Here goes…

1. No more ‘supposed to’

…says Ariel Meadow Stallings, the Offbeat Bride who had a ‘bridentity crisis’ on getting engaged:

“Suddenly I was supposed to care about floral arrangements and classical quartets.  Suddenly I was supposed to like poufy white dresses and showing off jewelry.  Suddenly I was supposed to buy five-hundred-page glossy magazines and take a strong interest in decorative bows for the backs of rented chairs.”

Happily it didn’t take Ariel too long to realise that she didn’t have to be someone else on her wedding day.

“Once I realized that we could craft the wedding that we wanted (and not what others expected), the whole process got a lot easier.  There was no need to read the glossy magazines for ideas – I already knew what I cared about.  The issue was just figuring out how to share that with my friends and family in a way that everyone could enjoy.”

A bonus of this approach in our book (which we haven’t written yet – watch this space!) is that it tends to make your special day a whole lot cheaper and greener.

2. Embrace the Retro Wedding

Jen Marsden of Green Guide for Weddings reckons that our current retromania could be a blessing for the planet.  Jen says:

“When 900,000 million items of perfectly good clothing, shoes and accessories are thrown away these days it makes sense keeping stuff that will become popular again […]. 

“Whilst not suggesting that the bridegroom wears his 1980s hideously patterned shell suit to the altar there are some class pieces from the 1950s […] Think Sinatra, Martin and the crooners – if their style still looks good then so can yours.

“Vintage doesn’t have to be expensive.  Beyond Retro opened in 2000 in a warehouse in East London where they sell a wide range of vintage clothing and accessories for men and women.  Their vintage wedding items are available from £18 to £120 and they sell vintage veils, silk flowers, headpieces and shoes [too].”

If you’re going to buy vintage online, heed these words of wisdom from Wenona Napolitano of The Everything Green Wedding Book:

“Ask what condition the gown is in, how fragile the material is, and whether the dress is wearable (some people just collect vintage gowns they don’t plan to wear).  Above all, do not rely on sizes.  Get measurements.  Sizes mean nothing in vintage gowns because they don’t even come close to modern size charts. […] Over time, people have gotten taller and thicker […].  Vintage styles are often very small and are made for shorter women.  Make sure you have accurate measurements of yourself.”

Wenona shares more tips on choosing a vintage gown in her article for Ethical Weddings: “Totally vintageous – search for an eco chic wedding gown”

We say, for more vintage inspiration and bargains, head to one of the many vintage fairs going on in 2012 – we’ve a growing list here (among other ethical, green and alternative wedding events).

3. Take your vows in a green church

If you’re going for a traditional church wedding, that’s no reason to stop asking your green questions.  Jen says:

“Now that churches have gained their fair trade status, they are looking at the whole green cycle – from procurement to combating climate change.

“There are now over 100 churches in the UK that promise to include environmental considerations daily into their prayers, as set out by the organisation, Eco Congregation.  With activists amongst its clergy, The Green Church of the Year (awarded by Church Times in 2007) went to the Holy Trinity in Cleeve, Somerset.”

• See more Green Church Award winners
• Find out about the Church of England’s National Environmental Campaign, Shrinking the Footprint
• Visit the Eco Congregation website

4. Think outside the vase

When it comes to weddings, flowers can be a pesticide-ridden, carbon-hungry minefield.  So it’s useful to try a little lateral thinking.  One bride, Danielle, shares her floral story in Organic Weddings: Balancing Ecology, Style and Tradition by Michelle Kozin:

“I wanted organic, locally grown flowers for my late-fall wedding but none of the florists in the area were interested in helping me because it would be just past the local growing season.

“I approached a woman selling flowers at a local farmer’s market about doing dried bouquets and arrangements from her summer flowers that dried well.  She had never done a wedding before but was really excited to have the opportunity.

“Everything looked beautiful and very unique!”

Michelle also gives tips on growing your own flowers, and suggests reusing your arrangements by moving them from the ceremony to the reception and then to your local hospital or nursing home, choosing potted plants for centrepieces that can be given as gifts and replanted, and using fabric flowers or vintage pins instead of boutonnieres and corsages.

