Eco-Weddings:

Recycle

Life Balance & The Environment:

Living a life that is in balance is important to me. I care about the legacy I am leaving behind for my children to enjoy. In my work, I want my children to know that they can grab hold of something they love and believe in and make a difference.

What Does Add Pizzazz Do To Contribute To The Environment?

We use eco-friendly locally grown, fair trade fresh flowers for all our event design fresh floral arrangements. They cost a little more but we have the peace of mind in knowing that we are contributing to the enviornment on a weekly basis. Sure, we might lose customers to big box stores, with their low prices, but that is a small price to pay when you measure the larger impact our action is having on the enviornment.

I have pretty serious allergies. Fresh flowers and strong scents set me off on insane sneezing fits, and my body erupts in rashes. I often wonder if it is the flowers, or the pesticides? Imported flowers from Ecuador and Columbia are the biggest culprit of the pesticide drenching trend. The Globe and Mail  featured a story on pesticides, and labor practices in the fresh floral industry.

If you would like to view the types of flowers we have access to from our supplier, please have a look at our suppliers inventory. It is as easy as viewing thier line and asking us for a price

What Can You Do To Go Eco-Friendly At Your Wedding?

The obvious first choice is organic food. But there is more that you can consider.

·         The reception venue: have they converted their light bulbs.

·         The invitations:

·         The cake:

·         Less waste:

·         Local vendors:

·         The diamond ring:

·         Avoid overconsumption:

·         Transportation  options:

·         Seasonal choices:

·         Invitations on recycled paper:

·         The Body Shop for make up:

·         Your mothers wedding dress:

·         Renting dishes, cups, plates, and cutlery:

·         Renting centerpieces, props and decor:

·         Cloth napkins:

·         Donations to an enviornmental cause rather than gifts:

What Is Worse?

Faking It! In a Canadian Bride article "Ottawa weddings are going green. The eco-friendly trend is big in and around the nation’s capital" Ottawa vendors were interviewed and discussed their favorite eco-friendly events.Talk about smoke and mirrors!

Hosting a wedding out doors does not award you the eco-friendly stamp of approval. Earl Stanley, of Stanley’s Old Maple Lane Farm, states that a eco-winter wedding of particular appeal to him consisted of "the bridal party and all the guests [being] taken by horse-drawn sleigh into the bush where three huge bonfires blazed, waiting to warm them." What! Mr. Stanley then offers another eco-friendly wedding option claiming "fireworks are another popular choice for a spectacular outdoor wedding experience, often timed for just before or just after the garter toss." Oh My Goodness!

To dispell the myth: launching toxic, lead ridden metal pollutant, noise piercing fireworks into the sky to celebrate your wedding day is not eco-friendly. Fireworks contain toxic metals and research proves they are detrimental to the enviornment. Lighting huge, blazing bonfires in the middle of winter for no other purpose than to wow your guests and warm them after a sleigh ride is doing absolutely nothing to save or contribute to the environment. Mr. Stanley, what oxygen feeding oak tree did you sacrifice for a moment of entertainment bliss?

The funny part of this story is that the day after I read this article, Canadian Bride contacted me requesting that I advertise my company in their magazine. Sorry, I will take a pass on that one. There has been alot of press about greenwashing and the effects misrepresenting "green" efforts have on company's image, and credibility.

Hiring A Decorator & Renting Makes Environmental Sense: 

I have been designing events for years and I am still very surprised at the amount of people who choose to purchase the items that they use for their event, rather than rent them. I have seen bags and bags of garbage, cellophane, bubble wrap, foam, and boxes pouring out of reception site garbage bins. I guess no one thinks about the garbage. Many argue that they prefer to send guests home with centerpieces, and that is why they purchase them, rather than rent them. How many people do you really know that actually really keep a glass vase and some tea lights?

Why not leave a note at the table stating "we cherish our environment, we have rented our centerpieces". better yet, rent everything! Chances are, you will never re use the fabric, tulle, lights, mirror tiles, tea lights again, even though you say you will! They are going to sit in your attic until you finally get frustrated and throw them out.