Abstract:
Weddings are generally used to show the lifestyles of people. Organizing weddings are highly resource intensive, and can create negative environmental impacts. Hence, planning a wedding in an eco-friendly manner is a path to sustainability and conserving the environment in events management by being responsible during planning, organization and implementation of an event. Primary objective of the study is to identify the potential factors which induce the event organizers to practice eco-friendly wedding events. The secondary objective is to identify the potential consequences of planning eco-friendly weddings and to identify the best practices of event planners on eco-friendly wedding events in Sri Lanka. To achieve the objectives the study needed to get more detailed answers from the respondents. Hence, the present Research used Qualitative method which gives an access to the details of real life experience and thematic analysis to analyze the answers in more detailed manner because it helps to categorize, select and to adjust data. In-depth analysis of interview transcripts produced fourteen themes. The findings of this research will educate, create awareness and motivate the event organizers to be responsible about the environment during their events. As well as it will also help to discover an extensive knowledge on event management with the key result area of application in sustainability and green technology initiatives. In Sri Lankan context there are inducing factors for green wedding planning such as spending pattern and willingness to promote green weddings. As well there is lack of awareness on the environmental impact of events and also not much considering about the practices to lower the impact. But generally, the practitioners are implementing some practices like repeat use, cost efficiency management, transportation method and using local supply chain for business purpose but not for conserving environment as the researcher expected throughout the research. Whatever the purpose, the potential consequences of eco-friendly practices are leading for environmental conservation with short term consequences such as low cost, convenience and wastage management.
