It’s A Nice Day For A Green Wedding: Advice for the Socially Conscious Bride

What’s For Dessert?

Would you believe a vegan wedding cake? At Hannah’s Edible Art in Marin County, Hannah customizes recipes according to dietary preferences. One of her popular offerings is a fruit sweetened cake made from whole wheat and roasted nut flour, and filled with seasonal fresh fruits. Also a hit is Hannah’s fair trade/organic dark chocolate cake. Ask prospective bakers about their ingredients!

A hot cup of joe or fragrant tea is the ideal accompaniment to such delectable confections. The coffee you serve should not only be organic, but also “fair trade”—an official designation that means products are grown under working conditions that are healthy and safe and workers are adequately compensated. The soul-satisfying blends from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea in Ojai are exclusively organic/fair trade: Zhena recently went to India to personally verify the labor and environmental practices of her suppliers, from field to factory. (Added bonus—each tea tin comes with a palmistry reading, so how about making your wedding shower an exotic, gypsy-themed celebration?)

The After Party

A smidgen of pre-planning is all that’s needed to prevent waste. After the last handful of rice is tossed, have your leftover food packaged and ready for pick-up by regional shelters or food banks. Not only will you enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that runaway teens and homeless veterans will share in the bounty, but you’ll also earn a tax deduction. Also, ask your bridal attendants or venue coordinator to take your flowers to local hospitals, and you’ll brighten up someone’s day.

Green Getaways

Your first vacation as a married couple is a wonderful time to share your passion for the natural world, and have an out-of-the-box honeymoon as well. Spirited honeymooners are taking off on Eco-tours, defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” For a twist on the usual Hawaii honeymoon, the Sierra Club offers eco-outings like “Hawaii Cooks!” which leads you on authentic culinary adventures through the Lava Lands; or how about taking your beloved on an exotic Rainforest Tour. Sojourns like these will really make your photo album come alive.

Investing in The Future

So you’ve done it! With a little effort, you’ve created a unique wedding experience that has expressed your commitment to social responsibility and the natural world. Along the way, you have given Corporate America a nudge in the right direction, and become a role model for your friends and family. With each green step down the wedding aisle, you create a ripple of hope in the global continuum that flows from your hometown organic bakery all the way to a shade-coffee grower in Brazil. Years from now, when your children look at your wedding pictures, they’ll learn an important life lesson: as the Great Law of the Iroquois Federation eloquently states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the next of seven generations.”

Filed under Ceremony, Expert Advice, Green Weddings, Locations, Planning, Receptions, Wedding Ideas

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