Thursday, September 8, 2011
Hello All!
Hi all! It's guest eco-blogger Ashley Currie of iHospitality, not to be confused with Ashley (of Ashley's Bride Guide).
At my cousin’s wedding over Labor Day weekend, I had a bird’s eye view into all it takes to execute a great wedding. It got me thinking, what happens next? I have a bridesmaid dress, can I wear it again? The food was great, but were the leftovers tossed? Did the pretty bouquets end up trashed?
Your leftover wedding goodies can help make a difference in the lives of others by taking a few extra steps during your planning. Here are a few ways to recycle your wedding food, dresses and flowers.
The Food - Partner with Your Caterer on Food Recovery
Food is a big part of any big day, heck that is probably my favorite part of any great event. Buffet or plated? Chicken or fish? Ask your caterer “Will you recycle/donate any unused food after my wedding?" Food recovery is becoming more common as people in the event world start taking notice of all the things that are wasted during one special night. Many menu items are in perfect condition to transport to a needy family or organization instead of being tossed after your event or wedding.
ABG Note: Vegetable platters are rarely totally consumed. You can talk to your caterer about donating the food. (Image by Down South Delights)
Images courtesy of Good Food For Good People
I recently spoke with Laura Little, Food Recovery Coordinator for Good Food for for Good People. Laura partners with local businesses to recover perishable food items that would normally be tossed. They then prepare and serve meals at the West Nashville United Methodist Church allowing anyone in the community a chance to eat a healthy meal.
Laura said she would love to work with more weddings and events and encourages brides and planners to ask what happens to their remaining food after their wedding. Together, we can encourage more caterers to include food recovery efforts in their total package.
To learn more about how you can include food recovery efforts on your big day contact Laura Little at 615.573.6242 or lauraanne_little {at} hotmail {dot} com.
The Dresses - Reuse or Donate Your Gown, Bridesmaids Dresses
Let’s talk gowns. The one thing you search high and low to find for your bridesmaids, flower girls and the list goes on. Once you have the perfect dresses and all key players have made their walk down the aisle, the question is “what next for the dress?" The answer… reuse or donate. I became a fan of the blog New Dress A Day, where one chick set out on a mission to reuse old garments and dated items by turning them into a trendy new look. When I first saw all her great transformations I thought "so green, but so chic"! It is definitely a neat idea and a great way for anyone to reuse that bridesmaid or wedding dress for another party or girls night out. Altering a dress is always fun either as a DIY or enlisting the help of your go-to seamstress. (The ABG team recommends Oakwood Cleaners for wedding gown alterations.)
Images courtesy of NewDressADay.com
I also had a great conversation with Danielle Loeffler with Catalyst Weddings & Events (a wedding planning company that specializes in charitable weddings). Danielle is a part of The Fairy Godmother Project of Music City that takes your previously loved bridesmaids dresses and gives them to Nashville girls to make their prom day special.
They have partnered with Brides Against Breast Cancer and now offer the opportunity for women to donate their gently used wedding gowns too. Contact either organization for donation details.
Images by Catalyst Weddings & Events
The Flowers - Give them to Your Guests or to a Nursing Home
Flowers are the quintessential part of any wedding and also pretty damaging to the environment. Cut flowers normally have between 10-12 pesticides used during their growing process. But, donating the flowers allows us to undo some of the damage by giving them a second life.
After my cousin's wedding, I spoke with her florist, Teri Davis of Elegant Weddings by MTD. Teri reused my cousins wedding bouquets by turning them into centerpieces for the reception. Teri also provided some great suggestions for what to do with your flowers after the wedding: she gives the centerpieces to guests after the wedding, and donates the bride's flowers to a local nursing home or hospital, where residents truly appreciate the beautiful arrangements. Flower recycling/donating is a simple step that could really make a huge impact on the environment and in someone else’s life.
To donate your flowers to patients at Saint Thomas Hospital, contact Debra Baker in the Volunteer Office, 615.222.2129, between 7:00am - 4:30pm.
ABG adds - Random Acts of Flowers in Knoxville, TN offers floral collection which we think is great! Wouldn't it be great if someone started this locally. Hint hint. C'mon Nashville community! This would be awesome!
Image courtesy of Danielle Loeffler, Catalyst Weddings & Events
ABG Note: Beautiful altar arrangements can be used at the reception for a centerpiece or on your buffet table. (Image by Jason McNeal Photography)
Okay, I hope you have taken notes and are ready to step up your wedding game by adding in a little after the wedding recycling. Many of the things discussed can be easily handled with no additional cost or stress, so why not? Remember to always let the ABG team know how green you went for your big day by leaving a comment on the monthly green post that inspired you.
