Carrie & Eli

Real Weddings

Carrie & Eli

July 31, 2010 at the Enchanted Barn in Hillsdale

By:

Megan McCarty

photography by:

When long-time couple Carrie Schauer and Eli Vanden Wymelenberg married, they made sure the environment wasn't going to pay for it. Starting with the proposal, Eli presented Carrie with a conflict-free diamond set in her mother's wedding band. Then at their Enchanted Barn wedding, during which they exchanged silent vows in a Hindu ceremony, everything was environmentally friendly—from 100 percent compostable cups to plates made from fallen bamboo leaves. No plastic was in site and recyling and compost bins were labeled with signs made out of old barn wood. (Carrie's uncle is to thank for those.) After the ceremony, the relaxed atmosphere continued: adults played yard games and kids indulged in a craft table that included clay pots to decorate, homemade buddles and hula hoops Carrie made. Dinner and dancing followed, during which Carrie and Eli could breathe easy—their wedding was not only friendly to the environment, but also their bank accounts, as they successfully kept to their $10,000 budget.

Gown: Nicole Miller, altered and reworked by a local seamstress | Groom's apparel: Gap pants, H&M shirt | Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew | Flowers: Wild Flower Wedding | Music: Blooms & Tunes | Photobooth: Mobile Photo Booth | Cake: Cheesecake made by groom's mother, using locally grown ingredients | Favors: Gift baskets made by bride and bridesmaids filled with homemade strawberry jam, homemade salsa, organic wild flower seeds, handmade soap from a local vendor and peat moss | Dinnerware: VerTerra