{"id":24769,"date":"2018-03-26T05:00:45","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T13:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2018\/03\/26\/how-to-throw-a-cannabis-wedding\/"},"modified":"2018-03-26T13:00:52","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T21:00:52","slug":"how-to-throw-a-cannabis-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2018\/03\/26\/how-to-throw-a-cannabis-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Throw a Cannabis Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A first toast to the newlyweds is a time-honored wedding tradition; it\u2019s a way to express goodwill to the new couple and join in raising a glass with the wedding party and guests. But imagine flipping the script and offering a \u201cfirst toke\u201d instead.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what some couples in cannabis-friendly states are doing.<\/p>\n

Bec Koop, owner of Irie Weddings and Events<\/a>, has helped host approximately 30 cannabis-friendly weddings since 2014. She started as a florist, incorporating cannabis flowers into bouquets and \u201cbudtonniers\u201d for weddings under the name Buds and Blossoms.<\/p>\n

\"International<\/p>\n

At one of the weddings Koop hosted, the guests were provided with half gram joints to join in a first toke rather that a first toast.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as the bride and groom arrived, we handed them their personally requested joints and sparked them and their guest\u2019s joints so that they could have their wedding reception started off right,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

While cannabis use is becoming more socially-acceptable, Koop recommends couples who choose to throw a cannabis-friendly wedding have open discussions before the big day with any guests who might be offended by the decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt that time, choosing a specific consumption area or method of consumption is key to keep it discrete if necessary,\u201d Koop says. \u201cThe couple should also consider how to delicately handle the topic of children at their wedding. Some venues prefer not to have minors present if there is cannabis. Other venues are more accommodating, but typically request to have separate area designated for consumption where IDs are verified and kept minor-free.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Gary and Katie Wyman married in the national forest outside of Denver<\/a>, Colorado in 2016, their wedding had many elements not typically seen at an American wedding \u2014 including dream catcher decorations and a yoga practice \u2014 but marijuana was nowhere to be found. Since the ceremony, however, cannabis has become a bigger part of their lives due to a devastating diagnosis: Just months after their wedding, Gary was diagnosed with ALS<\/a>, a disease that affects the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscles to waste away at a rapid rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband was diagnosed three months after our wedding with ALS \u2014\u00a0a terminal illness that leaves you completely paralyzed,\u201d Katie says. \u201cOne thing that has really helped Gary throughout his progression has been the use of cannabis and CBD<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of that special relationship with cannabis, Katie and Gary choose to celebrate their first wedding anniversary with a photo shoot at the International Church of Cannabis<\/a> in Denver.<\/p>\n

\"Cannabis<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had more of a traditional wedding a year prior, so this was a fun way to change it up and do something fun and unique,\u201d Katie says.<\/p>\n

The International Church of Cannabis has been open for about a year. Members of the church are known as Elevationists<\/a> and bring cannabis into their practice within the space during Friday evening services.<\/p>\n

Co-founder Lee Molloy says the church actively welcomes members of all religions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the cannabis rite, all ways are revealed as pathways to the same eternal questions,\u201d Molloy says. \u201cOur life stance is that an individual\u2019s spiritual journey and search for meaning is one of self-discovery that can be accelerated and deepened with ritual cannabis use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Molloy adds that those who might think the church is nothing more than an excuse to smoke cannabis deeply misunderstand the state of Colorado\u2019s adult use law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is Denver \u2014\u00a0we can all<\/em> legally consume cannabis here already,\u201d he says. \u201cNo, all we are doing is claiming our constitutional right to freely practice our religion. And, as importantly, we are giving beautiful, loving couples a chapel in which they may celebrate their love and partake of the cannabis sacrament in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

And how does the church navigate through Colorado\u2019s Clean Indoor Air Act, which explicitly bans activities such as smoking cannabis inside?<\/p>\n

\u201cCarefully,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Weed<\/p>\n

Interested in hosting your own cannabis-friendly nuptials? Here are six tips to help make sure everything goes off without a hitch:<\/p>\n

