How to Have a Cannabis-Themed Wedding

How to Have a Weed-Wedding

There is a growing trend in weddings: Instead of champagne, people are celebrating with cannabis. Couples in places like Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and California have been incorporating the heady herbal refreshment into their nuptials at a growing rate, driving a whole new economy of weed-related wedding services. Couples can hire wedding planners who specialize in cannabis coordination, bow tie–clad “budtenders” to man the open bud bar, and even high-end transportation companies that come complete with a joint-rolling concierge.

Cannabis activist and owner of Harborside Dispensary in Oakland, Steve D’Angelo said, “The secret is that cannabis is probably a part of most American weddings whether or not the whole family knows it or not. It’s consumed discreetly and in private. Now it’s coming out of those shadows into the public realm.”

Cannabis also does wonders for intimacy, according to D’Angelo. “It opens you to more sensual experiences. It allows men, especially young men, to match their sexual rhythm to a woman’s rhythm,” he said.

Considering a weed-wedding? Here are some of the things you may want to include in your cannabis-themed event:

The Weed Bar – Hire a good budtender to make sure that everyone is happy and getting the right stuff for them. Some people set up a weed tent in a different location from the reception tent. That way it is not the center of the reception; rather, it was just another activity the bride and groom were hosting. Others make the entire event one big smoking area.

You may also want an edibles bar featuring all kinds of goodies.

Tomer Grassiany of artisanal cannabis-chocolate company To Whom it May, says that guests who trade booze for bud “are much more likely to be well behaved, less likely to be aggressive.”

Serving marijuana at a wedding reception isn't altogether different from offering alcoholic drinks. "It's actually cheaper than liquor," says Adrian Sedlin, chief executive officer of Canndescent, a California grower that has put on bud bars for weddings. "There's a lot more buzz for the buck in cannabis than in alcohol." For a 100-person wedding, Cultivating Spirits offers a bud bar for $300 for a minimum of two hours, with an additional $100 per hour beyond that. A typical bud bar might include pre-rolled joints, vaporizers, and glass pipes. Some couples choose to add bongs, edibles, and cannabis cocktails to the mix.

But there's no risk of marijuana bars cutting into the boozy reputation of weddings. A budtender is more of a supplement than a replacement, explained Stephanie Cain, an editor at the Knot, a wedding marketplace and publication. "Its another amenity for guests and the couple to partake in," she says.

Tables - At a weed wedding, every table is cannabis-themed. The centerpieces are often beautiful bouquets that include bud plants, and each table will have its own personal supply of weed to share and enjoy together. The wedding planner will usually place a bong or glass pipe to smoke out of at every table. Bonus points if they're engraved with the bride and groom's names. Finally, the crowd will be as high as the best man, so we can see how funny the speech was meant to be.

Flowers - Chas Thompson is the florist behind Wildflower Portland, and she is well-practiced in incorporating cannabis leaves and flowers into her custom designs. She says, “More than anything, being cannabis friendly creates a space for open dialogue. The joy in my job is knowing my couples can talk to me about the ‘taboo’ and that together we can collaborate on a vision that is honest to them.” Not to mention, she finds that potential clients perceive her use of the marijuana plant to be creative and forward-thinking. She says, “A majority of my couples come to me wanting something unique, and because I am cannabis friendly they wonder, what else can she do? The answer is a lot!”

At one of her favorite weddings, she incorporated sativa branches into the floral arrangements and cannabis flowers into the boutonnieres. “You could see the boutonnieres getting smaller and smaller as the night went on, which was both hilarious and my exact intention,” she says. “It's not as if cannabis wasn't at weddings before, but bud was in the background.” She says that bridal parties, friends, and family who smoked often did it in secret because they felt they had to hide it. “Now, on the west coast, cannabis can be enjoyed at wedding receptions, and it's a detail that can be as thoughtful as the decor or the catering.” Chas looks forward to the day that wholesale floral markets offer cannabis garlands, but she knows at that point “the creatives and I will be on to something else.”

