In the year
2012, brides everywhere have been going green in multiple different aspects of
their wedding. Eco-friendly weddings are
the most trending theme this year and brides, planners and designers are coming
up with creative ways to stay true to the environment on this special day. One of the most important details that your
guests will most appreciate, is what is being served for the reception
meal. When researching about these
“green” themed weddings, we noticed that these bride’s were turning to
sustainable and local sourcing to cater their meals. Not only are they two ways that are great for
the environment, but chef’s everywhere have been coming up with tasty and
creative recipes that you and your guests are sure to be pleased with.
Local and Sustainable
Sourcing: What is it?
By using
local sourcing, you are going to caterers and businesses in your community and
buying their supplies and services in order to serve your guests at your
wedding. Not only are you helping the
environment, but you are also benefiting your community’s economy. If the environment is very important to you,
buying locally supports it because it protects the air and water, it minimizes
energy consumption and it enriches the soil.
There are many benefits to using local sourcing when creating the meal
that will be passed out to all of your guests.
Now on to the other type of sourcing: Sustainable Sourcing. Sustainable food is mostly similar to local
sourcing, but with a few differences and a few more benefits to your guests and
the environment. Sustainable sourcing
means you are receiving food that is healthy and does not harm the environment
at all because it is completely pesticide and chemical free and guarantees that
hormones were not used during the growing process. Local foods can be grown this way, but it is
very rare to find a place close to home where chemicals were not used.
The Positives to Using
These Sources
Obviously,
helping the environment is the most important reason to use local and
sustainable sourcing when catering your meal.
It helps all aspects of the environment including the air, water, soil
and how the animals are being raised.
The economy has also been a struggle for most these last few years, so
by reaching out to local businesses, you are helping not only their financial
situation but the economy of your very own community. Another positive to local sourcing is that
you are staying local. You will not need
to travel far for a tasting or pay shipping and storage costs because it will
be available to you very easily. Not
only does this save you time, but it also saves you gas and the environment
from gas pollution in the air. One
important selfish but smart reason for using either of these sources is that it
can save you a lot of money. It is less
expensive than most foods and you will not have to worry about shipping or
storage fees because everything is grown near you and will be nice and fresh by
the date of your wedding day. With so
many positives to choose from, how can you not choose a way that not only can
benefit you and your guests but the important environment and community around
you?
With Many Positives
Comes a Few Negatives to Consider
Even though
the positives outweigh the negatives, there are a few things for you to
consider and research before making a final decision. Depending on where you live and where your
wedding will take place, it could take some effort to find the right food
source that can give you exactly what you are wishing for. Research is key when it comes to finding your
perfect source that also shares the same knowledge and respect for the
environment as you do. One last negative
could be creating menu options that make sure that you and your guests will be
satisfied. If you are working with a
caterer, this might make things a little easier, especially if this caterer
specializes in eco-friendly meals.
Local and Sustainable
Menu Options That Could Surprise You
With today’s creative chefs, there
are many different choices you can have when it comes to menu options and using
local and/or sustainable sourcing. Your
cake for instance can actually be created with these sourcing options. If you are thinking about a country theme for
example, pies might be the perfect choice for you. By using a local market or farm, you can
either purchase or make these pies yourself for the perfect dessert for this
theme. Other environmentally friendly
options could be a fruit cake, carrot cake or even cupcakes. Wine is another surprise delicacy that can
also help reduce a negative impact on the environment. Now for the main course, we recommend
choosing chicken, fish and even vegetarian dishes to serve to your guests.
By choosing
these healthy and eco-friendly options, you are not only serving your guests
something they will appreciate but it will be a fresh and creative option they
most likely have never seen before. Americans are starting to change the way
they eat and live, so why not correlate this to what you serve your guests on
your wedding day.
BBFN,
Olivia
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