5. Have your organic cake and eat it too

If you’re making your own cake, Michelle suggests simply taking a traditional recipe and substituting organic ingredients.  If you’re not feeling up to the role of master baker for your wedding day, she says:

“If you are searching for an organic baker, but can’t locate one, ask a conventional baker if they are willing to purchase organic and natural ingredients for your cake.  Even if only half of the ingredients can be organic, go for it.  Half is better than none.

“You may find a baker who is interested in helping you and in learning to source ingredients for an organic cake.  Local health and natural food stores in your area should carry necessary baking products.”

6. Get a little bit crafty

The Everything Green Wedding Book’s Wenona is a big fan of handmade nuptials and she believes wedding DIY is one way for a couple to get even closer in the run-up to their marriage.

“Green couples really seem to be in touch with the DIY wedding by planting flowers or growing fresh herbs in pots to give away as favors, or by making handmade paper for their invitations.

“Making beautiful handcrafted elements for your wedding as a couple is a wonderful way to bond and spend quality time together while planning your big day. 

“It is also a great way to relax and de-stress in the midst of planning a large event.  Chances are you are extremely busy , hustling around between appointments, fittings, and normal day-to-day living.  Crafting is a way to slow down and concentrate on absolutely nothing but the task at hand.”

7. Have a cyberdelic wedding

Mireya Navarro, New York Times Style correspondent and author of Green Wedding – Planning your eco-friendly celebration has a solution for couples who are hankering after a big wedding with all their friends and family but don’t want the carbon (or financial) cost: live streaming.

Mireya says:

“A wedding webcast may sound kind of fringe, but it allows you to cut down your guest list and still have all of your loved ones be part of the event (kind of). […]

“One company, www.WebcastMyWedding.net, has technicians who can travel to your wedding to take care of the webcast […] The company also allows you to handle the webcast yourself for a fraction of the price […].  The owner, Ariel J. Andres […] says that all couples need for the live streaming is a video camera, a laptop, and a high-speed Internet connection.  After reserving a webcast channel, a couple can create their webpage and e-mail invitations with the time and date of the event so that guests know when to log on.”

For obvious reasons this approach is particularly popular for destination weddings but Mireya also gives the example of a couple who, “wanted to save money, so they had only eight relatives and close friends at their wedding in Santa Monica, California, but broadcast the beach ceremony to more than one hundred online guests.”

8. Be a green inspiration, not a green bore

So you’re having a green wedding but should you tell your guests or wait to dazzle them with your eco chic style when they ask you where you got your fabulous (charity shop actually) wedding dress or your (made them ourselves from organic cotton and home-grown lavender) favours?

New York Times Style guru, Mireya says:

“The wedding offers a chance to educate friends and relatives not yet clued in to terms like ‘post-consumer recycled paper,’ but how can you do this without a Power Point presentation between courses?

“Kelly Nichols and Alan Puccinelli of California used their wedding website to show ‘How we’re being eco-friendly’. It explained that the venue composted on-site.  It mentioned the organic menu and the bio-degradable wood stir-sticks for drinks.  And under ‘What can you do?’ it included tips such as ‘ride our chartered bus’ and ‘wear a dress you already own’.”

9. Drink and be merry

Kate L. Harrison, author of The Green Bride Guide has these tips for a sustainable tipple to celebrate your newly-wed status:

“If you live in an area that grows wine, it is nice to support a local vineyard.  If you are having a vineyard wedding, the wine will probably be part of the package, but even if you are having your wedding somewhere else, you can ask for or provide locally grown wine.”

And do opt for organic if you can…

“Grapes are one of the most pesticide-heavy crops in the world. […] Organic wine is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizer, and herbicides. 

“Most organic wines also have fewer suliftes, because they cannot add additional preservatives, which is good for people who are prone to wine headaches.”

(We say: so your guests will thank you for it the next day too!)

10. Don’t forget to smile

We like Kate’s easy-to-action tip on the photography front.  Go digital.  She says:

“Although some photographers are still wed to film-based photography (and may try to convince you it is better), digital technology has evolved to the point that the vast majority of professional photographers […] use digital cameras.

