Speaking as a lifelong gardener who has trouble entering her front door due to her menagerie of plants that are taking over,  I can truly say… I love it!

Now, you might ask, “What exactly is a green wedding?”

One of my grooms laughingly told me it’s when all the guests shower him with money as he walks down the aisle…

Nice try

According to the Green Bride Guide,

“A green wedding is any wedding where the couple tries to decrease the impact of their event on the planet.”

What a concept

Everyone I’ve talked with about this great green idea from wedding vendors to brides to coordinators have all assured me you can be “super chic without the waste!”

Whether you want to go dark green and make everything earth friendly from the material of your dress to the flowers and food you use at your reception or just light green with eco-friendly invitations and favors; every little bit helps our environment.

Try doing a Google search on “Green Weddings” and you’ll be amazed at all the information out there.

Here are just a few of the URLs* I found:

Great Green Wedding

Tree Beginnings (favors and gifts)

The Spiraled Stem (eco-friendly flowers)

Green Weddings and Events

The Knot’s Green Weddings

How Green Is Your Wedding quiz

Books for Green Weddings

“Being green is not difficult, but it requires forethought and desire.  Most weddings, on average, produce 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide gas”, says Kimberly Goetz in her article, Member Helps Couple Arrange Totally Green Wedding in the June/July 2010 Association of Bridal Consultants newsletter.

Wow, that’s amazing!

So if you’re still in the planning phases of your wedding or know someone who is why not share a little of the green.

With some unusual choices you’ll not only help our beautiful planet but you’ll create a one-of-a-kind, personalized experience for both you and your guests.

Happy Green Wedding,

Jillian

OurWeddingDance.com / ArgentineTangoWeddingDance.com

949.400.7347 / Email

Go Green!

*Please note I list the Green Wedding URLs above for your convenience.  No endorsement is made of any particular one with the exception of Christine Saunders at The Spiraled Stem who is an Orange County ABC member with me. 

As always, make sure you research any vendor carefully and if you’re purchasing on-line look for the SSL certificate that ensures that your credit card info is safe from prying eyes traveling along the corridors of cyberspace.

But not this morning!

I had a wonderful testimonial and some fabulous pictures from one of my wedding couples who got married May 2nd 2009 and held their reception at the Center Club in Costa Mesa.

Jessica and Vlad decided that they wanted some romantic moves to their gorgeous Romanian waltz song that was 4 1/2 minutes long.  They settled on some simple twirls, shadow work and a figure that moved them across the floor with style.  We learned a dip and as I could see from the wonderful photos they were all smiles as Jessica followed and Vlad led with a flourish!

Here are her kind words and pictures below for you to look at…

Hi Jillian,

I’ve been meaning to write to you and tell you how our Wedding Dance turned out… everyone loved it!!

While it wasn’t perfect, and Vlad stepped on my dress a few times, everyone was hooting and hollaring at the fact that we had this cool dance that we were doing.  We did all the moves and ended with our dip. 

I’ve attached my Wedding Album photos in the link below.  You’ll recognize some of the moves in our Dance Photos!!  Thanks again for teaching us such a great routine!  I hope that all is well with you!!

Cheers!  Jess and Vlad

Gail Chatelain Photographer

My golden moss-covered fountain tinkles away providing a cool respite for the bright yellow and black finches and orange and green hummingbirds that visit for the garden goodies. This time of year, I’ve got stephanotis and pink and white bouganvilla overflowing my balcony as well as gardenias, tuberroses, night blooming jasmine, picate and plumeria providing a riot of fragrance from dawn to dusk.

But on a recent half day off I ventured beyond my own small parcel of paradise out to Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge with my prince charming to stroll along the shady paths, listen to the gurgle of streams and every so often spy a chestnut colored squirrel digging up his stash of nuts.

Even in 86 degree heat and 70 percent humidity I could see that this is a great place for a wedding and/or wedding reception.  Check out their web site here for details on the particulars.

Glowing in the receding sun, the Garden’s personnel were setting up for a sunset wedding reception in the International Rosarium and did it look idyllic. 

Enormous arbors of roses spanned the grounds, a filigreed black gazebo stood atop the knoll and a giant Italian fountain spewed water into the air.  Koi ponds with white, yellow and purple water lilies the size of dinner plates basked in the sun and birds and butterflies flitted everywhere.

I’d heard of the Descanso Gardens’ show-stopping displays of camelias and lilacs during the cooler months but did not know you can rent out the Boddy House (pronounced “BOH-dee”), a gorgeous Regency style home completed in 1938, where from the terrace you can see the San Gabriel Mountains rising majestically through the clouds. 

I must admit to a small dance in the Japanese Garden where they filmed part of Memoirs Of A Geisha and also checked out their Cafe where they have delightful delicacies to tantalize any palate.

Truly an afternoon delight…