Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. 

And, something... GREEN!

No matter what your style and choices are, you’ll truly have a memorable wedding at The Bradley Estate. Your celebration will be on a conservation wonderland – 90 acres of gardens, rolling hills, woodlands, and a 1902 historic mansion. 

Recently, some couples have chosen to complement this natural setting by having “green” weddings, incorporating plans for their special day with the environment in mind. Most elements of a wedding can impact the environment, from the flowers and favors to the invitations and catering. We thought we’d share the following ideas for those considering a “Green Wedding":

Catering

• Offer your guests an organic menu (food grown without pesticides or artificial fertilizers; hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy)
• Ask your caterer to purchase from a farm that supports sustainable agriculture (which produces healthy food, doesn't harm the ecosystem, is humane for workers, and respects animals)
• Use pitchers of tap water (rather than offering bottled water). Provide sugar cubes (rather than wasting paper from sugar packets). Select finger food (to avoid using plates). Make tea from local herbs instead of individual bags. 

Flowers

• Use “living arrangements” – potted plants (rather than cut fresh flowers) for floral displays. Use living material from the seashore and woodlands for centerpieces.
• Select seasonal, locally grown flowers.
• Use items that can be reused (like pottery vases) and and recycled (like Styrofoam). 

Attire and Beauty

• Purchase a gown made of natural fibers (like hemp, silk, organic cotton, organic linens). Or, shop vintage clothing stores for a pre-worn gown.
• After the wedding, donate your gown to a charitable organization.
• Use organic and natural cosmetics (like chemical-free and fragrance-free make-up). 

Invitations

• Use tree-free paper (like hemp, banana stalks, organic cotton, bamboo, kenaf).
• Use recycled papers or plantable papers (which contain seeds that can be planted and will grow into flowers, plants or herbs).
• Go paperless altogether – send e-vites. 

Transportation

• Hire a shuttle bus to transport guests between the hotel and the wedding site (to save on gas emissions from individual cars).
• Instruct limo drivers to shut off their engines while waiting.
• Encourage guests to rent hybrid cars if they do need transportation.

Favors

• Buy jars of jam or honey from a local farm, so guests can enjoy the contents and then reuse the glass containers.
• Buy live evergreen tree seedlings presented in recyclable tubes (which can be reused as birdfeeders).
• Buy organic chocolate (all-natural, preservative-free sweets which all can enjoy). 

Venue – Here at The Bradley Estate:

• We support the Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, which was created to encourage food donations to nonprofits.
• We offer ample space so both the ceremony and reception can be held in one location (ceremony in the formal parterre garden, and reception in the house or in a tent on the lawns).
• We use the land in the best possible way, creating fabulous backdrops for photos. From spring through fall, the formal parterre garden with fountain is full of beautiful flowers and sculptured shrubs – so elegant – while the kitchen garden is filled with vegetables – so fun and unique.
• We have an arborist and a horticulturist who live on the grounds, and along with a team of volunteers, work hard to make the landscape beautiful.
• We are a property of The Trustees of Reservations, which preserves properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.

We’d love to hear your ideas on “Green Weddings” and post them on our website. Simply send them to weddingb@aol.com, putting in the subject line: “Green Weddings”.

Event Manager Beverly Ann Bonner, 781.255.1996, WeddingB@aol.com