“Film processing requires toxic chemicals, takes a long time, costs more, and does not yield higher-quality results.  By staying digital, your photographer can quickly and easily delete unwanted images, provide you with proofs, color correct, and post all of the photos on the web.  With digital photography, only the pictures you want are printed, saving additional resources.”

She finishes with the recommendation that green couples ditch the disposable cameras.  It’s common sense as nearly everyone has a digital camera these days – there is absolutely no need to give your guests even more of an excuse to become paparazzi for the day.

11. Think location, location, location

Suzan St Maur in How to get married in green: Have an eco-friendly wedding without compromising on style has a useful check list of things to consider when looking for a suitably green wedding venue:

• Avoid choosing a location abroad, even if you’re combining wedding and honeymoon.
• Pick a location that’s easily accessed by the majority of your guests.
• Organise a “park & ride” arrangement for guests, especially if the location is far from home.
• Pick a location that’s easily accessed by public transport.
• Choose a reception location within as short a distance as possible of the ceremony location.
• Think twice about having your reception at home if you have to bring in all facilities.
• If having a civil  wedding, arrange ceremony and reception in same location.
• Ensure reception location has a proper recycling policy.
• Ensure reception location catering uses local, preferably organic produce.
• See if you can “double up” with other couples getting married at around the same time, for things like flowers and decorations.

12. Tuck in with a difference

The format for a wedding has become rather fixed in recent years: ceremony, reception with sit-down meal, dancing until the early hours with more food (even though everybody is still full to bursting from the huge reception meal which inevitably finished hours later than it was supposed to).

But it wasn’t always like that – my parents married in the 1970s, had the ceremony, a lunch with friends and family and then headed off on their honeymoon to Northumberland… in November.  Simpler times!

Suzan offers us some refreshing alternatives to today’s standard wedding timetable:

“Brunch receptions – From a green point of view they are helpful because they are held from late morning to early afternoon, so requiring less in the way of artificial light.  From a catering point of view they can encompass pretty well anything you like,  from organic free range eggs and locally-cured bacon on locally made organic toasted bread… to a full lunch menu.  The style is less formal than the traditional afternoon/evening reception, and there is usually less alcohol consumption. […]

“Tea receptions – This may seem like a quirky idea but it does cut back on the cost of food and drink and is a lovely variant […] Food wise you serve everything you would at a formal tea party, which in this case can be produced from locally sourced and made sandwiches, cakes, pastries and sweets. Organic tea is the main drink which can be supplemented by alcohol if required.  The time frame for this type of reception is mid-afternoon until early evening […]”

We would also suggest that the less formal and traditional style of these receptions alters guests’ expectations which could take off the pressure if you or your friends and family fancy taking on some of the catering yourselves.

Phew.  So there you have it – 12 top tips for 2012 weddings from our green wedding gurus.  A big thank you to all of them for their wise words.

If you have more fantastic, eco-friendly tips that you really shouldn’t keep to yourself, please share them in the comments below.

Happy planning!

Katie

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I’d like to share my ideas with you – brides and grooms trying to plan a wedding less ordinary – and see what you think.  How has it been for you?  What have been the challenges? What have been the triumphs? If you were starting again, would you go for a green wedding again?

Have a read… and let us have your comments.  Here goes:

Back in 2004 when we were planning our own wedding and planting the first seeds for the Ethical Weddings website we asked people what they thought of the idea of a green or ethical wedding (limiting environmental impact, choosing products and services that give something back: fair trade, organic, local). The usual response was: won’t that be more expensive?

Fast forward 5 years and into one deep, dark recession you’d expect that misconception to have landed the green wedding squarely in the compost bin.

Not so. Because the bevy of ethical brides and green grooms who have trod lightly down the aisle since have shown us that if you’re after a green wedding less really is more. It’s a perfect match for the make do and mend spirit revived by our current crunch.
As we all cut back, the big star-for-a-day, broke-ever-after wedding is going down.

