By Maureen Ryan - Published: May/June 2006
When Andreea Matei, a marketing consultant in New York City, started planning her dream wedding, a simple, green theme came to mind. "I wanted it to be reflective of how we live our everyday lives," says Andreea, who buys only organic produce, uses low-VOC paint in her home and sticks to the most natural shampoos and lotions she can find. In order to throw a "green" wedding, Andreea and her financé wanted to incorporate as many organic, local and natural options as they could.
For invitations, they used recycled paper. Instead of renting out a hall, they exchanged vows on a beach at Lake Michigan. Bouquets were handpicked from a neighbor's garden. They served locally grown food, regional wines and herbal "gardens in a bag" as wedding favors. "Although we couldn't find everything organic, we were flexible and made sure we had alternatives. In the end, everyone told us our wedding was truly inspiring," Andreea says.
Whether you're planning a wedding, a simple cocktail hour or a graduation bash, these simple tips can help ensure that your party is as green--and inspiring--as can be.
A Green Party Checklist
1. Invitations
Many art and stationery stores carry recycled paper products, but try to avoid purchasing invitations that have non-recyclable aspects, such as plastic or heavily coated papers.
*Twisted Limb makes uncoated, recycled invitations and stationery by hand (paper starts at $.75/sheet; www.twistedlimbpaper.com).
*Vickerey sells recycled paper handcrafted from the bark of the Lokta bush, a tree-free resource in Nepal ($10 and up). Their Memento boxed note cards are $13.50 and up (www.vickerey.com).
*Go totally paper free--and save time and money as well--by sending your guests an electronic invitation. Log onto www.evite.com or www.regards.com.
2. Setting and Ambience
The ideal place to throw a green party is, naturally, outside. If weather permits, welcome your guests to an evening in your backyard or on your front porch, back deck or rooftop. The surrounding greenery and sky will provide a beautiful ambiance.
Candles can brighten any setting and help keep the bugs away. The choices below use fiber wicks free of metals such as lead and are free of synthetic fragrances, which contain hormone-disrupting phthalates. To guard against fires, protect candles from the wind and never let them burn unattended.
*Way Out Wax's natural hemp citronella candles, made of pure vegetable waxes and citronella essential oils, will discourage bugs from infesting your green party ($19.99). Other candles are scented with summery essential oils of rosemary, orange or eucalyptus. In freestanding pillars (from $6.79); encased in cobalt blue glass holders ($11.49) or 8-oz. tins ($6.79); or votive candles that also make nice party favors, sold in boxes of 18 ($30.60; www.wayoutwax.com, 888-727-1903).
*Tall, 100-percent beeswax tapers with all-cotton wicks burn clean ($7 and up; www.candlebeefarm.com). Protect them in Yin Yang holders, made from recycled wine bottles ($39.95/2; www.abundantearth.com, 888-51-EARTH).
*Find a post-consumer-recycled glass holder for votives ($11.50) or a drip-catching saucer for pillar candles ($23.50) in ocean aquas, blues and greens (www.katescaringgifts.com).
*Feeling extra festive? Try stringing LED white lights from Innovative Energy Solutions ($13.95 for a Candlelight string; www.inirgee.com), which use 80 to 90 percent less energy.
3. Food and Drink
Serve raw foods: Fresh salad greens and strawberries are coming into season. To find greenmarkets near you, see www.ams.usda.gov.
*If you don't feel like cooking, there are eco-friendly catering companies around the country. In New York City, The Cleaver Co. uses organic raw materials that come from local family farms (www.cleaverco.com, 212-741-9174). Or chef Jon Tierney will cater a green menu, from savory hors d'oeuvres to dreamy sweets (www.jontierneycatering.com, 917-538-5511).
*City Bakery, in addition to its greenmarket lunch menu, Nirvanic cookies and chocolate and lemon tarts, also caters (212-366-1414, 310-656-3040). Also check out "Birdbath" at www.buildagreenbakery.com.
*Back to Earth, based in Berkeley, California, is known for its organic and local meats, fruits and vegetables (www.backtoearth.org, 510-528-3987).
*Whole Foods Markets prepare handy party platters of vegetables, fruits, breads and dips and cheese--and can customize an organic dinner menu (www.wholefoodsmarket.com).
