Bongs and Bouquets: How To Have A Weed-Friendly Wedding

Though white-haired buzz-kill Jeff Sessions may be trying to stop it, the U.S. continues to move towards legalizing marijuana. If you’re in the midst of planning your wedding, that opens up some intriguing possibilities. There’s a new question in the lexicon of engaged people: “How do I have a weed-friendly wedding?”

The answer is: any way you like. From serving weed at an open bar and stuffing custom joints into the gift bags to hemp wedding dresses and custom labels on edibles there are numerous ways to celebrate a marijuana marriage.

What you can actually incorporate into your big day depends on the state in which the ceremony is taking place, the venue where it’s taking place, the attitude of your guests, and the availability of the way-kind bud in your area.

Of course, this being the wedding industry, plenty of services have sprung up to address the issue of cannabis-themed nuptials. Cultivating Spirits is an events planning company that curates bachelor parties (among other events) where weed is treated like fine wine, pairing small hits of specific strains to bring out the flavor of food, wine and craft beer. There’s even an annual Cannabis Wedding Expo where herb-oriented wedding-planning services like LoveandMarij and Irie Weddings & Events can network.

Plenty of cannabis-centric wedding rituals have started to gain traction. Our favorite is a wedding ceremony with a “unity bowl” (a double hitter glass pipe with two flames to light one bowl, allowing the couple to take their first “married hit” together).

But let’s not get too high on all the positive vibes just yet. At the time of writing, only eight states allow for legal recreational marijuana use, and it still remains illegal at the federal level. If you aren’t getting married in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, or Maine, you may have to limit your pot-centric activities to that old standard: ducking out to the parking lot to get high with the wait staff.

But if you are going to go for something more open, remember these five tips:

1) Don’t Bogart

Just because you’re in love with Maryjane, doesn’t mean your wedding has to devolve into a stereotypical stoner scene: bongs at the tables, everybody sitting around getting high. A good way to keep the party inclusive is to remember the medical benefits of the good green. Uncle Abe’s arthritis keeping him off the dance floor? Offer him some CBD (Cibaderm Cannabidiol)-based skin care products. And transdermal patches are a great way to take away the pain of high heels.

2) Tip Your Budtender

Companies like Sweet Grass Kitchen and Julie’s Natural Edibles offer low-dose edibles—and we emphasize the need for low-dose, especially for newbies.

The recommended milligram dosage is 3 to 5 mg of THC for a first-time consumer. It’s wise to hire a budtender, to slow down that tipsy guest with a sweet tooth who wants to wolf down a bowl of hash brownies (see #5 below).

3) Stock Up On Munchies

Make sure your caterer remembers you will need some extra munchies. At the end of the night, the combination of chronic, fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies has been scientifically proven to take the edge off of even the most uptight bride- or groom-zilla.

4) Clear The Air

Remember, weed isn’t for everyone. Grandma shouldn’t be forced to get a contact high. Set up a discreet smoking area—ideally a private smoking lounge that’s well-ventilated and located far away from the kids. Or limit it to vaping or edibles. Your wedding venue shouldn’t turn into a hotbox.

5) Hire An Expert

If you can afford a DJ, you can afford a cannabis sommelier, pros like Top Shelf Budtending: someone who knows his Sour Diesel from his Purple Kush. You will also want a joint roller extraordinaire, and ideally, a qualified shaman who is familiar with the Amazonian tradition in which medicine men and women blow clouds of smoke over and around “passengers” to bless and protect them on their journeys. And most importantly, hire designated drivers to get everyone back to the hotel without incident.