Vegan weddings

Yesterday one of my readers (Thanks Eva!) sended me a link to a blog that she saw and, as it was talking about weddings, reminded her to me. I took my time to read it. It was a personal story, the story of a vegan wedding and all of the struggle that the bride had to go through to organize that kind of weddings. For her it was a challenge to organice it in Toronto, so I cannot imagine how hard would this be in Slovenia, where the variety concerning weddings is reduced in every "usual" field of the wedding organizations. But what she struggled and suffered the most was the critics from her guests to a vegan menu.
It is clear to everyone that the main concern of a wedding is the food. All of the celebration seems to be sum up in the fact of the guests getting good fed. Yes, if you want to succeed in your wedding, you should pay special attention to the food, but this does not mean that the food must be expensive or based on a meat menu. Just take care that your guests won't be hungry, I say.

I was reading a bit about vegan weddings, and I was sad to read recommendations like: have every of your guests in account and prepare a meat menu. Well, I am not a vegan (faaaar from it) but I completely disagree with that. It is a kindness to try to please and make your guests feel confortable, but it is YOUR WEDDING, no one else's. So the first one that you should try to please is yourself. I don't know too much about vegan philosophy, although I have a couple of friends vegan so I am not completely ignorant to it. My impression about vegans is not that they are a more radical vegetarians, as a lot of people (myself in the past included) believe. For them, to be vegan goes beyond food, and implicates a lot of changes to live a "cruelty free" lifestyle. It means using products that haven't been tested on animals, using clothes and shoes that have no animal origin (I could start a discussion about if using plastic shoes as a substitute is ethic or not, but is not the time or moment), and of course, eliminating every animal origin on the diet. This are principles, beliefs. The wedding day is the happiest day on the life of a couple (until kids come), and doing something on that day that goes completely against their principles will, in my opinion, completely ruin their day. I don't understand then, how is possible that a wedding planner can recomend them to put the wishes of their guests over their own beliefs. For me, that is completely inacceptable. The first thing that I say to my couples when we meet is: "This is YOUR day. Everything has to please YOU. Forget everythign else and DO NOT LISTEN anyone else than you two".

As an absolute meat eater, I would be very glad to be invited to a vegan wedding. I can eat meat every day, why shouldn't I be excited to try something different? And critizicing the couple's decision? Please, remember that the best gift that you can do to the couple is the respect and the share of their happiness. So if your are not willing to help, at least do not step on the way of their happiness.

So, once said that, If you are vegan and living in Slovenia, please do not give up on the idea of getting married just because you think that the struggle would be too much. I know a couple of restaurants in Maribor and Ljubljana with veggy and vegan food. I am quite sure they would also prepare you food under request if you explain that you are trying to host a vegan wedding, as they develope their work based on their beliefs as well.
But, as we said, a vegan wedding does not mean just meat-free food. It also concerns the dress and details. So, here my advices and suggestions for a vegan wedding:

1. Make an intimate wedding, keep the number under 50 guests. Why? To find a restaurant that cooks for over that number can be tricky, and with this you have less people to "please" and less people to critizise you. As I always say, do not have at your wedding anyone that you wouldn't like to be there.
2. Do it in the summer. When is hot, we usually have more appetite for salats and cold dishes. If you have a garden, make it at home and set some buffet of vegan food. Get a big variety of dishes, so everyone will find something they like and the scheme of colors will make the wow effect on your guests.
3. Surprise your guests with colorful and tasty refreshments that they can serve themselves.
4. For your wedding gown, if you do not find a dress that is not made from animal origine fabrics, try getting a second hand one, or get the one from your mother or grandma's adapted to you. You won't harm any animal with this and, specially with the last option, it will have a very special meaning to you.
5. Make homemade marmelades as a gift for your guests. You can save the jars during the whole year, so it will be a cheap, eco and very tasty gift. You can also give honey or even make soaps at home with used oil.
6. If you want to encourage people to go "vegan style" that day, have an invitation where you explain the philosophies of vegan lifestyle, and suggest your guests to dress some vintage-second hand clothes... Probably your closest friends will be open to your wishes.

At last, a beautiful Inspiration board where you can see how awesome your vegan day could look like.
I am acually looking forward to organize a vegan wedding for some couple. I love challenges! Muahahaha!