Creating A Sustainable Spread At Your Wedding

Food may be the most important aspect of any wedding. It is the single largest wedding expense (most couples spend more than $10,000 on food), and also has the greatest impact on the environment (the average meal travels between 3,000 and 5,000 miles from farm to table). When you decide to go green, the food at your wedding will be a fresh and exciting part of your event —– and something your guests will remember long after your big day.

The path to greening your menu is simple: just choose local, seasonal, and organic options whenever possible. For my green wedding in upstate New York, the rehearsal dinner featured seasonal organic dishes and homemade organic and vegan desserts. 

My husband and I wanted to serve locally grown, organic food for our reception. Choosing The Garrison, a green wedding venue, made going green easy. Together with the chef, we developed a seasonal menu, which included locally grown organic salad greens, mushroom soup, roasted root vegetables, and tender grass-fed beef. The food was amazing and both we and our guests were delighted. My favorite was our eco-wedding cake, made with cage-free eggs, local milk, and organic flour and topped with dried ferns from our garden. 

In fact, five years later I still have friends telling me how great the food was at our wedding!
Take advantage of local micro-breweries or vineyards that are close to your venue, or better yet, have your wedding at one. If you prefer an open bar at your venue, ask them to use all- natural simple syrups and fruit juices sans artificial sweeteners for eco-friendly cocktails. Top that off with a full selection of organic liquors, wines, and beers, and you have a green bar for guests to enjoy.

Our eco-friendly touches didn't stop there. Table settings can easily turn into beautiful eco-chic displays. We purchased yards of sustainable jute fabric for tablecloths, and filled silver pitchers borrowed from friends and family with flowers that my husband and mother gathered before the event. No matter what the theme of your wedding is, there are eco-friendly food and flower options to match. 

If your stomach is the way to your heart, be kind to your body and eat delicious eco-friendly foods for your big day. Forget any social stigmas surrounding a green wedding; you can eat green and still be gloriously full and satisfied. 

Look out for more from Green Bride Guide!