Eco weddings

A great many of our New Jersey wedding couples have gone back to the tradition of offering wonderful wedding favors for their guests to take home as they leave our wedding reception venue. (In the past few years, some couples chose to skip the favors as a way to save money, but thoughtful take-home favors are now back on the Must list!) What the couples choose to give as wedding favors has evolved from those tiny photo frames and wine glasses embossed with the bride and groom’s name to a new trend that makes guests much happier – edible gourmet treats.

Your wedding reception lasts several hours, and the wedding cake and desserts may have been served an hour or two before the close of your celebration. So when guests find that their wedding favors are delicious frosted brownies or theme-decorated cupcakes, they very often treat themselves to these treats before they even leave your reception! That’s the mark of a great edible wedding favor. Guests can’t wait to enjoy them.

Here are some of the most popular edible wedding favors that we’ve seen, and made, for our New Jersey wedding couple’s take-home treats:

• Frosted brownies
• Frosted cookies, in heart-shapes or cut into wedding theme shapes like a bride’s dress or a wedding dove
• Chocolate-chip cookies
• White macadamia nut cookies
• Gourmet truffles
• Theme-shape chocolates, such as hearts or butterflies
• Pastel sugar-covered Jordan almonds (a traditional, symbolic favorite of our New Jersey wedding couples!)
• Gourmet flavored wedding cupcakes
• Hazelnut cream-filled cookies
• Personalized candies, such as M&Ms sporting the initials or names of the bride and groom
• Wedding color-matched jelly beans
• Chocolate bark
• Fudge squares in a variety of flavors
• Seasonal-matched wedding favor treats, such as maple brownies for a fall wedding
• Baggies of gourmet-flavored popcorn or kettlecorn, the couple’s favorite snack
• And more…

Presentation is key for wedding favors, so package each edible treat in its own ribbon-tied box or cellophane baggie, and affix a thank-you message label right to the package, expressing your gratitude that guests came to share your day with you.

All the best, Caitlyn Bradley, Director of Private Dining, Ram’s Head Inn

By Rolf Schick, Banquet Manager, The Manor

There’s a popular new color for weddings: Green. More couples are making their weddings eco-friendly. Just a few small changes to traditional nuptials can have a big impact on the green quotient of a wedding. And since many ingredients to a great wedding have green alternatives, couples can make their ceremony and reception whatever shade of green they want. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Flowers and centerpieces: Locally grown flowers don’t use as much energy to transport as those shipped from overseas. Talk to your florist about the availability of locally grown flowers. You’ll also be supporting local growers and plant nurseries.

2. Wedding invitations and stationery: Specifying recycled paper for your invitations is a great way to set the tone for an eco friendly wedding. Invitations can also be made from tree-free paper. Talk to whoever is handling your printing about your eco-options.

3. Donating Food: No one leaves a wedding hungry. There’s usually an abundance of leftover food that goes home with members of the wedding party. But you can donate the extra food to local food banks or other charities. Check with charities in your local area to learn about organizations you can help.

4. Wedding rings: Even wedding rings can be eco-friendly. Some jewelers now feature rings made from recycled stones and metals. And some couples are taking heirloom jewelry and having it restyled into a more contemporary design. Considering what it takes to mine metals and gems, this can be a giant eco step.

Another way to have a green wedding: get married outdoors, in a beautiful garden or other natural setting filled with greenery! The Manor has been hosting outdoor ceremonies in our formal gardens for years. And our other properties – the Ram’s Head Inn, the Pleasantdale Chateau and Highlawn Pavilion – also have beautiful outdoor areas for weddings and civil ceremonies. If we can help with your wedding, whatever shade of green you’re planning to make it, we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours,

Rolf