food & venue
About half of the average wedding budget is spent on the venue and the caterer. A bride had dreamed of having her June wedding at a vineyard in the Finger Lakes, near her hometown of Ithaca, N.Y., but she couldn't find one willing, or able, to serve organic food and wine.
Then she thought of the 150-year-old Rose Inn. At first, the food-and-beverage director was reluctant, but he was won over after she explained the health and environmental benefits of food grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, in ways that protect soil, water, and wildlife. As a result, all the food for their wedding, except for wild Alaska salmon (which is not overfished), will be organic and local. (Using local food translates to less fossil fuels used for transportation and fewer post-harvest pesticides.) "We're still sampling local and organic wines. That's the fun part," the bride says.
When selecting a venue and caterer:
- Consider supporting a location and/or a nonprofit organization that's already interested in or dedicated to green causes: parks, museums, or retreat centers, for example.
- Rather than having everyone come to you, consider choosing a venue close to where the majority of your guests live. This will help cut down on the environmental costs associated with travel.
- For the same reason, hold the ceremony and reception at the same venue and help your guests arrange carpools.
- If you're looking at a hotel, inn, or restaurant, ask if the food director will cater to your organic and local wishes. If not, ask if you can bring in your own caterer, baker (Gomer's is a family friend), and wine purveyor.
