DAN'S PAPERS, April 3, 2009 Page 34 www.danshamptons.com
Ride
The Greening of the Wedding
By Betti Sands If you have a hybrid car parked in your garage, recycle rain water to irrigate backyard plants and have replaced just about every bulb in your home with compact fluorescents, there’s a good chance that you’re environmentally conscious. But what if you’ve just gotten engaged and want to impart some of these green ways of thinking to the wedding? What can you do to be earth-friendly when tying the knot? Wedding industry insiders say that the trend of going green with weddings is growing exponentially. Going green for your wedding day doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the elements that will make the day special. It just means you can take a look at the details and the bigger picture and develop strategies that will minimize the impact on the
“THE 72 NAMES OF GOD” HEART NECKLACE – $910
planet. Go local: From food to flowers, choose vendors that use locally grown and raised products. This reduces the amount of smog generated and fuel consumed to bring items in for your wedding. Many caterers are now collaborating with local farms and other vendors to offer organic, locally grown menu items. Ask about availability. Go to your guests: Figure out where the greatest number of your guests reside and then hold the wedding nearby. For example, a couple from the Northeast who has relocated to the West coast, but has all of their family still in the east, may want to hold their wedding in the east. It is less expensive and more environmentally friendly for the couple to simply fly to the wedding, rather than having hundreds of guests drive or fly west. Be mindful of wardrobe choices: Choose items that really can be worn again. Maybe skip the rented tuxes and ask groomsmen to wear a similar styled suit that they can add to their work wardrobe. Bridesmaids can wear a simple black cocktail dress so that they’re not left with a taffeta creation that will only hang in the closet afterward. If you decide to go more traditional with wardrobe, find out if gowns can be recycled or donated so that they can be reused in another way. Choose recycled materials for wedding invitations and announcements: There are an increasing number of suppliers creating invitations from recycled materials. Some will do all the assembly for you; other less expensive items may be more hands(continued on page 36)
PHILIP STEIN TIMEPIECE $2,170
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gowns can take several months to order and be tailored. It can also take some trial and error finding a dress shop that meets the needs of a bride and her attendants. So it’s best if this fun part of wedding planning is done early on. While there are no set rules for gown selection, it helps if the bride and her attendants use the same shop so that styles will be complementary and service and alterations can be organized with minimal fuss. If the wedding is taking place during a peak party season, such as prom time, reserve tuxedos several months in advance. All of the groomsmen should rent from the same shop to be uniform. When it comes to invitations, you shouldn’t mess around either. Couples should leave ample time to look through invitation sample books or do research on the Internet. They should decide on a style that best suits their wedding, based on its formality, the time of day and the wedding colors. Having this out of the way is a big step. Many couples forget to factor limousine or car rentals into their wedding-day plans. Whether it’s a limo, Rolls-Royce, horse-drawn carriage or a party bus, the bride and groom should arrange for transportation for themselves and their attendants to and from the church and reception site. You can give East End Limo a call and reach Tommy Hill at 631726-7400 or contact Beach Limos, owned by Lorin DeBennedetto, at 631-324-5466. With these important decisions made, the brideand groom-to-be have only a few things left to do as their wedding draws nearer. Planning a wedding is never easy, but it is so worth it when it all comes together.
Luxuries
With Maria Tennariello Luxuries@danspapers.com
Give her your hearts on your wedding day with this unique custom-made sterling silver cable necklace and heart charms designed by Rachel Brown. The piece is lightly plated in 24k gold, the charms are engraved with meditations from “The Seventy-two Names of God Collection” representing the energy of (left to right) Healing, Dissolving Negativity, Sustenance, Protection Against Evil Eye, and Certainty. That says it all for your new life together.
Available by special order at: Rachel Brown Jewelry 1-917-297-3497 www.rachelbrownjewelry.com Or via email rachel@rachelbrownjewelry.com
The timing is perfect! You can say “Yes I Do!” to him on your wedding day with this unique Chronograph timepiece designed by Philip Stein. The white dial and green Trieste strap makes this a very special gift. Known as one of Oprah’s “Favorite Things”, Philip Stein watches have gained a huge celebrity following from Jessica Alba, Madonna, Hugh Jackman, and Samuel L. Jackson, just to name a few.
Available at all Saks stores, including: Saks Fifth Avenue 1 Hampton Road Southampton, NY.
Rose Jewelers 57 Main Street Southampton, NY
Messina Jewelry 103 Main Street Westhampton, NY