Something borrowed

There’s no longer any shame in sharing (something borrowed?) or secondhand – just type ‘wedding’ into your local Freecycle site and you’ll find brides and mothers-of seeking and offering wedding gowns, bridesmaid dress patterns, cake stands, and more. And don’t forget the rage for all things vintage which makes a charity shop wedding gown the ultimate in eco chic.

DIY weddings

In the effort to curb costs, couples discover doing-it-yourself can be a lot of fun and bring family and friends together. Blogger brides on the Ethical Weddings website suggest tips on everything from grow-your-own bridal flowers to cooking up the wedding breakfast. As Henriette says of catering for her 40-guest wedding:

“It was all down to good planning (yes, I had made a spreadsheet!) and choosing food which could nearly all be made a day in advance. […] it was a great success with food far better than we ever would have been able to pay for if we had hired caterers. And it was a lovely thing for our families to do together.”

Meanwhile, Jenny grew daffs, crocuses and primroses in her garden. These “…made great table and floor decorations which are living on in gardens and conservatories.”

Green brides don’t mind getting their hands dirty!

Ethical and green wedding experts

DIY done, it’s time to turn to the growing number of ethical and green wedding specialists for your nuptial needs – whether that’s organic, handcrafted chocolate favours, a pre-loved, re-fashioned wedding dress or perhaps a rickshaw to get you to the church on time. They won’t add ££s at the whisper of the word ‘wedding’ but will work with your budget to help create the wedding of your dreams without compromising your values.

Loving local

Support local suppliers too – even if they’re not yet waving the green flag. You may find them willing to consider fresh ideas in difficult times. Ethical Weddings blogger, Emma says:

“We’ve found that so many people are willing to change details of their standard products to fit in with our ethics – you just need to ask. Joy [wedding cake maker] is a great example. She’d been wanting to “go ethical” and just needed someone to ask her to do it.

A wedding to remember

It seems the slump has made us more careful about if and how we use our hard-earned cash. We’re getting down with DIY and spending with businesses that share our values. The payoff? A more personal and memorable day for us and a little something back for our poor put-upon planet.

The green wedding is here to stay!

Katie

• movie

At the same time, they’re making a real difference back in Colombia. Read on to find out how…

Name: Rutie Stranack

Tell us a bit about yourself and your business
Having lived in Colombia for 18 months, I loved visiting the juice bars to try out all the incredible exotic fruits, and I realised that many of them – if they were known and available in the UK – could provide a viable and sustainable alternative for Colombian farmers.

Fruto del Espiritu was set up as a non-dividend company, with all profits dedicated to reinvestment in ethical projects within the Colombian exotic fruit industry.

We sell exotic fruit purees – Mango, Guava, Pineapple, Lulo (tastes like gooseberry or kiwi), Mora (Andean Blackberry) and Maracuyá (Passionfruit). These are ideal for fruit punches and cocktails (non-alcoholic as well as alcoholic), desserts and sweet and sour dishes.

All profits are being invested in financing a dried fruit product, processed by women victims of forced displacement (see photo below).

Our Lulo, Mora and Maracuyá are in leading cocktail bars, such as the Dorchester Hotel. We also have many Aficionado Customers, who take a Colombian fruit juice as one of their Five-a-Day, a commitment which finances the school matriculation fees of the young people whose parents work at our supplier’s factory.

guy ritchie sherlock holmes

What or who inspires you?
The two people I know personally who most inspire me are Nancy Centeno and Aura Amelia Abril.

• this is it hd

Nancy is director of IMC, a charity which takes care of children at high risk, many psychologically damaged by violence, abuse, neglect or displacement.

Aura Amelia Abril, a town councillor, was displaced by an illegal armed group and her family had to leave her home for the capital Bogota and start over from scratch.

Turning her pain into courage, as illustrated on this online video, she has set up Fundamujer to help displaced women when they arrive in Bogota empty-handed and traumatised.

I admire every Colombian who has put their life at risk to stand up for justice and peace.

Over Her Dead Body rip What do you enjoy most about running your business?
I most enjoy being able to do what I most passionately believe in. I love the moments when a teenager comes to grips with the fact that money spent on cocaine is financing kidnappings, massacres and landmines – when they present their very own Colombian cocktail recipes, with a really cool name and announce how much money from each drink is going to feed a child in Colombia; or when the factory employees’ children write their messages of hope and inspiration for young people in the UK.

