Letter From the Editor:
When my wife Allison and I married more than a decade ago, the term “green wedding” was, at least to my knowledge, yet to be invented. In fact, had a couple mentioned that their wedding was a “green” event, I probably would have assumed they were describing either: a) an inexperienced officiant who bungled their ceremony; or b) the flesh tones of their guests following a reception dinner gone horribly wrong. For example, I once heard of a ritzy reception aboard a yacht that turned particularly ugly when the seas became heavy and the Dramamine was in short supply.
Today, of course, everyone knows “green.” Al Gore just accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts regarding climate change, and every corner store seems to have a section dedicated to organic and otherwise eco-friendly products.
Happily, it seems as though we are all finally starting to acknowledge our responsibility to the planet, even if we don’t know exactly what to do about it. For example, I seem to continually forget whether the responsible choice is paper or plastic when I’m standing in line at the grocery checkout. (I researched the subject online and it turns out experts with cogent arguments exist on either side of the debate.)
Couples planning weddings have started to embrace the eco-friendly trend as well, even if in relatively modest ways. With that in mind, you’ll find an earthy quality inside this edition of Cincinnati Wedding. Nowhere is this return-to-earth theme more elegantly executed than in Natural Beauty (page 58), a series of photographs taken at Indian Hill’s stunning Greenacres Arts Center.
Completed in 1927 for yeast-company-heir Julius Fleischmann, this sprawling estate and its surrounding lands were eventually purchased by prominent Cincinnatian Mrs. Louis Nippert—through the nonprofit Greenacres Foundation she created with an eye toward conserving green space in Indian Hill. Today, the Greenacres Foundation (www.green-acres.org) offers an array of programs aimed at teaching children about the environment, sustainable agriculture and cultural arts. Further, after an extensive restoration, the arts center now doubles as an event venue that hosts, among other things, weddings.
Despite all the conversation about “green weddings,” the fact remains that many view their wedding as the one time in life to be as extravagant as they (or their parents) can afford. Just read Coleen Armstrong’s profile of the union between Britney Ruby (daughter of Cincinnati restaurant giant Jeff Ruby) and Cincinnati Bengal Caleb Miller for a taste of the high-glitz knot tying (page 84).
My take? Plan the wedding you think will bring you a smile 30 years from now. If that means using only biodegradable stationery, wearing a hand-me-down gown and serving locally grown, organic food at your reception, then great. If that means a 10-foot-high chocolate fountain and a 40-foot-long Hummer limo that burns more gas than a small country, then that’s OK too...for one day.
The other 364 days a year, let’s try to follow Mrs. Nippert’s example and retain as much of the world’s green spaces as possible.
Steve Smith, Editor
sjsmith@cintimag.emmis.com