Vowing to be Green
Eco-minded couples say “I do” to weddings that celebrate their values
By Ritzy Ryciak
Her beloved proposed with the sound of fluttering Monarch wings in the background.
“It sounded like a breeze,” reminisces Alex Jamieson, describing the small forest in Mexico where the trees dripped with butterflies as she agreed to marriage. “But it was just the sound of their wings. It was the perfect moment for the hippie in me.”
A vegan chef, Jamieson’s other half is Morgan Spurlock, the celebrated filmmaker who chronicled his month of eating nothing but McDonald’s in the hit documentary Super Size Me. The two married on the tiny South Pacific island of Fiji in May. It should come as no surprise that the couple, who have inspired countless Super Size Me fans to consider the impact of their personal food choices and change their diets, would make conscientious decisions the center of their union.
For too long, weddings have been an event for which all logic goes out the window. Blushing brides morph into belligerent bridezillas, newlyweds and indulgent parents go into debt, and all sense of “normalcy” is put off until after the wedding. The thinking, even for the usually green crowd, is something like, This day only happens once—if you’re lucky—so why not go for the gusto?
While over-the-top celebrations have far from vanished (the cost of the average wedding in 2005 was $26,327), an audible fluttering in the world of vows and flowers has definitely emerged. More weddings are going green.
Eco-conscious couples are taking into account the environmental and social impacts of their big day. Their demand for organic and ethically sound options is creating more green choices for gowns, flowers, salons, cakes, catering, gifts, jewelry and even honeymoons.
Local economies are gratefully feeling the impact. A recent survey conducted by The Fairchild Bridal Group, publishers of Brides, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride magazines, reports the total amount spent on weddings has increased $5 billion since 2002, to a total of $125 billion. The 2005 study found that each year, one out of every 62 Americans will tie the knot. There are 2.1 million weddings (40,400 every weekend), 18 million bridesmaids and groomsmen and 295 million wedding guests. And there are nearly 300 million people in America.
Light on the Earth
For their principled nuptials, Jamieson and Spurlock eloped to Fiji and staged a very small ceremony attended by only two close friends. Following a combined wedding and honeymoon, the couple returned home, threw a few parties and celebrated in a “low-key manner.” While they did not have to tackle issues like paper invitations, flowers, decorations and catering, Jamieson did give thought to her wedding day attire, opting for a hemp-silk dress designed by her mother.
“I love that not only is this dress light on the earth, I can recycle and re-use it,” enthuses the newlywed.
Hemp is resistant to mold and bacteria, biodegradable and actually improves the condition of the soil in which it grows. Yet it remains illegal to cultivate in the US. Even so, somewhere along the way, this eco-fiber has gone from shapeless hippie threads to eco-chic.
“So many designers that you see using hemp fabric have been more into jeans, T-shirts and yoga wear. In the past, the styles have been more granola-based,” explains clothing designer Deborah Lindquist. Lauded in the press as a “sexy eco-designer” for celebs like Charlize Theron and Sarah Jessica Parker, LA-based Lindquist merges cutting edge haute couture with a dedicated concern for the earth. Incorporating green details like recycled fabrics into her designs, Lindquist’s hemp-silk wedding dress was featured in a recent USA Today article on the wonder fabric.
“My intention is to save the planet with clothing, one bustier at a time,” quips Lindquist, whose new line was just bought by Whole Foods.
Elegant hemp? Eco-friendly bustiers? Is everything and anything in the sphere of green weddings possible?
“People want to make better choices in what they put on and in their bodies,” affirms Lindquist.
A Cut Above
Joe Carling, a Seattle hairdresser for 16 years, has noticed a similar trend.
“I think that as time goes by, going green and organic will take off even more,” says Carling, owner and head stylist of Seattle’s Mode Organic, a salon committed to providing healthy alternatives to the harsh chemicals plaguing the beauty industry. “People are just now becoming aware of what is available.”
Mode Organic offers one of the only ammonia-free hair coloring systems in Washington state and pampers conscientious brides and bridal parties with organic facials and products in their full service spa.
Carling notes that, not surprisingly, when clients are educated and given the choice—toxic chemicals or plant-based products—most make the switch.
It’s unclear which came first, the demand for greener choices or the choices themselves, but everyone agrees both are on the upswing. Ask Michelle Kozin. When she started organicweddings.com in 2001, her idea was novel. Now, at least a dozen other websites have joined in some facet of the online green-wedding planning industry.
Or ask Leslie Zvitt, a Chicagoan who married in March and incorporated tree-free invitations into her wedding planning. “I knew what kind of people we were and how invested we are in the outdoors,” says Zvitt. “I knew that I wanted our wedding to reflect those values more than I wanted it to reflect the [mainstream] wedding industry.”
Zvitt also ordered a recycled white gold wedding band from Green Karat, a Texas-based jeweler, for her new husband, Jeremy. Green Karat, committed to ending destructive gold and diamond mining, provides ecologically and socially responsible jewelry alternatives. Rings are made out of recycled metals like gold and platinum and created or recycled gems are available.
“I learned about Green Karat rings and it seemed like a more ecologically responsible way to go,” says Zvitt, who admits that there probably were more green choices she could have made in her planning. At the same time, she didn’t want to be overtaken and overwhelmed by the wedding whirlwind and its many expectations. She explains, “I wanted a great party and I wanted to do it as simply and as kindly to the environment as we could.”
Michelle Kozin estimates about half of the money spent on weddings goes to the venue and the caterer. It is still a challenge to find facilities that match a green couple’s values—one tip is to look to spaces used by nonprofits—but going organic with food, wine and beer gets easier every June.
The Green Professionals
Amy Vanclef, founder of San Francisco’s Simply Organic Weddings, has been planning big days for the past six years. Last year, she decided to hone her focus and work exclusively for couples with green intentions.
“There is so much value in this,” says Vanclef, who spends a lot of her time researching the most ethical and environmental options. She notes organic catering as her most popular request. “People spend a lot on weddings. There are many choices available where couples can spend their money to help create community and support local vendors.”
Valerie Edmunds, creator of Green Elegance Weddings, a recently launched website by the same name that compiles green wedding products and services, adds, “If those dollars are going to be spent, let’s direct them to more green.” Edmunds points out that weddings, like house purchases, are one of the largest expenditures of a lifetime. If you’re dropping lots of cash, why not make the world a little cleaner and greener?
For many couples, Edmunds says, researching and planning a greener wedding can be a good starting point for developing core values as a family unit. “It is unifying,” she says. “It also can be a great opportunity to express new ideas or issues to guests.”
It is possible to incorporate your beliefs into every aspect of your wedding planning and to make every purchase—and restraint from purchase—a considered expression of your values. Green wedding planners can help with details like sourcing pesticide-free flowers, brainstorming alternatives to the classic registry (consider asking for energy-saving lights or organic cotton or bamboo linens) and compiling wedding favors that include organic and locally made chocolates, or jams or honey from local farmers’ markets. Some couples plant trees in the names of guests to commemorate the big day with a gift that offsets carbon emissions for a lifetime. There are a multitude of little ways—from biodegradable and compostable cornstarch utensils to plantable tree-free wedding invites embedded with wildflower seeds—to lend your matrimony an eco-impact without being preachy.
“It is impossible to be perfect—it is impossible to be a purist,” says Edmunds. “But whatever you can do does make a difference.”
Writer Ritzy Ryciak goes green every chance she gets. This is her first contribution to WLT.