What is the most challenging aspect?
The most challenging aspect is being met with apathy, indifference or cynicism.

What do you feel you bring to an ethical wedding?
While the bride and groom are drinking to the happiest day of their lives and a bright future, the drink they are holding is part of a transformation offering hope to displaced families.

For all those who appreciate creativity, artistry and passion, hand-crafted cocktails offer a unique personal touch – these fruits are perfect for Mojitos!

With a professional Mixologist creating the drinks, you can offer your guests both luxurious drinks and entertainment at the same time.

The Mixologist can also offer a service for stag and hen parties with the highest quality drinks, including exquisite non-alcoholic drinks as well as classics with a Latin twist and new contemporary style drinks – or a cocktail created especially to the specific tastes of the bride, groom or couple.

Exotic fruit canapés can also be supplied – even an excellent Colombian trio of musicians. If the budget is not quite as lavish, drinks recipes can also be supplied for mak ing up very simple but delicious cocktails by the jug, from as little as 40p per cocktail for unique non-alcoholic, ethical cocktails.

The Decoy dvd

How do you see the wedding industry changing over the next five years (if at all)?
Couples want to create their special day in a personalised way that reflects their values and priorities and may very gently give food for thought to their guests. The trend is away from consumerism, and more importance on the significance and meaning of each aspect of the event.

With the internet enabling smaller, specialist companies to offer alternatives, every choice can make a difference, not just for the couple and their guests, but for those on the other side of the planet, to whom our solidarity and custom makes such a difference.

One bride, when recently asked about how all the arrangements were going for her wedding, said: “what I am most looking forward to is the marriage.”

Our company supplies for weddings, but our dream is that Colombian fruit will be part of the celebrations on other special occasions or part of a healthy lifestyle – while turning around the lives of others.

Find out more about Fruto del Espiritu – exotic fruit from Colombia For more about the story behind the company, email info@fruto.co.uk for details.

And little wonder when you see what a beautiful setting the old (still working!) mill makes. Greg at Gants Mill has put together a little video of some of their summer weddings this year so that you can almost imagine you were there…

Midsummer celebrations

And that’s not all they’ve been up to. On Saturday 21 June they held a Midsummer Night�s Charity Ball for 110 guests raising a whopping �3,079.55 for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.

It was a super swish black tie event, with Greg himself (on vocals, guitar and piano) providing the music and friends who got everyone dancing!

Volunteers from the charity manned the bar admirably and a scrummy feast came courtesy of The Olive Bowl of Gillingham at extremely generous rates which meant more money for the cause.

A charity auction helped to raise about a third of the money with many wonderful gifts donated including:

• A painting from life by a local artist, Dominic Berry
• A freshwater pearl necklace donated by Purely Pearls, the business of the mother of the first bride to be married at Gants Mill

Many of those who were invited but couldn�t make it on the night also sent donations.

The local community was fully behind the event and guests included Justin Robinson, Mayor of Bruton and Deputy Leader of Somerset County Council and Tim Carroll, Leader of South Somerset District Council.

With the party also serving as a big thank you to everyone who helped get the Gants Mill Weddings business off the ground, a jolly good time was had by all!

2009 weddings

So back to the weddings… if you like the look of Gants Mill, the best plan would be to get hold of Greg now, because 2009 summer Saturdays are going faster than you can say ‘Gants Mill green weddings’!

Take care,

Katie
Chat about green wedding venues and more in the Ethical Weddings Forum

The dilemma is dividing us into two camps – those whose priority is the environment and local communities, and those for whom issues of social justice – human rights and working conditions – remain at the top of the list. 

Our current Ethical Weddings poll asks whether, when having to choose between the two, fair trade or local produce would feature most on your wedding menu.

I’ve also just received the latest copy of Ethical Consumer and the editorial tells how at their London conference on ethical shopping last December, one of the main areas of disagreement  was around just this issue:

‘the degree to which localism - or the localisation of supply chains – would dominate.  Would pressure on carbon emissions see transport reduced to such a degree that our products didn’t travel so far?

