Keeping It Local

Two of our goals in planning this wedding - besides ending up married and showing our guests a rockin' good time - were to support our local economy wherever possible, and to generate as little waste as possible. We felt very strongly that this occasion was a perfect opportunity for us to practice what we preach so often, and to keep our landbase healthy and our friends and neighbors employed and able to support their own families.

On the first goal, here is a list of local or small businesses supported by some aspect of the wedding:

Hamel's Creative Catering

Cassandra Holden

Guild Art Supply

Paradise Copies

Osgood Textile

Jackson & Connor

Ci Ci Boutique

Savers (supporting Big Brothers/Big Sisters)

Cedar Chest

25 Central

VFW Post 8006

Rebekah Brooks

Delectable Mountain Cloth

Table & Vine

The Hotel Northampton

McLadden's Irish Pub

Tranquility Day Spa

Canine Etiquette

In addition, many of our friends and family members are participating in our wedding, either in the preparations, ceremony or reception. Flowers, photography, music, transportation, hair and makeup, cake and decorating are all being provided by our guests. It means so much to us to have our loved ones be an integral part of this event.

For the second goal, we have made a wholehearted attempt to not generate a lot of waste in the implementation of the wedding. It's surprisingly difficult, especially when the preparations (and costs) really start ramping up and the disposable route is cheaper and easier. I have tried whenever possible to emphasize the need for low waste, and I am hopeful that most of our decorations and other materials can be reused or repurposed. My cousin will be getting married at the end of September, and as our wedding colors are similar, she will use some of my decorations, or we will share them, which is great. There are also a lot of repurposed vintage items, such as curtains, tablecloths, and serving platters, as well as all of the dishes, that I purchased at Savers thrift shop and will be returning to them after the wedding. Maybe they will catch the eye of another bride-to-be!