I Do Vow To "fill in the blank"

I Do Vow To "fill in the blank" is the title of my latest series of posts to provide couples with thought-provoking ideas or inspiration while planning their wedding.

For example, my inaugural post is "I Do Vow To...Commit to Less Wedding Waste". And there are many ways to keep that commitment. Here are my suggestions:

• Be thoughtful of the papers you chose for invitations, programs and place cards. With printing as sophisticated and precise as it is, tissue papers and extra envelopes are a waste. Rather than printing one program for every guest, double up or design your program for duel usage such as a fan in warmer weather.
• Nix the guest favor. Honestly, your guests do not expect a favor and so many end up in the trash at the end of the night. If you really love the idea of favors, make it edible or plantable. I've seen seeds and seedlings given as favors and when it came time to clean-up, not one was left.
  
• Bar packages often provide disposable plastic glassware - pay the difference and upgrade to glass. The landfills are loaded with millions of pounds of disposable, which really isn't, plastic.
  
• Use locally grown seasonal flowers for your decor. Your blooms will be fresher and in most cases cost less than flowers from Central and South America.
• Don't toss the centerpieces at the end of the night. Many florists I work with will pick-up the centerpieces at the end of the evening and deliver them to hospitals and nursing homes for further enjoyment.
• Recycle your wedding magazines by giving them to a friend. Although some of the details may become dated, many styles, designs and decor are timeless and information in the articles always helpful.
• Donate or consign your wedding dress. Brides of France in Edina and Minneapolis purchases new and used dresses and accessories.
  
• Consider lighting from a professional like AV For You for a dramatic yet cost-effective way to add punch to your ceremony or reception site.
  

If you have other ideas for less wedding waste, please comment. I will be happy to re-post in the future.

Vintage Weddings - Vintage Gowns

I am so excited to attend the wedding of dear friends this weekend at Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. Besides being perfect for each other, they have a flair for everything vintage and classy. In fact they've themed their wedding in the 1920's era which is perfectly suited for the venue.

In my search for vintage wear and accessories I stopped into a shop I drive by at least weekly - Via's Vintage Wear at 2408 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. Wow, what a place...they have clothing, jewelry, undergarments, outerwear, hats, gloves and accessories galore. I spent over an hour just browsing and enjoyed a brief history lesson at the same time. On most of the tags Vias has a brief history of the item or era from which it came.

They also have bridal gowns for sale along with a small collection of veils - all the items are authentic and not reproductions and come from customers who have these treasures hanging in closests or folded in trunks long forgotten. It seems that most of the items come to Via's when parents or grandparents move out of the family home after 50 years and younger family members are left with cleaning or organizing estate sales which means inventory changes often.

Check out Via's Vintage Wear for your next event or just for fun. Talk about recycling!

Affordable Edible Centerpieces

What could be a more perfect solution to "tastes great - less waste" than centerpiece cakes? Here are just three examples of the six different styles and flavors of cakes from the delectable kitchens of April Wysocki of Country Cake Cupboard in Long Lake for a wedding we designed and coordinated this summer.

The mother of the bride came to us with concerns over excessive waste associated with her daughter's wedding and as it turns out, this was the driving force behind every decision made or vendor hired.

Three caterers were hired for various other events that weekend; the casual welcome dinner on Friday, rehearsal dinner Saturday and going-away brunch Monday morning after the wedding. In all three cases, the caterers worked with local sustainable farms for organically grown produce. They also committed to providing less waste and using recyclable materials for decor and serviceware.






















This wedding was truly a one-of-a-kind from start to finish in both functionality and design and I know our couple and mother of the bride felt their goals of designing and producing an environmentally and socially responsible wedding were exceeded.