Or would the fair and/or ethical trade movement grow to dominate a reformed international trading system which looks much like the one we have now?‘

The Times adds more confusion to the issue with its recent ‘Get off your food miles guilt trip’ article claiming that the  ’local over long-haul’ choice is not even the greenest one.  It points out that in most cases the greatest carbon emissions come from the production of a food product, not its transport. 

So ‘tomatoes grown in the natural heat of Spain have less “global warming potential”… than out-of-season British tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses’ and New Zealand lamb produces fewer carbon emissions than British lamb as the British rearing process uses more electricity and fertiliser. 

It concludes that the – extremely complex – “life cycle assessment” (LCA) of a product is the only way we can approach some kind of answer.

But where does that leave us, trying to plan a more ethical wedding – one that takes into consideration the environmental and social issues? Can we have our wedding cake (made with half fair trade, half locally-sourced ingredients) and eat it too?

Share your thoughts with us in the Ethical Weddings Forum.

Take care,

Katie
For the latest ethical wedding tips, chat, articles and more, free to your inbox, sign up to the monthly Ethical Weddings Newsletter

But how often do you stop and think about the soft drinks you will offer your guests? Is it just a case of: let them drink water?

When you do think about it, it makes sense to give it some serious consideration. There will be guests who can’t drink because they are driving, are pregnant, are teetotal for religious or health considerations, or just personal preference. Then there are weddings where, usually for religious reasons, no alcohol is served.

So we were very excited when Fruto del Espíritu invited us to a Drinks Presentation and Tasting of Licuados (non-alcoholic Latin cocktails) at Sabor in London last month.

On arrival we were presented with a beautiful Maracuyá Spring Punch – Maracuyá (a yellow passionfruit) shaken with cloudy English apple juice, mint and fresh raspberries, sweetened with honey and served over ice.

This pleasant start set the tone for the rest of the evening as Mixologist Johan Svensson from Drinksfusion, presented each Latin fruit, which comes as liquid fruit (a fruit purée)** and the best style of drink for each. The exotic fruits we enjoyed were:

Mango – apple of the tropics 

Guayaba – a blend of white apple and pink pear guava

Piña – pineapple – refreshing, thirst quenching and full of fibre

Lulo – exlusively Andean – like gooseberry, with a floral aroma and hint of Seville oranges on the finish

Mora - the Andean blackberry – the richness of rhubarb with the tartness of cranberry

Maracuyá – passionfruit – a vine fruit, which makes wonderful aromatic juice, sorbets or coulis

Mango was blended with jasmine tea, served ice-cold and seasoned with a blend of cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and nutmeg. 

Guava was shaken with freshly crushed strawberries and coconut cream, laced with vanilla and lemon, and served over crushed ice.

Piña (as in Piña Colada) was shaken with freshly squeezed lemon juice and basil sprigs, infused with spicy ginger, and sweetened with Mexican agave syrup, again served over crushed ice. 

Moving on to the ‘fruits with attitude’, Mora or Andean Blackberry, which like Maracuyá has a natural kick to it while being completely non-alcoholic, was cut with with lemon  juice, sweetened with quintessentially English elderflower cordial and honey, and lifted with crushed juniper berries, served over ice. 

Mora can also be used in place of red wine for a non-alcoholic sangria-style punch – or for a winter wedding, a spicy Mulled Mora.

The highlight of the evening was the Spiced Lulo and Pistachio – Lulo shaken with pistachio syrup, honey and egg-white, balanced with fresh line and spiced with cloves and garnished with flamed cinnamon.

After testing a variety of creative concoctions, we had the chance to choose our favourite and have it made especially for us!

We went away thinking what an unusual and fun idea it would be to serve fruit cocktails at your wedding – so much more exciting than jugs of water, especially if you could have a professional Mixologist to put on a show for you at the same time!

