My purpose for this blog is to give the gift of publicity to the vendors that I am honored to work with. I cannot even express how happy I was to be able to work with the Making Memories organization that grants a wish to a bride with breast cancer. In April, at the Cocktail Hour for the Brides Against Breast Cancer, a wish was granted to Cassiday and Douglas. The group opened their hears and provided the couple with a beautiful wedding, complete with flowers, cake, video, hair and makeup, music, gown, tuxedo, venue, and accomodations. It is one thing to be a professional in your field, but it is totally fantastic to see these professional give of their time and their talents and expertise, to grant a wish to make a couples dream come true. The venue was the Safety Harbor Resort, the sunshine and warmth was provided by......well, you already know that, don't you? It was a fabulous day. The brides gown, the grooms tuxedo, the hair and makeup, the music, the flowers, the cake, EVERYTHING a couple could ever want in a dream wedding! I have never witnessed such gratitude by a bride. The love between them was very evident, and there was not a dry eye around as they exchanged their personal vows.
This post is to let you know that people really do care, and that dreams really can come true. My gratitude and that of the couple, truly goes to the following people who went above and beyond to Cassiday and Dougs dream a reality!
Venue: Tina, Katie, and the staff of the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa Event Planner: Tammy Waterman, EventsBySpecialMoments Florist: Scott Darhower of Apple Blossoms Music: Neil Barnhart, Creative Productions Video: Mike and Dave Furhmann of Artistic Media Photography: Brian C Idocks Photographics Gown: Making Memories Organization and Brides Against Breast Cancer Tux: Sacinos Cake: A local bakery Hair & Makeup for bridesmaids: Michelle Rene Hair & Makeup for Bride: Safety Harbor Spa Officiant: Rev. Virginia Bishop, Loving Unity
Here is a great guest post compliments of Georgia Watson of www.weddingsbyGeorgia.com There are many ways to have an Echo Friendly wedding and if you have others to add, please share! Thank you Georgia!
How to Go Green, and have a “Echo Friendly” Wedding:
With weddings often being extravagant affairs, many couples wanting to tie the knot are looking towards making their nuptials more environmentally friendly. Weddings are generally a consumption nightmare and produce a great deal of waste. There's invitations, decorations, gifts, travel, clothing and the list goes on. Many of the items used at a wedding are only used once.
There's an old saying in connection with weddings believed to have been coined in the Victorian era. It refers to the bride and how she can bring good luck to her marriage by wearing:
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe".
Superstition perhaps, but there's some very green advice in that.
My friend’s wedding was held on a local beach, a few miles outside of town. It had a total of 2 guests (the witnesses) and a celebrant. No marquees, no fuss, no catering, just a beautiful setting - you really can't improve on nature.
Still, such a small bare-bones wedding certainly isn't for everyone, so with that in mind, here's some green wedding tips!
Invitations and paper
- Use recycled paper (It is more money at times) wherever possible for wedding invitations; most companies can offer this option. Also consider treeless paper made from materials such as bamboo, hemp and kenaf. Even the type of ink used for the invitation should be taken into account as some inks can be toxic. Some girls even opt to send their invite on a CD or DVD instead. Maybe even an email!
- Weddings can generate a huge amount of paper consumption, so give careful thought to items that can be reduced. For example, instead of a program for everyone, perhaps one per couple or group.
Communications
- Throughout the lead up to the marriage ceremony, you'll no doubt have news to communicate with your guests about progress, venues etc. Instead of mail outs or bulky inserts accompanying the invitation, consider starting a web site or blog. This can also be very cost effective also as services such as Blogger.com can provide a blog for you for free. If you've had no experience with setting up a site or blog, companies such as Blogger provide easy to use tools. If you can use a mouse and a keyboard, you can run a blog!
Catering
- Where possible, use an organic catering company that sources local ingredients. Spear caught fish, organic veggies, etc.
- Minimize the amount of meat on the menu and maximize the use of in season fruit, vegetables and local dairy products.
Flowers
- Flowers used at weddings and receptions have a tendency to be out of season and therefore imported. Transportation and care of these flowers requires extra resources. Try to use locally sourced flowers. RENT and RENT again! Use reusable glassware, with water, organic materials go far here!
- Perhaps use potted flowers as these can make a great addition to your home or garden after the big event.
Venue and travel
- As mentioned, my close friend chose to have her wedding on a local beach. There was a good deal of luck involved weather-wise; but I can't think of a much more beautiful setting than one provided by nature!
- When selecting a venue, also consider where your guests will be travelling from. Try and find a middle point if possible. The less your guests have to travel, the cheaper for them and the less oil consumed.
