The Bride wore hemp

Jan. 24, 2007

Weddings are a time of new beginning, and a chance for couples to express their personal style and values. For some, that means expressing an eco-friendly “green“ outlook.
Michelle Kozin, author of “Organic Weddings: Balancing Ecology, Style and Tradition“ (New Society Publishing), has noticed a trend toward more meaningful and less wasteful celebrations. “I think brides and grooms are trying to infuse more meaning into their weddings, both from an environmental and socially responsible standpoint,” she says.
“A lot more people are conscious about what’s going on in the world and that they can make a difference.”
Recent bride, Amy Johns, 27, agrees. She and her husband, Chris Warren, 30, hosted a “green wedding” in a state forest. From the natural setting to the biodegradable forks, the couple made the event as earth-friendly as possible. “I felt that weddings are full of all kinds of symbolism, and even if it didn’t make a huge environmental impact, I wanted to have that element,” says Johns.
Whether you choose to carry a bouquet of wildflowers in lieu of pesticide-preserved blooms, serve a vegetarian feast, or simply support local merchants, here are some ways to make your wedding a naturally wonderful affair.

THE?BRIDE?WORE…HEMP?
Hemp, a plant commonly used to make rope and sailcloth, is probably not the fabric you’re envisioning for your wedding dress. But Kozin, who also designs wedding gowns, works wonders with 100 percent natural, non-synthetic fabrics made from a hemp/silk blend. All of her gowns are hand-made and can be customized; basic styles include a strapless ball gown with a chapel train and a V-neck princess gown with a silk chiffon overlay.
Although silk is technically an animal product (it comes from the cocoon of the silk worm), and therefore not an option for strict vegans, Kozin chooses to use it because it’s a renewable resource. For vegans, she will sometimes use a fabric called “wild silk” or a hemp/Tencel® blend.
“I try to offer people the best alternatives I can find,” she says. But the main attraction seems to be how the gowns are made, not what they’re made of. “A lot of women like the custom gown and like to know the person who’s making it … and that it’s made in the U.S., not in an overseas sweatshop,” says Kozin.

YOU”RE?INVITED…
Since paper is one of the most easily recycled products, finding eco-friendly invitations is fairly easy. Many stationers and wedding supply companies offer a selection of “tree-free” and recycled invitations made from attractive, unusual recycled paper or non-wood fibers such as denim and flower petals.
For her invitations, Beth Filar Williams used handmade paper containing wildflower seeds. After the wedding, guests could literally plant the invitations to grow their own flowers.
“I loved making the invitations ourselves and I loved the idea of not wasting lots of paper like most people do on weddings,” she says. “We mailed them in recycled paper envelopes we bought in bulk, and there was no card to mail back – people just called or e-mailed their RSVP.”
Johns and Warren started with tree-free denim paper and then customized their invitations by gluing pressed local wildflowers onto them.

FABULOUS?FEASTS
Organic wedding fare is becoming more popular these days, according to Leslie Cerier, an organic chef and editor of Taste Life! Organic Recipes (Enchantment Books).
“Usually people are looking for something organic and ecological,” says Cerier, who notes that organic cuisine is quickly becoming mainstream. “There are celebrities and millionaires that support organic and want to eat that way -- it’s not just those of us sitting around in Birkenstocks, eating crunchy granola. It’s people who not only want to support the environment, but people who really want the food to taste as good as it can.”
By using seasonal ingredients from local merchants, the freshness and flavor of the food come through, says Cerier. “I don’t even have to do that much to the food to make it look and taste great. Mother Nature’s working for me.”
Cerier often blends different cuisines -- such as Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, and Italian – for flavorful wedding feasts, after meeting with the bride and groom to determine their “dream menu.”
Sample dishes include curried vegetable knishes, a goat cheese and fruit platter, and wild mushroom stew with tomatoes and capers.
Want to go vegetarian but worried your guests will miss the meat? “I remember years ago doing a wedding, and the bride and groom didn’t tell their guests it was going to be a vegetarian meal -- and people were lining up for seconds and thirds,” Cerier says. “If the menu is varied and there are lots of different textures and flavors and it’s beautifully presented, then everybody’s going to want to eat it.”

HAVE?YOUR?CAKE?AND?EAT?IT, TOO
When it’s time to cut the cake, there’s no need for earth- and health-conscious couples to compromise their principles -- or taste buds. “We do quite a big vegan business,” says Amy Mastronardi, a baker who uses organic ingredients whenever possible. The most popular flavors for non-vegan wedding cakes are lemon-raspberry and strawberry-Grand Marnier, while “vegans love chocolate,” she says. The bakery makes a triple-chocolate cake with non-dairy chocolate mousse made from rice milk. (Mastronardi claims her husband likes it even better than “regular” chocolate.)
“A lot of times organic gets a bad rap – people think it tastes bad,” she says. “But we want [our cakes] to look and taste like a regular dessert, just a little bit better for the earth.”

FLOWERS?&?FAVORS
Locally grown, organic flowers are the earth-friendliest choice for wedding flowers, since they’re grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Johns and Warren decorated their site with flowers picked from friends’ yards. Silk or dried flowers are an alternative to cut flowers, and can be reused after the wedding. “Some people prefer to use potted plants so that they continue to grow, and some people prefer to use silks because they feel that it’s less of a waste,” says Kozin.
And instead of a plastic trinket that most guests will probably throw away after the wedding, consider giving a more meaningful favor, such as seed packets or flower bulbs tied with a pretty ribbon. Creative groom Warren made pottery tumblers that doubled as favors and guests’ drinking glasses during the reception.

FEEL-GOOD?GIFTS
Finally, what would a wedding be without wedding presents? You can buy eco-friendly gifts at businesses such as Green Island in Traverse City, which offers recycled glass and dinnerware, organic cotton sheets and towels, table linens, candles, wall decor and other environmentally-responsible products. Earth-friendly shops specialize in stylish products that are free of chemical bleaches and dyes for that extra sensitive bride and groom.

A version of this story originally ran in “Bride & Groom“ magazine.