Thursday, February 2, 2012
Happy February!
Ashley with iHospitality, here to give you a monthly dose of all things green in Nashville. As I began making a checklist for my own upcoming wedding, I thought it would be cool to share some green tips that can easily be incorporated into your big day..
1) Choose vendors that give back
Many vendors are starting to give a percentage of their sales to local charities or environment groups. Why not sleep easy knowing your wedding made a positive footprint in the world?!
Catalyst Weddings & Events is a wedding planning service that works with brides on ways they can contribute to charitable organizations with their wedding.
Celladora Wedding Photography donates a portion of their wedding photography profits to the charity Water.org (Picture courtesy of Celladora Photography)
2) Reduce your guests' travel
It is always great to choose a location where you can have your ceremony and reception in one place (like Houston Station, Cedarwood, or Nashville City Club) or at least in close proximity to the majority of your guests, cutting down on un-needed transportation. If a combo location is not an option, consider a location where guests can walk to their hotel after your reception. If you reception isn't centrally located, inquire with the venue and see if they offer a complimentary shuttle to transport your guests in bulk to their hotel or to the airport for departure (Sheraton Music City and Holiday Inn Express have complimentary shuttle service to airport).
The downtown Nashville Hilton is centrally located to lots of fun activities and great wedding venues for your guests' convenience. (Picture courtesy of Hilton Nashville Downtown)
3) Eliminate flowers by using props to decorate your tables or recycle your flowers
Centerpieces do not have to always be flowers: candles and lanterns are a great alternative to cut flowers. Live plants can also compliment your guest tables. Remember, the first goal is always to reduce your impact on the environment. You will always have options that still fall inline with your wedding decor. If you must have cut flowers, make sure to offer your centerpieces to guests at the end of night instead of tossing them in the trash.
Tissue poms made from recycled paper and tons of other recycle/used items became centerpieces in this eco-friendly wedding. (See more here. Picture courtesy of LaPhotographie)
The hand-made fabric bouquets from this Nashville wedding means no extra costs on flowers that will just wither. (Picture by Pear Image Photography)
Venues like Cedarwood use salvaged, recycled materials to achieve the looks of their beautiful weddings. (Picture by Cedarwood)
4) Consider locally grown and in season food
Always request a local, seasonal menu when working with your caterer or venue. This supports your local community and allows you to receive natural, fresh ingredients. Also, make sure to work out a plan with your coordinator or venue to donate any unused food to your local food bank or shelter.
For a comprehensive list of Ashley's food recommendations go here.
Local restaurants and chefs like Jeremy Barlow of tayst and Local Kitchen Catering provide great food made from local ingredients. (Pictures by tayst)
Perl Catering uses locally sourced ingredients, decreasing and limiting the carbon footprint and keeping your wedding catering delicious and eco-friendly. (Pictures by Perl Catering)
5) Serve your beverages in bulk
It is always great to serve up your beverages in large containers. This helps to eliminate massive amounts of packaging and single use bottles. The less items in the trash, the better.
Caterers like Chef's Market have the means to serve drinks in decor-friendly containers that hold enough for everyone.
Rental items (such as these from Southall Eden) can take the place of bottled drinks to cut down on trash.
This quick checklist is great to reference through out your planning process. Going green does not have to be a hassle but a fun way to set your wedding apart, while making a difference.
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Advice & Planning, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Thursday, December 8, 2011
Ashley Currie here again, owner of iHospitality and now newly engaged ABG Green Blogger!!! I look forward to providing many more resources in 2012 during my wedding planning process, as I love great budget finds plus "green" options.
I wanted to dive into bridal wear this month. No potato sack designs here, just organic and socially responsible wedding attire with chic, modern, traditional or vintage style.
So, what makes the bridal wear "green?"
1) The Material:
Cotton, Silk, Hemp, and Bamboo make up the major fabrics for current eco-friendly bridal designs. Alfred Angelo, a popular bridal designer created their Purely Alfred Angelo line with eco-friendly materials plus great design that appeals to all types of brides.
Bridal and Formal Shoppe - Purely Alfred Angelo
(line available here)
1630 S. Church St., Suite 119
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615.890.7141
Website: Bridalandformalshoptn.com
Pictures courtesy of Alfred Angelo, Inc
2) The Reusability
Remember the 3 R's: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce. Bridal consignment is a great way to recycle and reuse bridal wear while saving money at the same time. Second Time Around by Peggy, a bridal consignment shop in Hendersonville, offers great dresses and updates their stock on a consistent basis.