Naturally we were thrilled to hear from Fruto del Espíritu that you can do just this – and much more as well, which is one of the reasons why we are writing about it on our Ethical Weddings blog…

To find out more about the Latin Fruits, Mixology, Cocktails, Licuados, Fruit Punches or Juices you can serve at your wedding, have a look at the Cordon Verde* website. Or get in touch with Fruto del Espíritu to find out how offering these fruit punches or cocktails based on exotic Latin American fruits such as lulo and maracuyá might indirectly save somebody’s life!

Fruto del Espíritu suggests a few ways in which the fruits might be enjoyed at a wedding…

1. Fruit Juices (served in jugs) – just add water and sweeten to taste:
Mora or Andean Blackberry (dark red) & Lulo (light green) offer a unique non-alcoholic option to red & white wine. Serve in wine glasses.

2. Fruit Punches – request recipes

3. Cocktails prepared by caterers: alcohol such as Martinis, Sours, Margaritas, Daiquiris, Mojitos, Caipirinhas - and non-alcoholic Licuados – request recipes

4. Cocktails prepared & served by a professional Mixologist at the wedding – see links on Events page at www.cordonverde.com

5. In desserts and sweet & sour dishes in the banquet or buffet

If you do decide to delight your guests with these delectable drinks, whether you mix them yourself or employ the services of a professional mixologist to do it for you,  why not also think about giving them a trial run on your hen night – and perhaps saving some for the occasional cocktail on return from your honeymoon?

Have fun with the fruit…

Katie

*Cordon Verde is a culinary culture like Cordon Bleu, but using natural ingredients (ecological – green) and Latin/Spanish rather than french, hence “verde” rather than “bleu”. 

**Liquid Fruit is simply liquidised fruit, with no added water or sugar. It is a culinary ingredient with the characteristic aroma and texture of each fruit. It is easy to use and there’s no waste!

The purées are natural strength – not a concentrate. Pineapple can be enjoyed neat. Due to their natural viscosity and intensity, the other fruits need to be diluted and/or sweetened to taste. Each bottle makes up 2-5 bottles of juice, varying by fruit.

Liquid Fruit has a shelf life of 12 months from bottling and only needs to be refrigerated once opened.  Once opened, use within 4-5 days. Any fruit left over can be frozen in ice-cube trays and used later in juices, milkshakes, smoothies & frappés.

Photo: Harvey Lexton – www.harveylexton.com

According to a recent article in The Guardian, thanks to global warming, the quality of English grapes is improving which means that brides and grooms trying to keep their wedding breakfast local no longer have to joke: ‘apart from the wine of course!‘

At the prestigious International Wine Challenge, Denbies, England’s largest vineyard won a gold award for its sparkling wine, Greenfields 2003, with another 20 silver or bronze awards also going to English wines – unheard of in the history of these awards!

The English eco wedding is getting more exciting with the explosion of excellent English wines around the country.  Wherever you’re getting married, why not see if you can find a vineyard local to you…and have fun with a tasting session before the big day – well, you’ve got to know what you’re serving your guests!

You could even consider getting married in a vineyard, from the Chapel Down Winery in Kent, to the gold award winner, Denbies in Surrey, to Setley Ridge Vineyard in Hampshire.

And don’t forget you can get local and organic too – Sedlescombe in Sussex is stupendous (one of our favourites!) or try a drop from Davenport Vineyards in East Sussex & Kent (available through purveyors of ethical beverages, Festival Wines), or Avalon Vineyard in Somerset (they also offer organic cider of course!)

Let us know what you’re drinking at your wedding – are you raising a glass to local producers or going further afield with fair trade? Whatever your tipple, here’s a toast to the happy couple. Cheers!

Katie
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A friend (who has a business fashioning furniture from reclaimed wood) and I decided it was about time the ethical businesses of Brighton and its environs got together.  We knew there were lots out there but somehow none of the business events we had been to had helped our paths to cross.

So we went for a ‘does what it says on the tin’ style event and created Our Ethical Network. 

We emailed all the green and ethical businesses we could find in the area and invited them to our ethical networking evening at that (locally) famous foodie heaven for local and seasonal produce, Bill’s.

Among the many who gathered that night, sipping organic wine, were several of our lovely ethical wedding suppliers, some of whom I got to meet for the first time after many email conversations!

