Vegan Weddings
From a picturesque California coastal ceremony to a magnificent backyard masquerade ball in Virginia, this year’s vegan wedding couples shatter stereotypes and exceed their own expectations for “the big day.”
By Abigail Young
Amanda Whitt Cohen & Edward Newman Smith, III
Fredericksburg, Texas
Guests: 75
Pricetag: $90,400
Best wedding gift: “Our guests taking the time to come all the way out to Fredericksburg and share this special occasion with us.”
Honeymoon: Belize
Tip for success: “Make everything about the wedding reflect your personality as a couple as much as possible.”
Their story: Amanda, a professional photographer, remembers visiting a Conroe, Texas, horse show in hopes of building her portfolio. Edward, former mayor of Marshall with his own elegant equine companions, invited her to sharpen her skills at his ranch. While she gracefully accepted, she didn’t quite make it. “We went to dinner instead when he came to Houston on business, and the rest is history,” says Amanda. Neither expected to fall in love, but both were relieved and ecstatic when they simultaneously confessed their feelings to each other. It was true love, and there was only one thing to do: host the most elaborate, luxurious vegan wedding they could imagine.
Wedding highlights: The three-day affair kicked off with an Italian-themed rehearsal dinner catered by Amanda and Edward’s venue, the Trois Estate. Gourmet entrees were followed with not one, but four flavors of vegan cheesecake, proclaimed by all to be the “best cheesecake we ever had.” The wedding day didn’t fall short of spectacular moments, starting with the rooftop ceremony as evening set in. The love-struck couple said their vows with a view of Enchanted Rock, before retiring to the Estate’s museum ballroom for the reception. Another round of vegan cuisine was served, convincing any hesitant guests that vegans do not “just eat radishes and sprouts.” Live music took the celebration well into the night, including the talented vegan songstress Carley Wolf. If the breathtaking ceremony, elaborate details, and delicious wedding favors—vegan salsa and wine—weren’t enough, the couple treated guests to a Sunday brunch catered by San Antonio’s veg gem, Green.
The Menu
Appetizers
Veggie summer rolls on Thai salad
Sun-dried tomato, artichoke, and olive mini tartlette with basil pesto
Main Course
Baby artichokes with quinoa nut stuffing
Dessert
Pina colada cake with coconut, pineapple, and rum
Chocolate-espresso cake with raspberry filling
Meet all of our 2009 Vegan Wedding Couples:
Carmen Flora & Harry Pianko (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Ginger Burr & Marion Davis (Lynn, Mass.)
Brandy Humes & Richard Brooks (Hamilton, ON)
Katie Donaldson & Dan Paul (Elk, Calif.)
Robin Henderson & Nathan Williams (Roxbury, NY)
Amanda Whitt Cohen & Edward Newman Smith, III (Fredericksburg, Texas)
Megan Flora & Nathan Downs (Leesburg, Va.)
Jennifer Jones & Barry Horton (Fort Bragg, Calif.)
For a complete list of caterers, dressmakers, and photographers from each of this year’s wedding couples, visit our 2009 Guide to Vegan Weddings.
Interested in being a part of next year's VegNews Wedding Feature? Apply here!
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Posted: Jul 02 2009 06:32AM By Fajer
the wedding menue seems SO GOOD!!!
Posted: Jul 27 2009 14:45PM By Diana
I think it's quite generous. Think of the great time the guests, friends and family had and if the guests weren't vegan it might have changed their minds. How does the economy get stimulated without people spending money, Lodi? In fact everyone was probably excited about the free food!
Posted: Aug 06 2009 11:50AM By Candy@VeganBride.com
Wowsa! Good for them, says me. I don't have nearly that amount to spend on our up-coming vegan nuptials, however I thank them for sharing the intimate & special details of their celebration with us, & I think their vegan efforts should be applauded. The question of what is gratuitous to be spent on a wedding is relative. For some, 10k is UNHEARD of (in my church, it's common for people to have an event in the gym & serve cake & juice, that's it! It blows some people's mind that we'd actually have a catered event, with favors, a paid dj, etc.!) For others, a once in a lifetime event is worth 1/20 of their savings, or??? We don't know their finances, charitable contributions, what sacrifices they may have made, etc. so I don't feel too much in a position to defend or criticize them. I will say I'm sure many minds were opened that weekend so I'm happy to see another couple choosing to celebrate in this (in our case, sadly very controversial) fashion! Thank you!! :) C
Posted: Feb 02 2010 11:03AM By Carley Wolf
This was the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to. The flowers were amazing, the food absolutely delicious, the views spectacular, and everyone terrifically happy, hospitable, and congenial. I am very happy I was able to share my music with these wonderful people.
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