Couples are replacing open bars with open bongs, and the guests couldn’t be happier.
Welcome to the era of the weed wedding — the latest and greatest trend for hip couples getting hitched. Today’s brides-to-be are trading open bars for open bongs. They’re sparking a new kind of wedding tradition in the process.
But this is about more than the next wedding fad. Thanks to its relentless versatility, cannabis can be incorporated into nearly every aspect of the ceremony, from food to drink to recreational activity. Its increasing incorporation into one of life’s “big moments” is further proof that cannabis’ moment has arrived.
Weed Weddings: What the Experts Do
Perhaps no one has done a weed wedding quite so well as Dani Geen. A 31-year-old cannabis activist and dabbing expert, Geen made cannabis the theme of her recent Southern California nuptials.
To set the scene, her wedding was a beachside affair. The groomsmen wore cannabis leaf boutonnieres. Guests noshed on medicated brownies and macaroons. Bridesmaids clutched bouquets festooned with weed buds. As the couple committed to each other in eternal “I do,” members of the audience pulled out joints and puffed in celebration of the newlyweds.
Geen told Forbes that she spent about $8,000 on cannabis-related products to adorn her wedding. From the edible snacks to the take-home goodie bags stuffed full of special treats, cannabis infused most of the nuptial festivities. But not all of them.
The main dishes of the meal were weed-free, and beer, wine, and champagne were available for cannabis abstainers.
The bride and groom chose a cannabis theme not only because of her work, but because they both suffer from chronic conditions that cannabis medicates. They long ago ditched pain meds in favor of weed, and have been happier and healthier ever since. They wanted to pay tribute to the medicine that has given them so much. Better yet, it made a fun and pain-free wedding possible.
Coming to a Wedding Near You
A weed wedding isn’t just a flight of fancy for west coast activists. It’s beginning to be the new normal.
Weed wedding businesses are cropping up across the country to help brides dream, plan, and execute their perfect day with a little bit of greenery. The industry has grown so rapidly that one Cannabis Wedding Expo can’t contain it all. There are now five such events across the U.S. and one in Canada. These cover everything from hemp wedding dresses to cannabis-friendly event spaces.
Specialists now advise curious couples on how to best incorporate cannabis into their big day. They also advise couples on discussing the matter with grandparents and anti-cannabis guests.
What’s at a Weed Wedding?
So what exactly is offered in this Brave New World of weed weddings? Here are few hot items showing up:
- Bud Bars: These are like a cafeteria of cannabis. Bud bars offer patrons a variety of options of pre-rolled joints, edibles, and tinctures, usually listed by a chalkboard designator.
- Smoking Lounges: Some spaces prefer guests to get outside the venue to smoke. These little cottages or tents provide a classy and comfortable space to sample a hookah, roll a spliff, or smoke a bowl, all away from prying eyes and venue restrictions.
- Cannabis Limos: Large private luxury automobiles ferry guests to the big event and beyond, passing out joints and munchies during the ride.
- Smoking Centerpieces: Some weed weddings have employed hookahs or other smoking devices in the middle of guest tables to allow for easy access and sharing.
- CBD to Compensate: To accommodate cannabis-averse guests or in states without legal cannabis, some brides hand out cannabidiol gummy bears and other candies. Some will even pass around THC tests so guests can know for certain that they’re not running afoul of state laws.
- Really Nice Bongs: This may not be everyone’s cup of tincture, but there’s finally a use for those massive sculptures on display in head shops. Newlyweds are renting these thousand-plus dollar bubblers to add a touch of art to their big days.
Beyond Weed
Some wedding services that aren’t explicitly related to cannabis are also getting in on the act. In places like Colorado and California, wedding photographers and caterers are finding new and creative ways to signal their compatibility with a weed wedding.
In Plain Sight
Weed weddings may be new, but cannabis at a ceremony certainly is not. Many, many weddings already have a special “guest starring” role for weed. But it’s always been either behind closed doors or very hush-hush.
The real breakthrough of weed weddings is bringing something that was always kept in the background to the front and center. Instead of friends sneaking off behind the chapel to share a joint and celebrate, the new generation is fully owning their love of cannabis.
We’ve come a long way.