Second Time Around by Peggy
121 Indian Lake Rd.
Hendersonville, TN 37075
615.822.6961
Website: SecondTimeAroundByPeggy.com
Left: picture by Second Time Around. Right: Picture courtesy of Lazaro catalog, available in size 10 at Second Time Around.
3) The Social Responsibility
Make sure your dress is made responsibly and not outsourced to sweatshops or other non-monitored facilities. Justin Alexander, a well known bridal designer, is a perfect example of a company that publicly talks about all they do towards maintaining social responsibility including: complying with relevant environmental regulations, minimizing waste, preventing pollution and establishing other key objectives to reduce their carbon footprint. Justin Alexander also makes an organic bridal line, PURE by Justin Alexander.
Pictures courtesy of Justin Alexander
Be sure to check out the Justin Alexander Trunk Show at Glitz Bridal (February 24-26, 2012)
Glitz Bridal
241 Old Hickory Blvd
Nashville, TN 37221
615.646.9964
Website: GlitzBridal.com
I hope my simple green bridal wear guide will help make your Music City search an eco-friendly success!
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Monday, November 28, 2011
You've spent days, even months, searching for THE wedding dress. Whether you are restoring an heirloom, modifying an original, or simply cleaning your own gown after your big day, your dress is precious. While you may not think that where you take it matters, it does!
Oakwood Cleaners plays an important part in ensuring your dress is perfect, prior to your big day with fittings or after, preserving your memories forever.
When I mentioned Oakwood Cleaners to a recent bride, she replied, "Oh - I took my gown to Oakwood. I simply asked the most snobby woman I know where she took her dress and she said Oakwood. I knew she'd know the best place to take an expensive bridal gown for excellent service."
While her comment made me chuckle, we in the industry know that Oakwood is the trusted cleaner for gown care. But searching for a cleaner is not fun so we've done the research so you can enjoy other aspects of your wedding planning or get on with your new life together!
Meet Oakwood Cleaners
Contact Info
Name: Oakwood Cleaners
Main Contact: Rhonda Wernick
Phone: 615-620-6095
Email: Rhonda {at} oakwoodcleaners {dot} com
Twitter: @oakwoodcleaners
Facebook: facebook.com/Oakwood.Cleaners
Number of Years in the Business:
12 years
How did you get started in weddings?
We bought this wonderful business 6 months ago and one of the perks was our involvement in wedding gown cleaning, preservations, and alterations. It is so fun to come to our store at White Bridge Road and see all of the beautiful gowns.
What do you like most about weddings?
Watching the expression on the grooms face as the bride walks down the aisle. I also love all the creative ways everyone decorates the room and the different ways the food is served.
What's your favorite wedding picture and why?
Grace Kelly as a bride – she was gorgeous.
What is your service philosophy?
We know this is the most important time in your life and we want your experience here to reflect how special you are. We aim to do our best to make sure your wedding dress is altered to fit you like it was made for you and after your wedding, to clean your dress so that it looks as beautiful as you did wearing it on your special day.
What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?
We have one of the best wedding gown specialists here at Oakwood, DeNeal. She has a great eye for what can and needs to be done to your gown to make it fit like a glove. We also have our production manager at the plant, Natasha. She is our expert when it comes to cleaning your wedding gown, along with the girls that press it. Our employees at the White Bridge Road location have been thoroughly trained to carefully preserve your gown so it will look beautiful every time you open your box to take a peek. We strive to use the safest, earth friendly cleaning solutions so there will be no left over chemicals that could ultimately cause yellowing of your dress or odors.
Who are your favorite Nashville wedding vendors – helpfulness, professionalism, style?
Jayne Bubis Events (jaynebubisevents.com)
The Bride Room – Stephanie (thebrideroom.com)
Joy Marie Photography (joymariephoto.com)
Does your company do anything special that a green bride might want to know?
The gowns are dry cleaned using Green Earth® cleaning solvents. This is a silicone based cleaner that is earth friendly, gentle on fabric, delicate lace and bead work, and has no odor. We are a proud partner of Carbonfund.org, a leading nonprofit carbon offset and climate solutions organization. With each preservation we offset all carbon dioxide emissions that result from the process of cleaning and preserving your wedding gown – your trip to and from our specialist, all cleaning and the wedding chest’s manufacture.
What is the biggest misconception about your industry?
That any dress can be altered, no matter how big or small, and that we can get any stain or ground in dirt out of the gown. Some also believe that once their dress is preserved that they should not open the box for any reason. That being said, DeNeal does seem to work miracles with the gowns. I have seen her take a long sleeve, high neck gown and turn it into a sexy strapless vision. Natasha and the rest of our plant crew can take most gowns and restore them to their original state. We do ask that if you do want to look at your gown that you please open your preservation box and use the white gloves we have placed as often as you would like.
