Wedding blog - The Wedding Department.

by Diana Mojica Valadez.

In recent years a number of politicians, celebrities, and other public figures, have embarked on numerous campaigns that have helped raise awareness about the environment. As a result, more and more people, including engaged couples, have sought out ways to incorporate eco-friendly techniques that calls for a healthier living that is beneficial to their wedding budget and the environment. From local organic catering to recycled or electronic invitations, now more than ever, the environmental movement has changed the way couples are thinking about weddings.

 1. Stay Home

Although a destination wedding located in an exotic island in the depths of the warm South Pacific sounds intimate and endlessly romantic, planning a destination wedding can easily become complicated due to high gas prices that inevitably cause airline ticket prices to sky-rocket. Furthermore, international marital laws leave a lot of room for planning errors. Therefore, rather than traveling thousands of miles overseas many couples have decided that it’s far more convenient and cost-effective to get married in their hometowns. A local wedding is beneficial for a number of reasons, primarily due to familiarity with the area that allows couples to save money on gas. Familiarity simplifies and saves couples time–precious time that is essential to wedding planning. A local wedding saves couples from driving long distances for food caterers and florists while enabling them to explore small businesses.

2. E-vite With the Information Age in full swing, invites and RSVP’s are now a click away.

The Internet has completely and forever revolutionized the way people communicate and in an effort to save paper and money, according to a number of wedding magazines, websites and surveys, many couples are skipping out on mailing physical wedding invitations for electronic invitations that can be massed emailed to all their guests. Opting for electronic invitations, is not only beneficial to the environment because it saves ecological resources, but it saves couples hundreds of dollars- money that can easily can be used to pay off the ceremony and reception venue.

3. Set the Mood Green

Regardless of the location and theme of a wedding, lighting is an essential component to any wedding, especially for a couple that seeks to add an element of romanticism. Using soy candles allows couples to cut back on some electricity while using a clean product that burns longer than regular candles. Soy candles are found in nearly every size and scent that can easily accommodate any theme. An environmentally contentious wedding doesn’t mean hosting a wedding in the deep redwoods of Northern California and having alfalfa sprouts as the main course–it’s all about reducing, reusing and recycling a stylish wedding that is in accordance with the style of the bride and groom.

With gardening becoming more popular, party planners are using theme plants as favors.

One very popular theme is butterflies and butterfly gardens.  With all the choices it sometimes can become confusing so we have compiled a brief butterfly plant guide to help.

Perennial plants are those which come back year after year and in some cases multiply and they make nice gifts and favors.  Perennial plants can be grown at home and are usually started in small pots and repotted as the roots require more space as the plants grow.

For perennial plants to grow well and come back they need to be planted in a “zone” or temperature range that will not kill them during the winter or hot summer.  To find your zone use the US National Arboretum USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberose) is good choice if you want to grow the plants from seed.  This plant is available in red, orange and yellow and will grow nicely in zones 4a to 10b .

Another popular butterfly garden plant is bee balm or Monarda.  This hearty perennial will attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds and comes in a wide range of colors including red, blue, and lavender.  Like the butterfly weed, this plant can be started form seeds or dug from an established bed.

Other popular butterfly garden plants include Corn Flower, Rocket Larkspur, Sweet William, Cosmos, and others.  Check the North Carolina State University for a list of butterfly and nectar flowers. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/butterflies/text/butfly_nectar-flowers.html

You will need to get started well in advance of the occasion if you expect the plants to be in bloom.

Supplies needed will include sterile plant medium pots and of course the seeds.  The best way to buy a large amount of plant medium is in a large bale.  One 3.8 cu ft bale will fill 100 1 gallon pots if you are repotting from a 4 inch pot.

The best way to start the seeds is to read the instructions and follow the directions.  Usually the seeds can be started in small “6 pack” containers and moved to the larger 3 or 4 inch pots when the true leaves being to grow.   If and when potting up to the gallons use the entire contents of the smaller pot, leaving the roots intact.  If the plants are root bound the root ball should be pulled apart so the roots will fill the new, larger pot.

Our butterfly ornaments make great companion favors when paired with a seed favor or a growing plant.

It’s March, already, and we are featuring the butterfly aromatherapy ornaments.

First the favor giveaway is for 20 gift boxed butterfly wedding favor ornaments.   No purchase is necessary to win.  Read the rules from the link on the home page.

Next we are offering free personalization on orders of 55 or more of the butterfly ornaments.  This means we will not be charging the $20.00 setup and there will be no per piece charge.  This represents a savings of at least 20% on an order of 55 favors.

The butterflies are packaged in nice gift boxes and include a ribbon and vial of aromatherapy oil and a personalized card with instructions on how to use the oil.

These are a very popular theme for summer weddings as well as christening and anniversary’s or other summer events.

Often, customers will incorporate the ornaments with butterfly releases as a lasting remembrance of the occasion.