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The Sustainable Bride- New Jersey

Hello fellows! I am now 4 years past the BIG day! But while I was planning our wedding, it had to feel like it reflected our values (mine are his now ;) )
So, while I'd been researching bits and pieces for my 'dream wedding' for quite some time now, I finally got engaged in November 2016 to my long-time boyfriend, Matthew.

Wouldn't you know it, after 7.5 years of dating we are having an 11 month engagement and getting married October of 2017. I searched laboriously for a blog or book to guide me in eco-friendly wedding choices, but didn't find anything that covered all of the areas I felt needed to be evaluated. So, I'll be adding to this post with my successes and failures as we encounter them.


1) The engagement ring: This one, I had already made subtle suggestions to Matt on where to source my ring :) Brilliant Earth uses only certified conflict-free gemstones and precious metals. Most of the metals are also recycled.


2) The venue: We visited 5 different venues. Things we prioritized were: Ability to go outdoors for ceremony if desired, farm to table food offerings (preferred caterers), and within an hour drive of most of our guests. We love the rustic feel, but at some locations I went 'too rustic' for my fiancée 😂 (no porta-johns!) We ended up falling in love with Waterloo Village. it's in Allamuchy State Park, so our wedding site fee will help the state park continue to run. It's historic, (old with character can be beautiful!) And finding new uses for old things is the original sustainable act! They also included a lot of decor, so we didn't have to go buy everything that would only be used on that day (save green and GREEN).

3) The caterer: Waterloo comes with a single caterer required, Jeffrey A Miller (JAM) out of Philadelphia. JAM is responsible for bringing life back to Waterloo Village after it's funding was cut by the state several years back. JAM does farm to table menus and gets all produce from a local CSA. We featured seasonal and local cheeses, fruits, vegetables and free-range meats. We opted out of red meat and served chicken and salmon or a vegetarian option.


4) Photography: We picked a photographer who sent all images digitally, so we could print just what we wanted. We also bought the rights so we could put the photos into an eco-friendly album! Thanks to Robert and Kathleen Photographers for capturing our perfect day!


5) DJ/ Entertainment: No goodies/giveaways- they're fun for an hour, but are made of cheap plastic and end up in the landfill.

6) Invitations- We have a lot of elderly relatives and family friends, so keeping everything digital wasn't realistic. But we mailed recycled paper invitations and asked for digital RSVPs, instantly cutting our carbon footprint in half!
  
7) THE dress: Cue angels singing! This was my crunch point. The dress is new, so are the veil and shoes. But I plan to sell or donate the dress. Borrowed pearls from Mom. Bought the dress local, and veil from a seller on Etsy. <3

 8) Favors: Who wants another glass shoe of candy or mesh bag of Jordan almonds? Not me! We ordered a NJ wildflower mix in cute seed packets. slapped a piece of ribbon and our names on them, and done! A usable favor! Planted them at my mother-in-law's house over the summer and they thrived!




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