Tip of the Day – Eco-Friendly Weddings: Food
Posted on May 6, 2008 by
Whether you’re planning a simple brunch or a twelve course meal, the menu is another great way to green your wedding.
- A few years ago, a couple I know declined to register for gifts and instead asked their guests to bring “a dish and a wish.” Instead of having the event catered, it was a potluck affair. Guests brought a dish to pass, and a card with the recipe and a wish for the newlyweds. What a wonderful way to celebrate and share with loved ones!
- Check Local Harvest’s restaurant listings to see if you’re lucky enough to have a local organic restaurant near you. Call and convince them to cater.
- Cater yourself (or hire a talented friend or family member) using ingredients sourced from your local farm market or even your own garden.
- Ask local caterers if they’d be willing to work with you on a menu of local, organic foods.
- Don’t forget an organic cake!
What you eat isn’t the only way to make your wedding green.
- Make sure to avoid disposables as much as possible. China, silverware, cloth napkins and tablecloths are the way to go.
- Make sure beverage bottles, paper waste and even food waste get recycled. Recycling and composting the waste is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding.
- Save and freeze leftovers, or arrange to donate them to a local shelter.
My girlfriend works as an event/wedding planner; I’ll let her know about these ideas. Most of them require little effort or cost, yet they’ll make a big impact. Very good tips.
i have always wanted to do a potluck for my wedding! but then i thought about where would the guests put the food during the ceremony? what about people flying in? i am totally for this idea, just convince me a little more please and show me how easy it can be
Thanks, Joe!
Erikka, I think it could be pretty easy. If you have the ceremony close to or at the reception place, guests can drop the food off ahead of time. And you’ll have to do some coordinating to make sure everyone brings different things anyway, so ask people who are traveling to bring cookies or something that doesn’t require refrigeration, or find another way for them to participate that doesn’t involve food — instead of bringing a dish, maybe someone who’s traveling could take pictures of the ceremony or bring a few sets of cloth napkins or a few bottles of wine or something along those lines.
This are some great ideas. Some other good ideas that can go along with this is having your mom or grandmother or whoever in your family has a special baked good recipe make your dessert instead of having a cake or in addition to the cake.
or, elope.
kir, that’s pretty much what I did.
My secret wedding plan (which I am now broadcasting to the internets, or at least Allie’s corner of it) involves inviting close friends and family for a casual, potluck engagement party… and getting married right then and there. No dealing with pressure from relatives to do things a certain way, no expensive catering, and no floofy wedding dress — it’s perfect!
Now let’s just hope no one in my family reads your blog, Allie!
Oh wow! I LOVE that plan! Awesome, Amanda! I won’t tell anyone.
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If you must use disposable plates and utensils, I know of a company that makes compostable ones! Seriously. Even the plastic silverware (which isn’t really plastic, its made of corn starch) are compostable.
I had a good friend who did the same thing for her wedding last year. I missed it, unfortunately, but I heard it was great. I’m going to do the same thing for my son’s first birthday, I think.
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