For any of your alteration, cleaning or preservation needs, please contact Oakwood Cleaners (www.oakwoodcleaners.com).
All images courtesy of Oakwood Cleaners.
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Posted by Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide |
Filed under: Helpful Vendor Interviews!, Attire - Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses & Accessories, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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Thursday, November 10, 2011
Hi All!
Ashley Currie again, founder of iHospitality and now a girl with a growing love for blogging, cheesy but so true.
Okay, as you are starting to notice, green is not only about treehuggers and Birkenstocks. It is truly about supporting local, making a conscience effort to pay attention to your total lifestyle and the choices you make. This is my little motto I try to incorporate daily plus a great segue into my post for this month. I wanted to provide a genuine look into the life of a green caterer and show why and how easy it is to incorporate this style of catering into your wedding day.
Kindy Girdley is the owner of The Chic Pea Catering Company. She was raised in Indiana and had a family farm in Kentucky allowing her first dibs on great free-range beef and more. Her childhood really nurtured her love of cooking and she boasts her dad as teaching her everything she knows. Kindy became a vegetarian over 13 years ago, as her mom was diagnosed with colon cancer leading her to realize meat was not the key to survival. This realization, along with her love of food, is the foundation for The Chic Pea Catering Company. Her seasonal menus offer vegan, gluten-free and locally grown ingredients. Kindy’s catering gives you a dose of simple flair, tasty food and green living all wrapped into one for your big day. Check out what you can expect if you go green with Kindy for your big day menu.
Impressive Seasonal Menu:
Kindy personally works with each of her clients to create a menu full of the freshest ingredients, bold flavors and healthy undertones.
Sample seasonal menus you need in your life plus a handy legend for the "green" newbies out there (wf=wheat-free, gf=gluten-free, sf=soy-free, vg=vegetarian, v=vegan, suf=sugar-free, df=dairy-free).
For the Vegan:
Polenta Cakes with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Honey (wf) (gf) (sf) (vg)
Port Poached Figs Wrapped, Stuffed with Goat Cheese (wf) (gf) (sf) (df)
Mushroom Puff Pastries (vg) (sf) (suf)
Veggie Pate (v) (wf) (gf) (sf) with Rosemary Crackers (v) (sf) (suf)
Alfalfa & Spinach (wf) (sf) (gf)
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Sage Butter (vg) (sf) (suf)
Steamed Broccoli, Garlic & Cranberries (v) (wf) (gf) (sf)
roasted potatoes
For the Carnivore:
Sweet & Spicy Meatballs (vegetarian, beef, lamb, chicken or turkey) (df)
Assorted Cheese & Platter (wf) (sf) (gf) (suf) (vg)
Stuffed Grape Leaves (wf) (gf) (sf) (df) (v)
Roasted Red Pepper & Feta with Toasted Crostini & Vegetables (wf) (gf) (sf) (vg)
Warm Mediterranean Lentil Salad (wf) (gf) (vg) (sf) (suf)
Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken (gf) (sf) (df) (wf)
Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes (v) (wf) (sf) (gf)
lentils - left; lemon roasted chicken - right
Locally Grown Ingredients:
Once you have finalized your big day meal, Kindy will submit her orders to her local farmers along with a usual trip to the Farmer’s Market. Many times, her famer’s will personally hand deliver her orders or provide via a designated CSA (community supported agriculture) location. Some of the local farms Kindy works with are: Delvin Farms, Bountiful Blessings, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, Drew Brews, and Lazaroli’s Pasta.
Locally grown ingredients are a true stimulus for your community’s economy. It gives people a warm, fuzzy feeling knowing where their food came from and who produced it.
A Caterer Who Cares:
It may sound cliché, however Kindy is passionate about food and the clients she serves. Her green lifestyle is not just for show and you can see this through the dishes she prepares. Many times caterers are looking to "go green" for the sake of marketing and not truly embracing what it actually means. I asked Kindy, what are a few tips she would recommend to brides looking for green catering options and she stated "do your research, ask for references and the vendors they use. Be very specific about what you are wanting and be involved with the process so you know things are being done responsibly."
Kindy is truly a caterer after my own heart and is not stopping at The Chic Pea Catering Company. She will be opening up Thrive Kitchen with Melissa Brown near downtown Nashville. It will boast a cafe, meal delivery service and cooking school. You can follow Thrive Kitchen as it progresses via The Chic Pea Catering Company Blog
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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Cakes & Food, Eco-Friendly Weddings
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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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Posted by Green Nashville Weds |
Filed under: Eco-Friendly Weddings, Guests, Gifts & Favors
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