Until next time…
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Thursday, August 11, 2011
Hi all! It's guest blogger Ashley Currie with iHospitality, not to be confused with the lovely Ashley King (of Ashley's Bride Guide). This month I wanted to give you a different look at an old favorite…favors! As you plan your big day, there is always the task to find a great favor that provides a big “Thank You” to your guests. My little guide this month will walk you through a green view of choosing Nashville wedding favors while incorporating the 3’R’s to green living…Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.
Reduce
Going green really involves less waste and truly utilizing the resources you currently have. Many times, for favors, you are always paying for un-needed packaging, high shipping costs plus the fact many favors rarely leave your guests car. I say, take a new approach…buy local and keep it edible on your upcoming favors journey. There are so many great artisans in Nashville that can allow you to provide a great favor without flying it in from miles away.
A Cocoa Tree truffle nestled in a nice post consumer kraft box, what a perfect little thank you.
Cocoa Tree
1200 5thAve N.
Nashville, TN37208
Phone Number: 615.255.5060
Website: TheCocoatree.com
Nashville Wraps
Phone Number: 800.547.9727
Website: nashvillewraps.com
Left: Chocolate truffle, CoCoaTree.com. Right: Fun packaging from NashvilleWraps.com
Make them smile with handmade marshmallows from Bang Candy. Simple packaging with a huge bang of flavor on the inside.
Bang Candy Company
1300 Clinton St.
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone Number: 615.587.4819
Website: BangCandyCompany.com
Image by Bang Candy Co.
Image by Bang Candy Co.
Reuse
Last year, I attended a wedding and received a personal CD of the couple’s favorite love songs. Of course, I am always thinking green and realized this is definitely an eco-friendly way to go. Creating a reusable favor allows you to make it personal and lower the amount of waste your big day will produce.
A customized love song CD
This cute chocolate guitar provides a one of a kind favor that can be personalized and given during your Music City nuptials. Plus, the little guitar case can easily be reused for your desk or home knick-knacks, perfect!
Image by NashvilleGuitarBar.com
Nashville Guitar Bar
1006 Green Hill Cove
Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone Number: 615.507.9022
Website: NashvilleGuitarBar.com
Recycle
Are you a catalog type of person and would prefer jumping out of a plane over doing your own DIY favors? No worries, you can still go green with your favors. More and more companies are providing eco-friendly options allowing you to easily serve “green” up to your guests. Make sure when browsing the favor catalogs you always click the eco-friendly, green or sustainable category when shopping. Many of these catalogs offer recycled items that still give you fun and easy to assemble options.
Local full service event planning company, Regalo Design, recently launched a favors division offering eco-friendly options.
Image by Regalo Design Wedding Favors
Wedding Favor Market by Regalo Design
7009 Lenox Village Dr. Suite 103
Nashville, TN 37211
Phone Number: 615.482.1350
Website: WeddingFavorMarket.com
I hope you have been inspired to add a little of the 3 R's into your wedding day and feel free to share some of your creative, eco-friendly inspired favors with Ashley's Bride Guide. We would all love to hear about them!
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Thursday, July 7, 2011
Happy July!
It's Ashley with iHospitality, here again. As we get into the thick of summer, great food is making center stage whether at a BBQ, family reunion or summer dinner party. I decided to dig deep into my knowledge book this month to provide a great list of caterers that love to keep locally sourced food on the menu. Nashville is surrounded by so many great family owned farms and producers, and I thought it only appropriate to highlight the caterers who support them. Incorporating a locally sourced, seasonal menu on your wedding day truly brings you up close and personal with the farm to table movement.
Image by tāyst Restaurant
Local Kitchen Catering
Telephone: 615.383.1953
Contact: Erika Woodard (615.419.4342)
Email: localkitchencatering {at} gmail {dot} com
Website: localkitchencatering.com
Images by tāyst Restaurant
Local Kitchen Catering is a division of tāyst, the first green certified restaurant in Music City. Chef/Owner Jeremy Barlow has always sourced the majority of his food ingredients locally because in his words, "it's just better food". Local Kitchen Catering currently sources 95% of their food ingredients locally. For the big day, you are guaranteed to have a customized menu of your very own filled with seasonal ingredients and the eclectic flair Chef Jeremy Barlow is known for.