Incorporate Cannabis in Tasteful Ways<\/h4>\n

There are many ways to bring buds into your wedding day, ranging from subtle to superstar smoker status. Those afraid of offending wedding guests can take the safe route and give out hemp lip balms as party favors or wear hemp silk wedding dresses and suits. Those who aren\u2019t afraid to take the plunge and <\/em>declare their undying devotion to the world\u2019s favorite flower can leave joints<\/a> on the tables for guests or incorporate cannabis buds into their bridal bouquet.<\/p>\n

Make Sure Guests Don\u2019t Get Too<\/em> High<\/h4>\n

\u201c<\/strong>We ensure that we have full understanding of our clients and their guests,\u201d Koop says. \u201cIf the majority of their guests are cannabis novices, we typically suggest strains for the guests that have a lower potency than for our guests who may be more comfortable with cannabis.\u00a0We also always have complimentary water stations setup so that the guests are always staying well hydrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Koop also has an emergency plan that she calls her \u201cOh sh*t kit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kit contains various remedies to help balance the effects of overconsumption,\u201d she says. \u201cThere are many factors that can lead to someone becoming uncomfortable, so we take the time to ensure we understand how they are feeling and help them feel comfortable again as fast as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make it Memorable<\/h4>\n

The ways to commemorate the moment with cannabis are as wide-ranging as wedding traditions themselves. A few ways to keep remembering the special day include keeping a slice of infused cake<\/a> or a bud from their bouquet for the first anniversary.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany couples are starting new traditions on their wedding day, like taking a first hit together before their first kiss or a first toke rather than a first kiss,\u201d Koop says.<\/p>\n

\"Bud<\/p>\n

Find the Right Venue<\/h4>\n

Having the perfect wedding starts with finding the perfect location. In the case of a wedding that integrates cannabis, it becomes even more crucial to ensure you have a pot-friendly venue.<\/p>\n

Koop offers some tips:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u201cAlways speak with the venue coordinator about their cannabis policy prior to signing the venue contract. Never lie to them!\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0\u201cLook for venues that are on private property and privately owned.\u201d<\/li>\n
  3. \u201cBe flexible with your cannabis preferences and see where you and the venue can meet in the middle if they are apprehensive. Some venues may not want cannabis on their property, but may allow the guests to rent a party bus and park it on their property for it to serve as a private smoking lounge for your guests.\u201d<\/li>\n
  4. \u201cMost venues feel more comfortable if the client hires a professional budtender to help with the moderation, education and discretion.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Wear it With Pride<\/h4>\n

    There are different ways to include cannabis in a wedding beyond fabrics made from hemp silk. Koop says some options include women wearing cannabis buds in their hair or guys can wear a \u201cbudtonniers\u201d or have \u201ca vaporizer slyly tucked into a gentlemen\u2019s breast pocket on the front of his suit.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Take it Offline<\/h4>\n

    Couples who don\u2019t feel comfortable including cannabis into their ceremony can still have cannabis as a part of their special occasion by incorporating it into bachelor and bachelorette parties.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhether you go on a dispensary or grow tour, you can always find fun ways to explore the new cannabis industry,\u201d Koop says. \u201cA bachelorette or bachelor party could also be a paired dinner with your favorite strains of cannabis and your favorite foods or wine as a special dinner for your special guests, or even for your entire rehearsal dinner if you\u2019re not comfortable having it on your wedding day. Even simply renting a fun cannabis-friendly party bus and going to a concert could serve as an amazing bachelor or bachelorette party excursion.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Originally published in\u00a0Issue 29<\/a>\u00a0of Cannabis Now.\u00a0<\/em>LEARN MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

    TELL US,<\/strong> would you incorporate cannabis in your wedding?<\/p>\n

    The post How To Throw a Cannabis Wedding<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n


    \n
    \nRead More:     How To Throw a Cannabis Wedding<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A first toast to the newlyweds is a time-honored wedding tradition; it\u2019s a way to express goodwill to the new couple and join in raising a glass with the wedding party and guests. But imagine flipping the script and offering a \u201cfirst toke\u201d instead. That\u2019s exactly what some couples inContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":24770,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3761,50,99,85,3518,3762,3431,3763],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24769"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24771,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24769\/revisions\/24771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}