A Deluxe Vegan Wedding
By Marcy Schveibinz
Dan and Carly were destined to be together. They grew up in the same neighborhood in Ellicott City, Maryland, but didn't meet until high school marching band. That was the start of their romance. Carly became vegan during this time, but Dan was not 100% on board yet. Everyone thought their love could not be broken, but after seven years they ended their relationship.
Two years passed, and they hadn't contacted each other, but it turned out, neither was happy without the other. They reunited on Dan's birthday, after Carly sent a simple "Happy Birthday" text to Dan. After their reunion in California, where Dan had moved, Carly, a dedicated vegan, influenced Dan to open his mind and join her on her vegan journey.
A year went by, and Dan proposed to Carly on the tenth anniversary of their very first kiss. Then the planning began for their Maryland wedding. Carly wanted a natural wooded setting with her vision based on the Twilight movie series.
They selected Brookside Gardens in Wheaton after the venue agreed to create a new site for them in the woods.
Finding a caterer to create a vegan menu proved a little more challenging. Greenplate Catering was right in Brookside Gardens' backyard. Greenplate created a menu that included veganized, familiar dishes that omnivore guests would enjoy. Appetizers were Vietnamese spring rolls, asparagus crostini, and mini twice-baked potatoes. Entreé stations included a falafel bar, gnocchi station, and seitan asada. The pastry chef at Greenplate also created a decadent vegan vanilla cake with vanilla maple buttercream, filled with chocolate ganache.
Other aspects of the wedding were planned around Carly and Dan's vegan lifestyle. Dan wore non-leather shoes and avoided a wool suit or silk bowtie. The groomsmen followed his example. Carly asked her bridesmaids to avoid silk when shopping for dresses. Loblolly Organic Farm of Waldorf, Maryland, provided gorgeous floral arrangements picked from their locally grown organic fields, without the use of silk ribbons or feathers. Carly brought her own vegan make-up to the salon instead of using theirs. The items for the goodie bags for the hotel guests also did not involve the harming of any animals. The slippers provided for dancing were made of synthetic materials.
The bachelorette party was held at Great Sage Vegan Restaurant in Clarksville, and the rehearsal dinner, organized by the groom's parents, was at Aida Bistro & Wine Bar in Columbia, which created a delicious all-vegan menu. Out-of-town guests were offered a vegan brunch on Sunday catered by the Sheraton in Columbia. With just a couple of tweaks, an all-American brunch of tofu scramble, potato hash, meatless sausage, oatmeal, pancakes, soup, and salad was enjoyed by all.
All in all, the big day went perfectly. The guests were inspired and moved after witnessing Carly and Dan's vows. Numerous guests commented on the delicious vegan food. Even skeptics, when they experienced firsthand how wonderful the meal tasted, had positive things to say about the vegan reception.
The day was filled with love and compassion felt by family, friends, and the wedding vendors. What better way to express love than by having a cruelty-free vegan wedding!
Marcy is a national board certified health and wellness coach. She teaches vegan cooking classes and loves apples, hiking in nature, and a good oat milk cappuccino. She lives in Maryland.
