As a wedding planner, I LOVE Valentine’s Day. I love celebrating love of all kinds and enjoy seeing it all around! Today, we are talking about how to give back on your wedding day. Sustainability continues to be an overall theme for wedding couples nowadays, and there are some unique and exciting options to recycle and give back some of your wedding goods and services when the big day is over or even before it begins.
Donations are always a great way to start and this can happen before the I dos are said. Foundations usually have an online giving service, and specialized websites can allow your guests to donate toward the charity of your choice. If you aren’t one for gift registries, this can be a great way for your guests to still honor your nuptials, and you won’t get a third blender you don’t need. 😊
On the opposite end, favors can sometimes sit in a cabinet for years after your wedding. How many times have you seen an abandoned engraved mason jar or shot glass with the happy couple’s names on it in the thrift shop? Instead, you both  can choose to give a donation in the guests’ honor as a gift or favor for attending your wedding. This prevents extra tangible items that the guests may or may not want and provides you an easy and quick solution to thank your guests.
If you are more non-traditional and you’d like to do something with your wedding party, wedding shower guests, or even bachelorette or bachelor party attendees, a fun activity you might consider is volunteering together. Giving back is an awesome way to spend the day with friends, it makes you feel good, and can create some really great memories with your wedding party. There are plenty of volunteer ideas out there, but some easy ones are to volunteer at a local community garden, community cleanup, local ASPCA or even host a clothing drive and donate what you are given.
With the Covid pandemic, now more than ever small businesses need our support! Another very easy and totally achievable option is to buy local. Hiring local wedding vendors and wedding providers can really lead to some awesome contacts and awesome service! Many of my preferred wedding pros are local entrepreneurs and very talented creators. I highly recommend building a relationship directly with your wedding pros while planning your wedding as it makes for an amazing day, and maybe even some lasting friendships!
Last but not least, one of my favorite options to give back is to have a friend or family member drop off your wedding florals after the big celebration. You can donate these to children’s homes, schools, nursing homes, funeral services, and the like. Many of these flowers are thrown out at the end of the day when they could brighten someone’s week! This is an easy way to provide someone with a smile and it’s fairly easy to organize. (There is also a service in the Baltimore area that will do this for you; they collect your flowers at the end of the reception and repurpose them!)
As always, there are many other options available to pay it forward before, during, and after the wedding. I really enjoy discussing options with couples to find the best fit for them and giving back is always a very fulfilling action that you will not forget easily. To find out more, or brainstorm ideas for your big day, contact me at lexi@eventsbylexi.com or call/text me at 410-978-2048. I can’t wait to talk to you!
(All photos by Two of Us Photography at The Heron Room in Baltimore; flowers in bottom image from Fleur de Lis Florist).