Mark, Lynne and Paula of Gaiahouse, designers of ready-to-wear and bespoke ethical eco-friendly wedding dresses, were there tantalising listeners with talk of their elegant organic silk and recycled fabric creations.

They got chatting to Siobhan of Kolkata who imports fabulous fair trade silks and stationery perfect for weddings from women’s groups in India. 

So keep an eye out for some fair trade silk options in the Gaiahouse collection soon!

Caroline of Janganant, creator of unique recycled jewellery confided that a range of recycled glass tiaras, perfect for the ethical bride, is coming soon. 

For Brighton & Hove brides, you can catch Caroline (or at least see her work!) at the annual arts event, Hove Open House, every weekend in May from 11am – 6pm.

I also got talking to Helen, one of the original shareholders of Due South, who spoke of their passion and commitment to serve almost exclusively local (from a 35 mile radius), seasonal and organic food in their gorgeous beach front restaurant.

We had our anniversary meal there last year and I can confirm it is amazing!

Due South is also the only venue on the beach with a licence to hold weddings and civil ceremonies so if you’re planning an intimate wedding (50-70 guests) and are looking for fabulous food and an incredible view, look no further!

And last but by no means least, the lovely Holly of Our Green Wedding List was chatting away to all and sundry sourcing new green and ethical products for her gorgeous green gift list.

This event was a first for us and we weren’t sure how it would work but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves so we’re planning the next one already! If you’re a Sussex-based ethical business interested in coming along, just drop us a line, we’d love to hear from you.

Katie

Chocolate Cocktails
Sanderson’s Divinitini Cocktail recipe from Divine

Wedding Favours
Wedding Favours from A lot of Chocolate

Personalised Wedding Favours from A lot of Chocolate

Table Decorations/Extras

Chocolate Slabs from Chocaid

Belgian Finest Selection from Traidcraft

Feast

Divine Summer Spice Ice from Divine

See also Gary Rhodes’ Fairtrade Banana Fritters with Bitter Chocolate Sauce from Waitrose; Oxfam’s Beetroot and Chocolate cake and Green and Black’s recipe book

Coffee Time

After dinner mints from Divine

Assorted Milk & Dark Dippers from Chocaid

Fairtrade Chocolate Ginger or Honeycombs from Traidcraft

Centre Piece / Chocolate Fountain
From The Original Chocolate Fountain Limited

From A lot of Chocolate

Gifts
(wedding list, mother of the bride, bridesmaids…)
Lovers Gift Hamper from Ethical Superstore

Divine Extravagance Kit from Ethical Superstore

Fairtrade Chocolate Basket from Eden4flowers

Maya Gold Fairtrade Selection from Green and Blacks

The Chocolate Fair Trade Game from Oxfam

All far too tempting… !

For a comprehensive list of Fairtrade chocolate go to the Fairtrade Foundation website and look at their ‘buy fairtrade chocolate‘ page alternatively look at their chocolate pdf file.

From my internet search today I found selections at: A lot of Chocolate; Co-op; Ethical Superstore; Fairly Goods; Goodness Direct; Kallari; Mondomundi; Traidcraft.

Back tomorrow – only two more days left!

Alex

Coffee
To quote the Fairtrade Foundation ‘You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to shopping for Fairtrade coffee!’

For an extensive list of range and availability check the Fairtrade Foundation’s page ‘buy fairtrade coffee’ or look at their coffee pdf file. From my internet search today I found the following suppliers:
Ethical Superstore; Fairly Goods; Fairshare-Soho; Mondomundi; Traidcraft

Tea
Likewise for the wide range and availability of Fairtrade tea also look at the Fairtrade Foundation’s webpage ‘buy Fairtrade tea,’ or look at their tea pdf file. From my internet search I found the following suppliers: Ethical Superstore; Fairly Goods ; Fair Share-Soho; Just Bazaar; Mondomundi;Traidcraft.

I’ve also found this gift box from Steenbergs called the Wedding Tea Selection which you can have personalised with the bride and grooms names!

Also don’t forget you can buy Fairtrade Sugar to go with the coffee and tea!

See you for tomorrow’s challenge…
Alex