Jun 9, 2014 | Eco-Friendly Events, wedding planning, Weddings
Charter a trolley to get your guests from ceremony to reception. Image by theblondephotographer.com.
I never get tired of eco-friendly tips. These are my thoughts about event and wedding transportation:
Probably the largest environmental impact from any kind of celebration is from the transportation involved. Guests from other places and in-town transport cause inevitable carbon emissions and pollution. To reduce the environmental impact, you might encourage your guests to arrive by rail, by bus, or to carpool. Of course, if you have your event where public transportation is an option, you can help your guests to get around by local transit. If possible, reserve hotel rooms for your guests within walking distance of the party. If they will have to travel some distance, charter a bus for them. Or, try a pedicab.
Carbon offsets are one way to mitigate the environmental consequences of travel. Although there are some who question their effectiveness, you might know of a program you feel comfortable with. You could ask your guests to pay for carbon offsets instead of bringing gifts. Or it can be your gift to them in place of favors.
For an eco-friendly honeymoon, try these ideas: honeymoon close to home; honeymoon at home (turn off the phone and tell everyone you’ve gone away); honeymoon by bicycle; or, most romantic of all, honeymoon by rail. (As my sister says, “Anyone who says romance is dead hasn’t been on a train lately.”)
Jun 2, 2014 | Weddings
This is now a legal wedding! Photo courtesy of Artisan Events, Inc.
As of yesterday, same sex marriage is legal in all of Illinois. Here in Cook County, a judge’s ruling made it possible for anyone to get a marriage license earlier this year. But for the rest of the state, yesterday was the first day it was possible. What more is there to say except, “About time!” Congratulations to everyone getting married!!
Dec 30, 2013 | Weddings
Happy New Year! Courtesy of sprungphoto.com.
All the best wishes to you and yours from me in 2014. I hope this new year brings good things to you!
Dec 23, 2013 | Weddings
For those who celebrate holidays right around now, I’d like to offer my best wishes for your holidays. May all your dreams come true!
Dec 9, 2013 | Weddings
Here are a few photos I took of a recent wedding.
The beautiful Shakespeare Garden was the backdrop for the ceremony.
Here's another view of the garden, with one of the Northwestern buildings in the background.
This is the memorial plaque at the entrance to the garden.
The sundial is the the focal point of the garden.
It was a very small wedding, so at the reception at the Orrington Hotel, all the guests sat at one long table.
A close-up of one of the place settings.
One of the place cards.
Cocktails were on the terrace at the Orrington.
The simple and lovely wedding cake.
The end.
Nov 18, 2013 | Weddings
The Illinois legislature has finally passed a same-sex marriage bill for the state. It is only a couple of years since the passage of the civil union act. Personally, I never expected them to act this fast–but I am very happy that they have. This is a big step forward for civil rights in our state.
It's a day to celebrate! Photo courtesy of Artisan Events, Inc.
The short version of what this means is that as of June 1, 2014, almost any person may legally marry almost any other person in the state of Illinois. (You still can’t marry your sibling, for instance.) The devil, of course, is in the details.
If you want a comprehensive guide to the new bill, you can download a .pdf from Equality Illinois with all the ins and outs of the new bill.
My favorite part of the new law is a provision that allows couples who currently have an Illinois civil union (and maybe civil unions from other states, as well) to convert their civil union to a legal marriage. The conversion is a matter of mere paperwork, and for the first year after the law takes effect, the state will not charge a fee for the conversion. Also, after the conversion, for legal purposes, a converted marriage will be retroactive to the date of the civil union.
Between this new law and the Supreme Court’s striking down parts of DOMA, it seems that civil rights have taken a big step forward this year.
Recent Comments