Terra Delicious
Telephone: 615.207.4983
Email: terradelicious {at} gmail {dot} com
Website: terradelicious.com
Images by Terra Delicious
Terra Delicious is the organic, vegan truck on wheels that can offer your bridal shower or rehearsal dinner a punch of green sunshine. Tia Pewitt is the owner of "The Lady Bug", her organic catering and event vending truck. She is all about buying local and organic, boasting 80% locally sourced food on her menu. Turnville Creek Farm is one of her favorite farms, as they carry great organic produce along with sustainably raised flowers. Terra Delicious can definitely handle all your small catering needs, just give her a shout.
The Inn at Evins Mill
Address: 1535 Evins Mill Rd, Smithville, TN 37166
Telephone: 615.269.3740 or 615.597.2088
Email: info {at} evinsmill {dot } com
Website: evinsmill.com
Images by Evins Mill
This hidden gem property is located one hour east of Nashville, offering luxury amenities and packaged in a bed and breakfast type setting. Each catering experience at the Inn at Evins Mill will almost always include ingredients from one of the 20 local farms and suppliers they support. Owner William Cochran stated their Gourmet Pasture beef with Millstone dry rub is a must try. They have really embraced the farm to table mantra and continue providing updates on their efforts via their blog, Our Table.
perl Catering
Telephone: 615.479.4649
Email: perlcatering {at} gmail {dot} com
Website: perlcatering.com
Image from perl Catering
Perl Catering is a new catering treat in Nashville focused on locally sourced and organic food ingredients. Owner/Chef Robert Spinelli has cultivated relationships with local farms in Nashville for many years and he felt it only natural to highlight their food when he broke out on his own. Their caramelized onion bisque is becoming a favorite in Music City and makes a great option to the customized seasonal menu perl Catering provides to all brides.
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Thursday, June 9, 2011
Hi, It's Ashley of iHospitality {not to be confused with Ashley of ABG}. I offer green consulting and sourcing services. What's that mean? I can advise you on your green event or help you find great green supplies and vendors.
Okay, so this month I went on the hunt for a green minded invitation & stationary company in Nashville. This search was way more daunting than expected, but I can now say I found one. Actually, I found a pretty awesome company along with including one of my favorite event planning company's and a pretty cool Georgia wedding.
Arboreal Paper (ArborealPaper.com) - provides lovely, earth-loving wedding invitations
Contact: Erin Pfister
Email: hello at arborealpaper dot com
Twitter: @arborealpaper
ABG adds - We loved Aboreal at first sight! We saw their work at The Bride Room's party and believe us, it's even prettier in person.
Arboreal is an invitation & stationary company based right here in Music City. I definitely feel my search was worth the wait because I absolutely love their products. Erin Pfister is the brains behind the company and the designs. She really has a knack for merging eco-friendly paper with upscale, sleek designs that brides will love. She credits her knowledge of all things paper to her days at Social Graces in Hillsboro Village. Erin’s role at the store allowed her a chance to really listen and learn what brides were looking for. She realized they did care about the environment but still wanted great looking invitations that did not have the usually flecked or “dirty” paper look as you see with many eco-friendly style papers. So, in December 2009 Arboreal was launched right inside Erin’s Nashville home with a focus on eco-friendly paper, soy inks and great design. Of course, the great design was effortless as Erin has been a graphic designer for over 10 years.
When I first found the Arboreal site, I was clicking through like a kid in the candy store…uncovering a new style of eco conscious stationary & invitations. I sent her a quick email then waited and hoped she would have a teeny bit of time to chat with me. Thank goodness she did! Erin was a wealth of knowledge and I could truly tell how much she loved what she did. She also wants to sit down and chat with each one of her brides to make sure they will love their custom invitations. Erin kicks it into high gear delivering flawless custom invitations meant just for your big day. Personalized service and her ability to add “green” to her projects is what sets Erin a part from the crowd. Arboreal also carries a full line of stationary and recently introduced journals & hang tags in several boutiques in Tennessee, Alabama & Florida.
dandyLion Events (DandyLionEvents.com) - a sustainable event planning company
Contact: Lindsey
Telephone: 615.439.0652
Email: Lindsey at dandylionevents dot com
Twitter: @dandyLionevents
dandyLion Events is a sustainable event planning company and one of the first true green event vendors I encountered in Music City. They offer floral design, photography, event design & planning with sustainability always in mind. Lindsey Huddleston is the owner and I actually meet her when she did a blog post on my little ole company back in 2010. Lindsey has a great spirit and even greater ideas, just check out the company name (yes the lowercase “d” is on purpose). This company is perfect for the bride looking for a unique wedding day experience.
dandyLion started in February 2009 and this 3 women team creates experiences for their clients by incorporating reclaimed, recycled & upcycled items while encouraging clients to use their own home decor pieces in their event. They are all about taking a blank canvas and transforming it from top to bottom. Being green is also part of their core operation as they operate paperless and use local vendors. This will also not be the last post on dandyLion, as I think the owner is great plus they have several green inspired events coming up, including a Nashvegas inspired wedding along with a dark carnival theme wedding. Stay tuned, I definitely can’t wait.
