Gather Well Events

For every event I pack my first aid kit, sewing kit, toolkit, bin-of-all-the-things kit (a wedding planner's emergency kit), and then an extra pouch-of-all-the-things kit; the "emergency kit for my emergency kit." In here, I keep my most-used/requested items during events. Because guess who clients, guests, and other vendors look for in a pinch? Me! Are you ready for my best-kept emergency go-to's? 1. Scissors and twine. They help MacGyver everything from hanging items to hemming items to fixing broken parts. 2. Safety pins. They fix so many issues with clothes, drapes, flowers, and hard-to-grab splinters. 3. Bobby pins. To fix the fly aways. 4. Hand sanitizer. Germs are everywhere. 5. Tissues. They literally wipe away everything from tears to snot to runny mascara. 6. Tampons. Because life. 7. Mints and floss. I've got you covered! 8. Mini sewing kit. While I have a larger sewing kit, mini ones are nice to hand out for thise ripped flower dress hems or broken but...

When I was planning my own wedding 10 years ago, we wanted to keep it as sustainable as possile. Funny how 10 years later, I would implement the same practices (and maybe a few more). Here are my tips, many of which are as gentle on the earth as they are on your pocket book. Local Vendors Going with small and local vendors lowers your carbon footprint. Distance and gas utilization aside, local companies are often connected with other local vendors and supply sources. These connections  Flowers When choosing flowers, I always advise clients to choose their color palette and stay open to seasonal blooms within those colors. Many local florists work with growers and wholesale markets in your area. Blooms from these sources have a lower carbon footprint and generally contain far fewer chemicals (if they have any at all). And speaking of florists. Ask about reusable and chemical-free options in your arrangements (e.g. chicken wire or flower frogs) that forego floral foam, which is toxic...