Wedding Photo by Tiffany Coggins

I was recently at a lovely outdoor wedding. So often I cringe at weddings, when I see all the waste, especially when it comes to the cocktail and food part. Many receptions are chock full of disposables; paper plates, paper napkins and non-recyclable plastic glasses.

This wedding had none of that, and it was all accomplished on a budget. The bride and groom scoured local second-hand stores. They bought entire plate services, sets of flatware and coffee mugs. The tables all looked beautiful with the second-hand settings. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know that all the settings were second-hand and mismatched, until the bride’s mother told me.

The mugs were all set out on a table, and each had a tag on a string. The guest were asked to pick their favorite mug and write their name on the tag. That was their beverage ticket for the night. We all got to take the mug home with us. It was a fantastic, green idea. There was also real napkins and tablecloths.

The mother of the bride plans on loaning out the plates, flatware, napkins and tablecloths to anyone that needs them for a party or event. I hope people take her up on her generous idea. They will save money, help keep waste out of landfills, and reduce demand on precious resources.

Bravo and well done. Congratulations to the lovely, thoughtful couple. I know they will have many, many long years of happiness.