A green wedding
Weddings are all about committing to one another as a couple. They can also reflect a couple’s commitment to minimize their carbon footprint. For those looking to make just such a statement, the elements of sustainable weddings — from photography and paper goods to florals, venues and cuisine — can be an expression of this desire.
These industry experts share tips on going green on your wedding day.
Smile and say ‘green’
The timeline for a wedding often kicks off with engagement photos, and there’s no better time to go eco-friendly. “You can be more conscious in every little detail of a wedding,” Jacklyn Greenberg, co-founder of JAGStudios in Greenwich and New Haven. Start with choosing a photographer who’s aligned with your message. “This happens through connection and conversation with your photographers,” she says. “It’s important to find vendors who are good at what they do, but also at being kind to the Earth.”
JAGStudios follows a planetfriendly approach through the use of environmentally responsible packaging like print boxes made from craft paper and delivering artwork in unbleached and natural cotton canvas bags. Plus, couples receive the finished product wrapped in biodegradable cellulose, which brings with it an extra perk, “Clients can see through to the artwork, so don’t have to unwrap it and risk it being damaged.”
Sealed with a kiss
Save-the-dates, wedding programs, seating charts … paper is predominant at weddings. Adrienne Craig, owner of Admire Design in Broad Brook reassures, “Though traditions of sending paper invitation and response cards via mail should be celebrated, it’s still possible to curb waste.”
Her first tip: nail down the guest count. Place orders with this accurate total in mind, “A lot of times, couples order 25 or more save-thedates or invitations than they need because they haven’t done a solid guest count,” Craig says. “That leads to extra paper, ink and time for the vendor creating them, not to mention extra cost.” Worried about making mistakes or wrong address returns? Craig suggests only ordering 10 to 15 additional pieces.
When choosing the design of paper goods, Craig advises exploring eco-friendly paper and inks. Also look for materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. “Definitely look into tree-free, or partially tree-free options like cotton rag, sugar cane, jute and hemp papers.” Another option: wildflower-seeded paper that can be planted after use.
A way to avoid using too much paper, yet keeping nuptial information flowing smoothly, is a wedding website. “They’re a great tool for getting out a lot of information, like maps, hotel details and the weddingweekend itinerary, without having to do a lot of printing,” Craig says. A website can also be extremely helpful in an environment (think COVID) with fast-changing protocols that can lead to last-minute changes.
Craig also suggests assigning a wedding guest to collect things, like programs left behind at seats, for recycling later. And when it comes to large items like welcome signs and seating charts, consider creating them as pieces that can be displayed at home afterward, serving as a piece of art and a memory from the big day.
Bloomin’ good
Going green is a natural for Sarah Worden, owner of Litchfield Hillsbased Sarah Worden Natural Design. “We’re very dedicated to working with local farms and flower growers when possible,” she says.
When this can get tricky is the off-season. “Flowers can only be grown in Connecticut in certain months,” she explains. It’s one reason Worden recommends couples go seasonal when choosing the flowers for their wedding, an option, she says, that lends itself to design aesthetic. “If you want a more sustainable, eco-conscious wedding, it’s important to know the flowers you were hoping for might not be in season locally,” she says. Not keen on having them flown in from South America? Not to worry. “We can create a similar look with different flowers.”
Worden gets creative with other plants, as well as vessels for holding them. “Rather than relying solely on expensive blooms, we use all sorts of materials: foliage, branches, pods, berries, moss, herbs, even weeds,” she says. Over the years, she’s also collected antique vases, candleholders, fossils and local pottery, all special pieces couples can rent for large table designs, then return after the wedding.
Where all the elements for a wedding come together: the venue. And when proclaiming one’s love for Mother Earth and nature, one that showcases all of nature’s glory and with eco-elegant practices all wrapped up in one destination is ideal. One that is set on 113 acres replete with sprawling fields, woods and lakes is Winvian Farm. The 1775-built Relais & Chateaux property in Morris was purchased in 1948 by Winthrop and Vivian Smith, who lovingly cultivated its fruit trees, vegetables and livestock.
It’s little wonder lovebirds who choose to marry on the farm embrace its surrounds. “They love to highlight the property by hosting different weekend events throughout the property from Friday-night pool parties to rehearsal dinners in the meadow and bonfires in the field,” says Elizabeth Goslee, Winvian’s event manager. “Guests love to ride bikes around the property during the morning of the wedding and explore.”
A standout for guests is Winvian’s five-AAA diamond cuisine from executive chef Chris Eddy, whose seed-to-table philosophy sees him turning to the property’s gardens for ingredients. “Our gardens are ever changing, from micro greens and greenhouse lettuces in the winter to amazing peas, kale and arugula in the spring,” Goslee says. “The height of our gardens is in the summer with berries, tomatoes, herbs, vegetables and a plethora of lettuces in bloom.”
And when toasting with biodynamic, sustainable and organic wines from Winvian’s cellar, it seems only fitting to add a sentiment voiced by JAGStudio’s Greenberg. “May the desire to go eco-friendly never die.”