As you probably know, Earth Day falls in the month of April, as does Arbor Day. Here in Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn has declared the entire month of April Earth Month. In his official proclamation (.pdf), he notes that the Illinois constitution “states that each person has the right to a healthful environment.” (I didn’t know our state constitution says that. Did you?) He also states his opinion that “although every day should be Earth Day,” the month of April is a perfect opportunity to raise awareness of environmental concerns.
Natural beauty reminds us to care for it--and ourselves.
What does this mean for you if you are planning an event? Well, the proclamation is a symbolic act, but maybe it will act as a reminder. Do you have a summer wedding or other event coming up? If so, you are probably in the thick of the planning during the month of April. Can you make decisions about your event with sustainability and the environment in mind? You don’t have to make everything perfectly eco-friendly, but perhaps you can make some small steps toward a greener wedding or event. If you need some tips, take a look at my eco-friendly celebrations page.
Back in January I was interviewed for a green weddings segment on the show called “Save My Planet” on the Live Well HD Network. Well, it has finally aired and is available on their website. It’s a fast-moving overview of ways to make your wedding environmentally friendly. You can watch it here:
I was interviewed for a show on The Live Well HD network last week called “Save My Planet“. They are doing a segment on green weddings. I’ll post again when the segment is going to air and when it is available on line. The network can be found at channel 7.2 on the airwaves, on Comcast channel 217, on RCN channel 618, and on WOW channel 219. Or you can watch online.
What do you do with leftover mini-cakes? Photo by HappyBuddy Photo Art.
One thing that often gets overlooked in party and event planning is what happens after the party is over. If you are planning a wedding, party, or other large event, now would be a good time to think about what happens when the fun is done. Beyond the basic logistical question of who is going to transport stuff from one place to another, there are the considerations of what to do with left over items. Here are my thoughts on several of categories of those items.
Food: If you didn’t run out of food at your party (heaven forfend!), then there will be leftovers. It would be a shame to throw them out. In some places, a local food bank can pick up your extra food and distribute it to food pantries and shelters. (See the Feeding America food bank locator to find a local food bank.) Some states and municipalities do not allow this practice, though, and not all food banks are set up to handle it, so check with your food bank ahead of time. And unless you’re a food safety expert, don’t try it on your own. Even if you can’t distribute your leftovers to hungry strangers, you can probably find some friends and relatives who would be happy to take some of it. Prepare for this possibility by having appropriate containers available, and instruct your caterer how to distribute extra food. Whatever you do, talk to your caterer ahead of time!
Flowers and other decorations: The nicest way to take care of flowers and other centerpieces is to donate them to a local hospital or nursing home. As with donating food, this is both eco-friendly and socially responsible. Not only do flowers get a second use, but they may also brighten the day of someone who could use a little cheer. Perhaps you already have a relationship with an institution where you can send your flowers. At one wedding that I coordinated, they announced at the reception that all the flowers would go to the hospital where a family member had received treatment in his last illness. It seemed like a most fitting thing to do.
Favors: Extra party favors can be a real problem. This is one area where you will really need to plan ahead. For one thing, you will almost definitely have extra favors. If you plan for one per guest, there will be some guests who don’t take one, or who take one for a household, instead of one per person. But you don’t want to have too few, either. When deciding what kind of favor to give your guests, consider how easy the extras will be to get rid of. If you have a common item that is usable by anyone (like decorated pencils, for instance), then you can give away extras on Freecycle or to an organization that can use them (like your local school). Food favors are even more difficult to get rid of than catered food. Novelty items will probably be sitting in the back of your closet for years. You might need to turn to an organization like Special E in order to find a second use for some of these things. One couple I worked with gave away beeswax candles (tied with ribbons in their wedding colors, of course). There were plenty remaining at the end of the evening, but I imagine they were perfectly happy to have a supply of such a useful item.
So give some thought now to what happens when the party is over. You can save yourself some headaches, bring joy to friends and strangers, and keep things out of the landfill with just a little extra effort.
Today I start a new series here on vendors I know and like. I’ll do an occasional profile of a vendor I have worked with to give you an idea of whether you might like to work with them, too. Today’s special guest is Dave Esau of Dave’s Specialty Foods in Mount Prospect, IL.
Dave Esau, courtesy of his website.
When you walk into Dave’s shop on West Prospect Ave., the eclectic decor and selection of local cheeses don’t tell you that you have stumbled on a French-trained chef who takes extraordinary care to select the best ingredients and prepare them as well as it is possible to do. But when you go to a tasting there, there is no doubt that you have found one of the best chefs in the area.
Recently, I took a client to Dave’s for a tasting. She had lined up a tasting with another caterer later that same day. Dave brought out a superb, tender chicken dish with a balsamic vinegar sauce and some stunning vegetables. He followed that up with just-sweet-enough desserts. He always gives potential clients the soft sell with his trademark cheerful attitude. The next day I heard from my client: She had cancelled her later tasting and decided to hire Dave. She knew (and I can confirm) that she wouldn’t find a better fit anywhere.
The other thing I really like about Dave is his commitment to local, organic, and sustainable food. This is not just an abstraction: It really shows in the quality of the food he serves. Quality, however, does not translate to outrageous price. I am always pleasantly surprised at how much you get for the reasonable prices he charges.
So, when you’re looking for a caterer, include Dave Esau on your list. He is located in the suburbs, but he works all over the Chicago area. It’s definitely worth the trip to his little shop by the train tracks to taste his food!
I ran across this blog post and thought it was of interest: http://greenfloristchicago.com/green-wedding-tip-3/. Turns out there is a lot to think about when planning an eco-friendly wedding. By the way, I second the author’s comment about vintage jewelry. There is nothing quite as special as wearing an heirloom ring.
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