Photographs by Kemp Collective, Sarah Culver, Whitney Nicole Photography
An interview with Shannon Wright and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation
The Chesapeake Bay is a centerpiece of Maryland geography. It’s a quintessential sight to see boats of all kinds on the glistening blue waters and individuals enjoying the sandy shores. Restaurants and residences alike boast waterfront views. And you can’t talk about Maryland’s waterways without mentioning the crabs everyone loves to eat.
Many couples dream of having a wedding with the Chesapeake Bay as a backdrop. Venues throughout Annapolis and the Eastern Shore attract couples who want a picturesque, coastal wedding day. Picture light blues and creams, natural materials, and lush florals against the Bay’s calming waters.
But it’s often understated how important the Bay is. While many Marylanders enjoy these waters, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed stretches up into Pennsylvania and New York, covering an area of over 64,000 acres, where more than 18 million people live.
It’s a critical resource people in the area rely on for their jobs, for their enjoyment, and for their general way of life.
A Clean Bay is a Happy Bay
With lush green foliage giving way to waves gently lapping onto sandy beaches, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is a beautiful place to host a wedding. However, it’s more than a wedding venue. It’s the largest regional nonprofit dedicated to saving the Bay. Their main goal is to improve the Chesapeake Bay’s water quality, which benefits both the area’s ecosystem and its people.
The Bay’s water quality affects everyday lives throughout the watershed, from the quality of drinking water to the abundance of locally-sourced food. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation emphasizes, “It’s a critical resource people in the area rely on for their jobs, for their enjoyment, and for their general way of life.”
Pollution and climate change challenge the health of the Bay. Species that are fixtures in these waters, like blue crabs and striped bass, are struggling. “People who rely on those critters and a clean Bay can suffer, too, if we don’t reduce our pollution.”
The Foundation focuses on “preventing pollution at its source.” Through advocacy and, when needed, litigation, they tackle pollution from wastewater treatment plants, industry, farms, and urban and suburban areas. Their team is also hands-on in their restoration, planting trees, placing more oysters in the Bay’s waters, and improving shoreline resiliency.
Weddings Can Protect the Bay
The Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, located in Annapolis, is the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s headquarters and where weddings are held. Beyond being beautiful, it’s the world’s first LEED Platinum building. At the time it was built, about 20 years ago, the LEED committee only had a Gold standard certification. When the committee came to review the building, it exceeded the Gold requirements, prompting the LEED committee to create and award the Platinum standard to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
The building produces about 135 kWh of electricity through the solar panels. It uses 80 percent less water than conventional buildings. And during the construction, they sought to disturb the land as little as possible, incorporating and protecting the surrounding native wetlands and wildlife habitats.
Shannon Wright, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Wedding and Events Manager, explains that weddings here contribute to Bay conservation as soon as they’re booked. The revenue from hosting events goes right back to the Foundation and supporting its mission. But the Chesapeake Bay Foundation takes it a step further to create truly sustainable weddings.
The Foundation strives to produce as little waste as possible by recycling cardboard and paper products and composting food waste. Their team also swaps single-use plastic for compostable alternatives in the case of flatware and drinking glasses.
One of a wedding day’s smallest details is prohibited on the grounds: confetti. Many couples opt to throw confetti as they recess down the aisle or exit from their reception. While confetti and loose glitter can make for unique photos, the small particles can pollute waterways and harm local wildlife. Small swaps and omissions like this can make an event much greener.
Every Wedding Can Be Sustainable
Making weddings more sustainable can be as simple as a few swaps. Eliminating single-use plastic is one. “With their favors, we’ve had folks that offered pint glasses to their guests or a fun metal cup with their wedding logo or their date,” Wright says of previous Chesapeake Bay Foundation couples. Guests can use these reusable glasses for water or drinks at the wedding, then take them home at the end of the night as a memento.
Vendors are one of the biggest impacts on wedding sustainability. “There are a lot of local florists that farm and grow flowers that are local to Maryland. That’s where [couples] are choosing to get their flowers. Beyond that, they’re not using floral foam, which is bad for the environment; they’re putting them in glass vessels [instead].” Opting for locally-grown flowers can help reduce carbon emissions, especially when compared to shipping out-of-season blooms. Similarly, opting for caterers who serve a farm-to-table menu with locally-sourced ingredients can make a wedding even more eco-friendly.
There are a lot of local florists that farm and grow flowers that are local to Maryland. That’s where [couples] are choosing to get their flowers. Beyond that, they’re not using floral foam, which is bad for the environment; they’re putting them in glass vessels [instead].
Using recycled paper, seed paper, or digital invitations can help reduce waste leading up to the big day. Renting decor not only saves money but also prevents overconsumption and waste. And the most delicious way for a more sustainable wedding? Edible favors. Popcorn, cookies, and jars of sauces instead of trinkets reduce plastic waste and give your guests a way to continue enjoying your wedding in the days after.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has a commitment to planning sustainable weddings that protect the Bay. But if you’re getting married elsewhere in Maryland, sustainable swaps during the planning process can help protect these waters too.
