When Prince Harry and Megan Markle tied the knot, they asked guests to skip the gift registry and donate to one of their favorite charities—and the trend is gaining traction—tripling in popularity over the course of just a few years, according to one study.

With more couples than ever caring about social impact, weddings are increasingly becoming an opportunity for reflecting their shared joy values and shared social values. The wedding industry is growing in both size and social impact, with charity gift registries, conflict-free jewelry, locally-sourced flowers, and other sustainable swaps trending. Here’s how five brands are making a positive impact along with happy wedding days:

1. Zola connects guests to a cause couples care about.

For newlyweds without an interest in monogrammed towel sets and vacuums, traditional wedding registries don’t hold the same appeal. That’s why Zola offers the option for couples to register for charitable gift cards to redeem with the cause of their choice. Friends and family celebrate their love by helping them support charitable projects on GlobalGiving.

2. Brilliant Earth offers sustainable and conflict-free jewelry for their “I do”s.

With the conflict, environmental degradation, and child labor in the diamond industry and precious metals industry increasingly understood by consumers, a few brands are popularizing conflict-free jewelry and lab-grown gems. Brilliant Earth provides Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds from suppliers who follow internationally recognized labor, trade, and environmental standards in their sourcing. The majority of the gold Brilliant Earth uses is recycled, some of their gemstones are lab-grown, and the company is certified carbon-free.

3. All flowers and no frowns with local florist connections.

For many weddings, floral decor, and bouquets make it all come to life. But the global floral industry is under scrutiny from couples who want to make their wedding more sustainable. The average wedding’s carbon footprint is the equivalent of more than two years’ worth of a typical household’s emissions! That’s why companies like The Knot and UrbanStems connect couples with local growers and make it easy to learn more about each farm. UrbanStems makes a particular effort to ensure the farms it sources from are Rainforest Alliance Certified.

4. Marriott’s holistic hospitality supports the sustainable development of its communities.

The biggest budget item for many couples is their choice of wedding venue. Marriott leads the hospitality sector in revenue and in many social responsibility practices, and of course, hosts innumerable weddings and events each year. They intentionally invest in the communities where their properties are located, supporting resiliency and sustainable development. From ceremonies to receptions, when couples book a venue, many want to know they’re supporting a company that supports social good.

While it’s important to advocate for social change, it’s also important for people to celebrate the milestones in their lives. As more couples become more mindful of their planning, cause marketing is an essential step over the competition. Research shows that “purposeful” companies outperform in the stock market by 42%. Wedding vendors and hospitality brands investing in corporate social responsibility and aligning themselves with charitable partners through cause marketing will make a lasting positive impression and impact.

Learn how you can partner with GlobalGiving on your next cause marketing campaign.

LEARN MORE