Green Wedding Inspiration
I thought it only fitting to highlight one of dandyLion event weddings as our Real Green Wedding feature this month. dandyLion put on a sweet, simple wedding on April 30, 2011 at The Solarium in Decatur, GA. Brent & Jessi Cerrato choose dandyLion for their design and event planning. The couple went with local vendors for each aspect of their wedding including locally grown food at their reception. I love the handmade paper cranes incorporated in the ceremony décor.
Their invitations included a perforated rsvp card that could be mailed back as a postcard (how flipping neat is that). They also incorporated personal items for their reception décor along with reusable pieces. The exposed duct work and wood floors provided a great palette for their paper lantern inspired design. Brent & Jessi really dove head first into making their big day absolutely memorable and green.
If you are a wedding vendor in town that incorporates green into your mix, I want to hear from you! Contact me at ashley at ihospitalitytn dot com or visit www.ihospitalitytn.com. Seeking green vendors for your event? See how iHospitality can help.
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Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I (Ashley of ABG) met Ashley Currie of iHospitality at a TWESA event, after being introduced by Amy of Photo Booth Nashville (who knows EVERYONE). She thought we should know one another and she was right! We became fast friends. You can't walk through Farmer's Market with her without being stopped by Nashville farmers or a green thumb. We both love supporting local Nashville business / community so it's a good match!
Considering that I know NOTHING about being green, other than reusing my printer paper and conserving trips, I asked Ashley C. to guest blog each month to share her latest green wedding finds, for Nashville wedding pros, brides + grooms for whom sustainability is a priority or anyone who wants to be kinder to our Earth.
Guest Blogger: Ashley of iHospitality, Our Green Wedding Expert
Ashley Currie of iHospitality, whose mission is "keeping 'green' on the menu".
Green Nashville Wedding Resource: Juice Gypsies
Online: Juice Gypsies via Facebook
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: 951-265-0092
Juice Gypsies is our green vendor this month. I actually met these lovely ladies during an Earth Day event last month. They were my next door booth neighbors during the Living Well Sustainable Marketplace event. Katie Burrows and Lauren Christensen started Juice Gypsies, a mobile juicing company, earlier this year. They create pure juice cocktails using only fresh fruit and vegetables. Signature drink names range from Wild Root, Yipee Cayenne, to Gypsie Greens. Offering healthy, tasty juices made to order right in front of your eyes is their mission.
This refreshing take on the mobile food truck craze would be an awesome accent at your reception or bridal event. I say ditch the cash bar and bring on the juices. I think the Juice Gypsies would entertain a good spike in the juice request, if you ask nicely. Their juices are like V8 amped up 50 notches along with a one-of-a-kind stainless steel juicer that complements their mobile setup. You can search "Juice Gypsies" on Facebook to find where they will be serving up juices next or to book them for your upcoming big day.
They look like they know organic juice to me! ~ Ashley of ABG
Green Nashville Wedding: Jenny + Will
My green wedding this month is Jenny and Will Harrison, ceremony on April 2, 2010 in Athens, GA; reception in East Nashville.
This couple embody sustainable living and proved it by pulling off a gorgeous, green-inspired wedding and reception for less than $5000! They incorporated many different green elements, including having the ceremony in the bride’s mom’s backyard. From flower seed paper invitations (along with planting instructions), whole plants (not cut), family borrowed china place settings to the bride and groom choosing TOMS as their wedding day shoe of choice. Less impact on the environment was definitely on this couple’s mind.
Their reception was held at a later date in the couple’s East Nashville home. Jenny and Will wanted green disposables that were compostable, as they had a composting bin in their backyard. Jenny also wore her beautiful handmade wedding dress again for their reception plus had locally made beer from Yazoo Brewing Company.
This couples motto definitely falls under the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. They have their own vegetable garden, line dry their laundry (yes, this means no use of the conventional dryer) and Jenny is also one of the founders of FEAST, a community supported kitchen project coming to Nashville very soon.
I am excited to highlight the green wedding scene in Nashville. If you are a wedding vendor in town that incorporates green into your mix, I want to hear from you! Contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit http://www.ihospitalitytn.com. Seeking green vendors for your event? See how iHospitality can help.
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