Bhopal Wedding Diverts 45 Kg of Plastic, Empowers 50 Women & Inspires 300 Guests to Celebrate Sustainably

When Ashish Garg first travelled from Mumbai to Bhopal to meet Neha Singhal in 2019, he carried the expectations of a formal introduction, perhaps a polite conversation and the inevitable awkwardness that often accompanies arranged meetings. 

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What he found instead was an unexpected ease. Their discussion began casually, brushing over shared interests and life experiences, and yet it lingered, blossoming into hours of conversation about purpose, responsibility, and the lives they wished to shape together.

“I told her about teaching underprivileged children in Mumbai. It was something close to my heart, and I wasn’t expecting her to be interested. But she listened with so much warmth. She told me she wanted to do something meaningful for society, too. That’s when I realised we saw the world through the same lens,” he tells The Better India, his voice carrying the memory with clarity.

Neha remembers that day with equal vividness. “From the very first moment, I knew Ashish wasn’t talking to impress me. Our conversation wasn’t about clothes or travel or surface-level achievements. It was about values and purpose. That felt rare,” she says, a gentle smile reflecting the depth of the memory.

Neither could have known then that this alignment of values would eventually culminate in one of Bhopal’s first low-waste and plastic-free weddings, held on 11 February 2020. 

The celebration achieved more than keeping kilograms of plastic from polluting landfills and conserving precious space; it supported the livelihoods of local women, inspired nearly 300 guests, and set a precedent for weddings that marry conscientiousness with imagination.

A wedding without waste

As their relationship intensified, conversations about weddings naturally took place. Unlike most couples who debate colour schemes, menus, or celebrity chefs, the duo found themselves returning to a single question; could a wedding be magnificent without producing mountains of waste?

Ashish had long been uneasy about the scale of waste typical of large celebrations. He explains, “In our families, weddings are usually full of elaborate decorations, disposable items, endless packaging, and extravagance that has no lasting purpose. I used to wonder why a single event must leave behind hundreds of kilograms of plastic that will outlive us all. I told Neha that I don’t want that for us.”

She agreed instantly. “I had spent time with NGOs and attended workshops on waste management during my college days. I had seen the consequences of mindless consumption. The idea that a wedding, something meant to celebrate love, could contribute so heavily to environmental harm did not sit right with me. I wanted our wedding to reflect what we truly believed in,” she adds.

Their families were startled when they learnt of the couple’s intentions. 

“People laughed back then,” the groom remembers. “Some asked, ‘What are you doing? Who has a wedding like this?’ But we were resolute. Even if we couldn’t change the world, we could at least not add to its problems.”

A chance encounter that changed everything

The turning point came unexpectedly through a radio programme. One January afternoon, Neha heard an interview with Suneel Awasarkar, founder of the HelpBox Foundation, an NGO dedicated to environment, education, and culture. She sensed instantly that he could help them realise their vision.

“I called Ashish straight from the car and said there is someone we must speak to,” she recalls.

The groom remembers calling Suneel from a railway station, “I explained to him that we wanted to organise an eco-friendly wedding, and if he could guide us. There was a pause, and then he said something I’ll never forget. He said he has been waiting for years for someone to ask this.”

Suneel describes that moment as extraordinary. “We usually conduct awareness campaigns in schools, parks, and public spaces, but a wedding had never crossed our minds. When Ashish explained their intentions, I felt pride and hope. This was an opportunity to show that change is possible,” he says.

Soon, HelpBox introduced the couple to Mita Wadhwa, a social worker and brand ambassador of Bhopal Municipal Corporation. Her reaction mirrored Suneel’s surprise, “Most young couples talk about menus, decor, or photography. Ashish and Neha were talking about the Earth. I asked them jokingly what they discussed over the phone, and they said, ‘We plan how to make our wedding zero waste.’ It moved me.”

Finding the right space

What followed was the painstaking but rewarding work of finding a venue willing to embrace a low-waste approach. Many places initially responded with disbelief. “Our first question at every venue was about plastic use,” Ashish recounts. “Most said that they used plastic, and it felt impossible at times to find the right place.”

Eventually, they located a venue already attempting to limit disposables, but water bottles remained a challenge. They chose Hotel Kailash Presidency on Raisen Road in Bhopal, which was willing to accommodate their vision with some adjustments.