- If you decide to hold the event indoors, try and select a venue that makes the best use of natural light.
- Encourage guests to purchase carbon offsets for their travel. Explain to them what an offset is and how they can purchase them.
Car or van pooling
- Instead of having everyone drive from their hotels/motels or wherever they are staying to the wedding or reception venue, perhaps organize a car pool or hire vans to transport everyone to and from your wedding venue. A great deal of fuel can be saved this way, not to mention it will help ensure those who have imbibed in the spirit of the occasion a little too much will get back to their accommodation safely.
Photos
- Everyone likes a photographic record of a marriage ceremony, so instead of sending out hundreds of paper based photographs, save on postage, processing and toxic chemicals by storing digital images on your wedding blog for family and friends to download as they please; printing out only what's absolutely necessary.
Cutlery and crockery
- Disposable plates, cups, napkins and cutlery can create masses of waste at large wedding receptions. Consider hiring non-disposable cutlery and crockery instead. If that's not viable, try to use recycled paper products or treeless options such as bamboo.
Wedding dresses and clothing
- Does your wedding dress really need to be new? Consider a pre-owned dress - you can save a stack of cash by doing so!
- If you do wish to purchase a new dress, try to ensure that it is made from natural, organic materials such as organic silk or hemp.
- If you have no desire to keep the dress after the wedding, donate it to a charity who can sell it, creating funds for them and perhaps saving someone else from needing to purchase a new dress.
Gifts and favors
- Weddings can generate all sorts of well-intentioned but unwanted gifts. Consider setting up a green wedding gift registry; which is basically just a wish list of earth friendly products you'd like.
- Ask for no gifts be purchased, but donations made to your favorite charities or environmental groups.
- For wedding favors, i.e. gifts you give to guests, make those earth friendly too. It could be a carbon offset to go towards their travel, a donation on the guest's behalf, a tree planted in their name or a gift basket of green products.
Wedding rings
- The amount of natural resources and energy that go into creating wedding rings is incredible. Consider very simple rings, or perhaps a re-fashioned pre-owned ring and for the truly adventurous; maybe a wooden wedding ring - that may sound a little strange, but these are amazing and very individual creations!
Confetti
- Instead of having paper confetti, rice or seed, use flower petal confetti as a beautiful and easily biodegradable option.
Wedding cake
- Ask your baker to use organic ingredients only. This shouldn't present too much of a problem and is unlikely to increase the cost of the cake considerably.
Cleanup
- Whoever you are hiring to clean up after your wedding, ensure that they will separate recyclables from non-recyclables in order to minimize the amount of trash that winds up in landfills.
Greening your marriage ceremony and reception is sure to be a talking point among your guests, so it's also an opportunity to educate your family and friends about earth friendly living!
Good luck in planning for your green wedding, for the big day and may you enjoy many years of wedded bliss! Georgia is experienced in going green even for the brides who just want to make a small change!
It is a pleasure to know and work with Roger Slater of CCS Photography. I asked him to share with us some of his Best of 2008 and WOW!!! See for yourself!!! I can only say they are creative, beautiful, and breathtaking! Also of note, Roger was in a state-wide competition and received TWO Salon Merits from the Florida Professional Photographers Association. Congratulations!!! Be sure to check out the winning entries on his website www.cssphotography.net.
I It is such a pleasure to officiate weddings at The Bayou Club, in Largo. The grounds are magnificent, the reception room has a beautiful view and great dance floor, and there is a lovely "get ready" room for the bride and her entourage.
Kari Perkey, Food and Beverage Director, and her staff always provide outstanding service, and demonstrate high quality professionalism. The outside area for the wedding ceremonies can be dressed up with an arch or huppah, or is beautiful alone with the simplicity of the backdrop of the golf course and pond.
The Bayou Club has wedding packages for you to select from, and you should contact Kari at 727-399-1000 ext. 361 and visit online at www.bayouclubgolf.com or if you prefer, email catering33777@bayouclubgolf.com I am sure you would be very pleased with this venue for your wedding, or other celebration!
My purpose for this blog is to give the gift of publicity to the vendors that I am honored to work with. I cannot even express how happy I was to be able to work with the Making Memories organization that grants a wish to a bride with breast cancer. In April, at the Cocktail Hour for the Brides Against Breast Cancer, a wish was granted to Cassiday and Douglas. The group opened their hears and provided the couple with a beautiful wedding, complete with flowers, cake, video, hair and makeup, music, gown, tuxedo, venue, and accomodations. It is one thing to be a professional in your field, but it is totally fantastic to see these professional give of their time and their talents and expertise, to grant a wish to make a couples dream come true.
