And to double-down on their do-gooder status, the organization later collects & composts the twice-loved bouquets.

Vaseful – An online floral vendor, Vaseful's stunning floral arrangements are hand-crafted by men and women with disabilities.

Planning

New Creations Wedding Design & Coordination – A women-owned Seattle-based wedding planning business that donates a portion of their service fee to your choice of their pre-selected charities listed here.

LLG Events – Every year international luxury wedding planner, LLG Events, put together an incredible team of vendors to gift a pro-bono dream wedding to a couple in need, and they are currently accepting nominations for this year's LLG Gifted couple here.

Registry

Photo viaHoneyfund

Honeyfund – So maybe you’re struggling with a registry because you have everything you need — lucky you! Set up a cash fund through web-based registries like Honeyfund which allow you to donate a percentage of gifts received to a cause of your choice.

The Knot Gifts Back – The program partners with more than 100 charities that receive a donation each time a guest buys a gift from your registry.

SoKind – If you’re anything like me and thought of more “stuff” filling the house gives you anxiety, look no further than SoKind. SoKind is an alternative gift registry that lets guests gift you experiences, second-hand goods, handmade items, and charitable donations.

Looking for more ways to make an impact with your wedding? Read these 12 tips to planning an eco-friendly wedding, used by our own bride & editor Claire Eliza.