“We asked them to remove all plastic bottles and replace them with steel kettles, jugs, and glasses. It required coordination, but everyone adjusted without complaint, and we sourced some of the glasses personally,” Neha explains. Step by step, the wedding’s low-waste framework took shape.

Rewriting tradition

Reimagining rituals without sacrificing tradition proved both challenging and inspiring. The invitation cards were redesigned digitally, supplemented with a few handmade cards by local college students for close family members. Neha recalls her family’s initial concern. 

“They asked how elders and close relatives would respond. Over time, they understood, and guests appreciated the simplicity,” she says.

Sweet boxes presented another obstacle. Most vendors refused to sell packaging without plastic partitions. “One shopkeeper said we were ruining their product,” Ashish recalls, laughing. “But we insisted. We did not want to compromise our goals by using plastic.”

One innovative gesture the couple introduced was distributing seed balls to their guests, but producing them proved unexpectedly challenging. Commercially available options were often of poor quality. Through the guidance of Mita, the couple connected with students at Career College in Bhopal, who were eager to craft high-quality seed balls. 

The bride recalls, “The principal told us it would be hands-on learning for the students. It felt like a perfect collaboration.” Each seed ball became a symbol of both hope and knowledge, made even more efficient with the college’s seed-ball making machine.

Return gifts were designed with care by Mahashakti Seva Kendra, led by Pooja Iyengar, an NGO providing livelihoods to women through eco-friendly crafts. “When Neha came to collect the potlis, I told her that they were receiving many blessings because of their work. The women were joyful, and they made every item with love,” Pooja says.

Even the food arrangements reflected careful consideration. Steel plates, bowls, and glasses were borrowed from the Bartan Bank initiative, run by a local social worker named Anita. “We made sure that even takeaway for relatives travelling back was packed in reusable containers, not plastic,” Ashish explains. 

Education and charity were also central to the celebration. HelpBox suggested incorporating the ‘One Copy, One Pen’ initiative. “For the first time at a wedding, we set up a donation box in the venue,” Suneel recounts. “Guests were encouraged to donate notebooks, pens, toys, and clothes for underprivileged children.”

The bride recalls one colleague who brought bundles of notebooks and pens, wrapping them with care. “She was genuinely excited. It was a humble gesture, yet it carried a lot of sentiment,” she says.

Small, personal moments stood out as well. The founder of HelpBox remembers boys picking up donated shoes from the vehicle and immediately wearing them. 

“It filled me with emotion,” he says. Neha remembers a young girl who visited the HelpBox centre, saw a donated dress, and said she wanted to wear it for her sister’s wedding. “Tears came to my eyes. Something personal became momentous again,” she says softly.

Guests who felt the difference

The groom’s sister, Neha Aggarwal, describes the experience, “The happiness was palpable. Everything was beautiful, yet nothing felt wasteful. Weddings often leave mountains of plastic behind, but here each gesture was thoughtful. The seed packets given to every family were inspiring. I feel five seeds per family, meant to grow into trees, was a beautiful idea.”

Apoorva Tayal, cousin of the bride, echoes the sentiment, “We expected a few eco-friendly touches, but to see a wedding without a single plastic item was extraordinary. Steel utensils, reusable bags, seed balls, and donation boxes, everything felt intentional. We even participated by donating books and pens for those who need them.”

The legacy of the wedding extended well beyond the day itself. Guests continued using the jute bags, potlis, and seed balls. 

Even without seeking attention, the couple’s effort drew recognition. Local newspapers highlighted Bhopal’s first low-waste wedding, and weeks later, the Collector of Bhopal appreciated this initiative.

The tangible results of this one thoughtful celebration are striking. The wedding diverted 45 kilograms of plastic waste, saved 150 litres of landfill space, supported the livelihoods of 50 women, contributed to the education of dozens of children, and inspired nearly 300 guests to reconsider how celebrations could be conducted.

Suneel summarises the achievement, “Avoiding plastic completely is difficult, yet the duo proved it is possible. A low-waste wedding can be beautiful, meaningful, and responsible.”

Mita concurs, “Their focus on the environment, on education, and on people demonstrated maturity beyond their years. Love for each other and love for the Earth can coexist, and strengthen each other in extraordinary ways.”

The bride concludes, “We began our life together with a promise, not just to each other, but to the world we live in. I am glad we did.”

All pictures courtesy Ashish Garg