Sustainability. That was the search that brought Megan and Dave to the doors of Gleam Sustainable Events. It’s right in the name, and Philadelphia was just a short drive from their home in New York City, so the choice was simple. And for Gleam, Earth- and animal-conscious couples like Megan and Dave is the reason they do weddings.
From their first meeting, Juliet Pennay, owner of Gleam, knew that what her couple had planned was special. It wasn’t just the way Megan’s eye’s lit up when she told them about Gleam’s food waste donation and composting program with Back to Earth Composting, but the way that they were engaged in the process. It was obvious the couple wanted their guests to know how important compassion was to them.
Compassion was the central theme of the wedding – an upscale urban picnic in chic hues of cornflower blue and pink. At each table, laid with accents of dark foliage and gold, the couple placed photos of adopted dogs they sponsored through Lucky Paws animal rescue in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in honor of the guests, as table numbers. The donation given went to the treatment and care of fourteen dogs.
Although their own beloved pets could not attend the event, Megan and Dave hired Crust Vegan Bakery to make two cakes in their likeness. The couple’s cat Lily, and their toothy, adorable Shi Tzu Graham, were drawn onto two twelve-inch cakes of the same flavors. not one, but three cakes of vanilla/speculoos buttercream and almond/almond buttercream. The third cake, a simple three-tiered cake made of alternating flavors to match the smaller ones, served as the centerpiece of the delicious desserts.
By and large the most fun part of the wedding were the food trucks.
“I’ve always wanted to do a food truck wedding,” said Juliet of their first meeting, laughing. “So when Megan and Dave sort of hesitantly mentioned food trucks I went – ‘YES! I’m in!’”
Furthering her dream come true was the choice of trucks the couple wanted. Looking to satisfy the taste buds of their vegan and omnivorous guests alike, the couple searched Philadelphia for the most original and delicious food trucks available. They eagerly chose the tried and true Local 215 and a newcomer to the scene, Randevoo Foodtruck. Both chefs tailored fun and inspired menus that not only complimented each other but melded with the Vietnamese cocktail hour catered by Pho Palace – conveniently owned by the groom’s mother.
No food truck wedding would be complete without a dessert truck, though, and Megan and Dave went with the best: Zsa’s Ice Cream. A staple in the local co-ops known for their decadent gourmet, handmade ice cream sandwiches, Zsa’s promised to impress.
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Just like any April wedding, rain was in the forecast, but the gleam of the white sail tent rose above the steeple of the Quaker Meeting House (Lahaska, PA) and into the sun. Megan and Dave said ‘I do’ with the pocket doors of the meeting house open to a warm breeze, beneath a beautiful floral chandelier arranged by Junebug Flowers. After the ceremony, the chandelier was moved to the gift table in the tent.
Gleam set each of the farmhouse tables with panama linens, gold-rimmed oval china, and matching flatware from A to Z Party Rentals. The space was met with audible gasps, and from food to finish the guests all agreed that the whole event truly reflected the couple’s style and love of life.
Toasts were given by the bride, groom, and their respective brothers as a cool wind blew in dark clouds. By six thirty the rain was coming down in buckets, but under the warm lights of the tents the guests didn’t notice. Finally, after the cake cutting and a little dancing by the younger crowd, Zsa’s Ice Cream rolled into the parking lot. As promised they did impress, setting up the shiny blue truck – lovingly named ‘Gatsby’ – under the sheets of rain, while guests unfurled their umbrellas and queued up to get their treats.
Staying true to the compassionate theme of the wedding, Megan and Dave graciously sent the leftover ice cream to the employees of Pho Palace and happily agreed to allow Local 215 and Randevoo to plate up their unserved food leftovers to be donated by FoodConnect to an organization in need in Philadelphia. The floral from the wedding was donated and given a second home by Forgetmeknot Floral, in New Jersey. Everything that could not be repurposed at the event was either composted or recycled, resulting in a shocking single bag of landfill garbage.
It can be said that sustainability and compassion go hand in hand, and Megan and Dave were able to give both of those things to their wedding guests – and to a local community – in so many ways with the help of Gleam Sustainable Events. It’s elements like these that turn a single event into a long, happy, sustainable life together.
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