Wedding Cake With A Kick

Rachelle Harris, who runs a San Diego-based bakery called Got Sweetz, ventured into CBD oil-infused desserts less than two years ago. Although she spent nearly a decade in the traditional bakery goods space, she couldn’t ignore the significant uptick in customers who wanted a feel-good wedding cake. Her most popular varieties are chocolate Nutella and vanilla-strawberry puree.

Jewelry – No weed wedding is complete without some cannabis inspired jewelry!

GENIFER M makes artisan designed jewelry, hand-crafted in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. The smart line includes sharp looking cannabis themed leather bracelets and cuff links for the groom, and gorgeous diamond leaf pendants and earrings for the bride.

The company’s unique gemstone molecule necklaces are the perfect gifts for the wedding party.

Accoutrements – Some couples hand out joints as a wedding favor branded with their names on the rolling paper. You can even get rolling papers made with 14k gold. Philip Wolf, the co-founder of the Cannabis Wedding Expo, which showcases industry products and services, said: “Down the road, people won’t call it a cannabis wedding, because bud bars will be normalized. Smoking creates a bonding aspect. People did it in ancient times. It enhances conversations.”

The Wedding Gown - Are you feeling out of place in the sea of white, fluffy, taffeta wedding dresses and stiff tuxedos? There are places where you can find truly Unique Wedding Dresses and Bespoke Suits, custom-made for you. New wedding dress designs featuring hemp fabrics are perfect for the bride that wants every detail perfect. Tara Lynn Bridal has all types of beautiful gowns for the special occasion.

Event Space - It's safe to say that for reception venue owners in most states, the laws and policies are vague. Generally speaking, the new laws allow smoking on private properties and venues with the owner's permission only.

One couple wanted to ensure their guests could smoke or vape freely and feel comfortable enough to relax afterwards, so they brought a colorful “giant dome” they call “the shady waffle.” Filled with comfortable lounge chairs and couches, it provided a perfect way for guests to unwind. A bluegrass band plays inside as guests enjoyed dancing the jig.

You may want a cannabis-friendly wedding, but the venue that’s hosting your nuptials may not be of the same mindset. “Always get the permission of the venue where you will be holding the event, regardless of the laws of your state and local government,” says Jessica McElfresh, a criminal defense attorney in San Diego.

“Some venues may have the right to prohibit marijuana use on their premises, and it may still be prohibited in public spaces, such as on the street outside of the venue,” says McElfresh. Even venues in states where pot is recreationally legal may be hesitant about overtly allowing it. A cannabis-heavy wedding reception could theoretically affect their liability.

There are, of course, ways to maneuver around some of the obvious complaints—like the scent of marijuana. “If the couple is interested in burning or smoking weed at the wedding or reception, I advise incorporating white sage to burn, too. Sage can overpower the smell of marijuana, but it also has historically spiritual, religious, and ceremonial affiliations,” says Ivy Lumpkin, a certified wedding planner, venue manager, and owner of Voulez Events in San Francisco. “Venues are less inclined to infringe upon spiritual or religious rituals requested by the client.”

The best rule of thumb, no matter what you’re planning, is to always check the rules on cannabis consumption. Your state or local government may license the sale of cannabis, but that does not mean that consuming cannabis at all locations is legal. Individual cities and counties within states that have legalized marijuana use may be allowed to enact their own bans.

The wedding Night - To make the night even more arousing, incorporate cannabis-infused – hemp, CBD, THC – intimate care and sexual wellness products into your lovemaking. Products like Foria promise to "bring to your fingertips the power of ancient plant medicine to inspire deep healing and unlock profound pleasures."

One user wrote: "Could I get addicted to putting weed up my vagina? and the answer is, yes. Yes, I could. But the other thing is, it was such a unique sensation that I don't think I'd want that every time I had sex. It's nice to feel spacey and out of your mind when you're doing it, but it's also nice to be fully present and in control. This is something that I'd only do with someone I felt fully comfortable getting weird with, and then only on special occasions. But during those times? Hell yes; it was a blast to be both completely relaxed and gorgeously sensuous.”

However, the product does have some drawbacks that are admittedly not unique to it, but rather, are common in most cannabis products. “Oh my goodness, I ate so many snacks,” one user wrote. “There are no snacks left on this planet because I consumed them.”