Naturally Decadent Reception: Green Wedding Styled Shoot Challenge 2020

Updated: Jul 29, 2021

On September 26th, 2020, the Green Wedding Guild held their first Sustainable Wedding Styled Shoot Challenge at Windy Hill Farm in North Carolina. We had four teams participating, each led by a Guild planner who created a wedding style while keeping to a set of sustainable guidelines. The guidelines were as follows:

Flowers must be sourced locally and seasonally, and no floral foam may be used.
No “new” items may be purchased for this shoot. Decor may be rented, borrowed, or thrifted.
Attire & accessories may be pre-loved, from a rental company, or from a sustainable designer.
Food (if used) should be seasonally & locally inspired.
Stationery (if used) should contain recycled content, be sourced from sustainably managed forests, or in some other way promote sustainability (eg: seed paper, bamboo paper, etc.).

Each team created a beautiful and unique look, and we were blown away by each design! In this series of posts we want to share the styles created by each team, and some of the decisions our planners made to accomplish their look.

Naturally Decadent Reception- by Dogwood Gatherings & Events

Photography by RTP.Studio

When we originally heard about the GWG Styled Shoot and Windy Hill Farm we were thrilled. Once Kevin and I were paired together we planned an initial meeting with the venue and we were over excited to learn about the agricultural side of everything. From goats and the products they have available as favors to the figs, pairs, and asparagus growing in the fields, I immediately knew I wanted to do something based solely on the figs and the gorgeous colors they offer!

Staying within the sustainable guidelines

for the shoot was very important for us! We only used locally sourced flowers which are easier to locate than you would expect. We used Whole Foods and were told the flowers were sourced from a few local farms, one being Curtis Flower Farm in Graham, NC. With the proper vases and cutting of them stems we were able to manipulate the shape and arrangement without using any foam or floral tape. For the bouquet we used a satin ribbon to keep them together and a wide mouth floral vase to keep the flowers hydrated and standing secure.

Southern Vintage Table is a fantastic vendor for vintage wedding décor. She was a true delight to work with and the inventory seemed almost endless! She has completely taken repurposing to a whole other level and we love it!

White of Raleigh provided the gown and

we love them. With gowns available from local designers they are able to customize an experience and a gown that is exactly what you want for your wedding day. They also offer trunk and sample sales so the gowns and excess materials never go to waste!

SoCharm Jewelry was gracious enough to provide the earrings for the shoot and we couldn’t have been more impressed. She is a local jewelry designer who puts her heart and soul into each design. Her prices range from $28-$50 per item, who says you need to spend a fortune for gorgeous accessories for your big day?

Now offering stationery services we provided a sample set for the shoot as well printed on recycled paper we ordered from Green Field Paper Company. We love the idea of helping the bride and groom create a wedding website and we avoid ‘Save the Dates’ completely by directing guests to the site. We include this link on our minimal invitation suites when they are mailed out by couples who wish to use paper invitations. We also use seed paper and the invitation can be planted after the wedding has passed and it will grow into wild flowers!

Last but not least (and our favorite part of

the set up) the figs came from Trader Joes but can also be sourced locally at many NC farms. Figs have two seasons and we were lucky enough to catch that second wave for the shoot! If you are interested in sourcing local fruits or vegetables for your wedding we recommend you visit https://www.ncfarmfresh.com/certifiedstands.asp or just hire a Green Wedding Guild Planner!