Published: July 17, 2007 10:59 pm    PrintThis  

Something new, something green

Jessica Stasinos has been planning weddings for five years, spending an average of 100 hours per couple personalizing their nuptials. Even with all that experience, the owner of The Social Butterfly in Peabody encountered a first this year, when a bride and groom requested she orchestrate a vegan, all-natural-ingredients wedding.

“No animal products can be used, which I think is kind of neat,” said Stasinos. “It’s been interesting. It’s kind of tough to find vegan (products).”

While this may be the first completely vegan wedding Strasinos has planned, the couple are among a growing number of people taking their environmental concerns to the altar, opting for “green,” Earth-friendly ceremonies, receptions and sometimes even honeymoons.

It’s a trend that started in California, Stasinos said, finding its way east in recent years.

A green wedding can be as simple as serving vegan food, like the clients Stasinos is working with, or expand into other areas, for instance brides wearing hemp dresses, couples exchanging rings made of recycled metal, tables adorned with wildflower centerpieces, or choosing to provide public transportation for the wedding party and guests to save energy.

Most often the ceremonies are held outside in gardens, parks or at the beach, again to save energy. And sometimes couples go so far as to ask guests who stay in hotels to use towels more than once, according to Alexis O’Mara, owner of Unique Weddings by Alexis in Stoneham.

“I think (the trend) stems from the state of the environment,” said O’Mara, whose business coordinates weddings all over New England. “The bride and groom are much more aware of the world they’re going to be raising children in. They want it to be a better place.”

Linnea Tangorra of Tangorra Wedding Planning in Newburyport said she has had several clients interested in green weddings.

Given the growing interest, both she and Stasinos have been researching environmentally friendly weddings in order to better serve their clients.

“I was actually surprised at how many resources there are now,” Tangorra said. “A couple of months ago, I could hardly find anything.”

Stasinos emphasized that going green doesn’t mean sacrificing glamor. Green weddings can look and feel exactly like a traditional ceremony and be held at a first-class facility if a couple chooses.

“Can you be green and still be elegant? Yes,” Stasinos said.

The difference is in the planning, she said, which can be more time-consuming and expensive than for a traditional wedding.

Vendors who cater to the eco-friendly theme can be more difficult to find, so lead time should be expanded. Additionally, organic food can be expensive.

“Right now, the average cost (of a wedding) is around $33,000,” said Sonny Apotheker, a Boston-area wedding disc jockey and co-author of book, “Shut-Up, I’m Walking Down the Aisle,” which he wrote with wedding videographer Ron Van Dam.

“Now, if you add special factors in, you can be talking 40- or 50-thousand (dollars),” Apotheker said.

Some couples continue the green theme into eco-friendly honeymoons, such as camping trips or getaways to pro-environment hotels and resorts. The Green Hotels Association offers a list of lodging facilities that promote practices for saving water and electricity, as well as reducing waste. The list includes spots across the county, as well as in the Caribbean and South America.

The association suggests eco-friendly travel tips, too, for instance choosing to fly an airline that recycles waste, like Southwest Airlines; walking or using public transportation while honeymooning; and asking the hotel staff not to change the sheets and towels every day.

“It’s the thing,” Tangorra said of going green for the big day and beyond. “I have people who continuously talk about it and we explore some ideas. We will be seeing more and more of it.”