Is Chelsea Clinton Having a Green Wedding?

It seems like the rumors are probably true: Chelsea Clinton's wedding tomorrow will take place at Astor Courts in the Hudson River Valley. But is Chelsea having a green wedding? With 500 guests and an insane flower budget rumored to be around $500,000, could it be? At the GBG, we're committed to encouraging small green choices that add up, and considering Chelsea's vegan reception menu (with one still-green exception: local grass-fed organic beef), we say yes.

You may already know what we say around here: Every Choice Makes a Difference. It's kind of a mantra, and it's true. There are all shades of green, and a nearly infinite number of options for a couple who wants to lessen their wedding's impact and still have the wedding of their dreams. Some brides may choose a 100% vegan menu, with no flowers, and an organic cotton once-worn gown. Others may simply include local, seasonal foods and flowers and forego a disposable aisle runner. Both of these weddings are making a difference on the overall impact of the 2.5 million weddings a year.

Chelsea Clinton's wedding is a large scale example. There will be lush, gorgeous and copious flower arrangements. Green? Er...well, maybe not so bad if they're organic and/or local or seasonal, but no one really knows yet because everything is very hush-hush. But consider the lessened impact a dinner for 500 guests makes when that menu is mostly vegan. Chelsea's choices for her menu are a perfect combination of showcasing her personal values as a vegan, but still graciously offering the guests that might not feel they've eaten a good meal without meat a sustainable and cruelty-free option. True, this over the top celebration may not meet the standards of the strictest green critics, but we applaud Chelsea, as a person of reknown and influence in our society, for making the choices that were important to her to add earth-friendly elements to her wedding celebration.

Congratulations, Chelsea and Marc!

Gregory Bull, AP File