*Also see www.organicweddings.com and the organic foods by mail list at www.thegreenguide.com.
Desserts
It's getting easier all the time to find organic treats at local bakeries, patisseries and creameries. Or for nationwide shipping, try:
*Dancing Deer Baking Co.'s decadent preservative-free cakes and cookies, freshly baked when you order (cookie packages start at $14.50, $19.50/cake; www.dancingdeer.com, 888-699-DEER).
*Organic lemon raspberry or chocolate cheesecakes ($34.95) or fruit pies ($26) come flying to your rescue from Diamond Organics (www.diamondorganics.com).
*Global Exchange sells Fair Trade Certified Gold Coin chocolates stamped with fair-trade messages ($6.99/40 pieces; www.globalexchange.org).
Beverages
*R. W. Knudsen's Organic Juices are in great taste for any age group, in Concord Grape, Blueberry Pomegranate and Orange Carrot ($2 and up; www.knudsenjuices.com).
*Frey Vineyards, in the Redwood Valley of California, has produced award-winning organic and biodynamic sulfite-free wines since 1980 ($7.50 and up; www.freywine.com).
*Samuel Smith Organic Ale & Lager, from the Old Brewery in Tadcaster, England, is delicate, fruity and full of fresh hops (prices vary; www.merchantduvin.com). Wolaver's refreshing Organic Beers, brewed in Middlebury, Vermont, contain a special house yeast (prices vary; www.wolavers.com).
*Maison Jomere distills certified organic spirits. Their Juniper Green Organic London Dry Gin has received numerous awards, and their Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum is made from organically grown sugarcane and is as smooth as can be. Not to mention the UK 5 Organic Vodka (prices vary; www.maisonjomere.com).
*New find: Sacred Grounds' certified organic coffee is grown on small, family farms (starting at $9.95/12-oz. bag; www.sacredgroundscoffee.com, 800-425-2532).
*For more brands, see the Wine, Beer and Coffee Product Reports at www.thegreenguide.com.
4. Favors
You may want to give your guests a small gift--for instance, a cup that they can drink from and take home, cutting down on dirty dishes and waste.
*Try a 100-percent recycled glass tumbler or goblet from Green Glass's new Modern Collection ($25/set of 4; www.greenglass.com).
*Memories of your party will flourish as your guests grow Good Luck Gardens in a Bag ($8; www.wishingfish.com) or Windowsill Herb sets of starter pots containing lemon mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage ($27; www.gardeningbulbs.com).
*Endangered Species Belgian Chocolate Bug Bites are made of organic milk or dark chocolate and come with endangered insects trading cards ($28.99/64 pieces; www.mothernature.com).
*Send kids home with organic cotton dogs, cats, rabbits and elephants ($9.95 and up; www.store.yahoo.com).
*Get kids thinking big with Tree in a Box kits, which provide everything needed to grow a tree from seed ($2.50 and up; www.treeinabox.com).
*Other great summer favors for nature lovers: birdfeeders, gardening sets and wildflower presses ($18 and up; www.naturalplay.com).
5. For the Table
It's always greenest to use washable linens, napkins, cutlery and dinnerware.
*Start setting the mood with the table. Rawganique sells organic hemp and French linen tablecloths (starting at $54) and matching napkins ($10.95), in vibrant colors like burgundy, russet orange, olive and alpine meadow (www.rawganique.com, 877-729-4367) .
*Bamboo plates are light and nonbreakable ($4-$20; www.bambuhome.com, 877-226-2829). Handcrafted seaglass plates and bowls by Riverside Design Group make cool summer settings ($132/4-piece set; www.pangaya.com, 800-872-6618). Also see "Dishes and Glassware," GG #111.
*When you must use paper, try to buy recycled, such as Seventh Generation's paper plates, which are made from 100-percent recycled paper, with a minimum of 83-percent post-consumer materials. They are also whitened without chlorine bleach ($1.39; www.seventhgeneration.com).
*Mix and match with Marcal's paper napkins, multicolored and also made from recycled paper ($3 and up; www.marcalpaper.com).
*Finally, keep your clean-up simple: Set up a recycling center in your kitchen or backyard. Use one container for aluminum, one for glass and one for compost--guests will enjoy helping to sort. And use earth-friendly cleaners like baking soda. See the new Household Cleaning Product Report at www.thegreenguide.com.
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