It’s a Nice Day for a Green Wedding: When Cannabis Connoisseurs Get Hitched

Weddings are often about tradition. There is the dress and the vows and the dance and the tossing of the bouquet. But it appears a growing number of betrothed couples in states where recreational marijuana is now legal are forging a new tradition: Weed at the wedding. 

There are a lot of different ways couples are incorporating this.

For some, as Fox News noted, it involves “the first toke,” using a “unit bowl” that represents the blending of their two budding lives together – similar to what we see with the older traditions of the “unity candle’ or the “sand ceremony.” In other cases, as CNBC reports, there is at least one florist in Denver who at her “Buds & Blossoms” shop specializes solely on marijuana-infused weddings. She affixes floral wedding bouquets and centerpieces with buds of cannabis tucked among the hydrangeas and roses. And there are other couples who are inviting their guests to imbibe with “cannabis bars.” One company that caters to newlyweds in Seattle and Portland specializes in setting up outdoor cannabis bars (as many venues shy away from having the substance smoked or on display inside). 

Although the federal government continues to consider marijuana an illegal Schedule I substance, “weed weddings” are becoming increasingly popular. In November, California joined the ranks of states where marijuana is legal for recreational use for those over the age of 21. That list in total now includes Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and also Washington D.C.

This has allowed for expansive opportunities for specialty businesses hoping to break into the marijuana industry. There have been yoga studios, restaurants, spas, direct sales vendors and more who have hosted events or centered their entire business model on being marijuana-friendly.

As the market becomes more highly regulated and higher taxes are imposed, it’s estimated the legal cannabis industry is going to balloon from about $8 billion to about $20 billion over the course of the next five years.

As far as weddings go, some are referring to cannabis as “the new champagne.” Couples want to be able to consume and serve marijuana just like other couples do at these events with alcohol. Still, while the perception of pot users is that they are very laid back, the reality is they can’t be when it comes to planning an event that involves cannabis. Of course, all weddings require some attention to detail, but there are a lot of questions that arise when you want to have pot party favors or share a celebratory toke at the reception.

First, the venue and the vendors have to be pot-friendly. Some couples have been left high-and-dry when certain vendors (i.e., photographers, caterers, etc.) took issue with the free and open use of the drug. Some venues will refuse to allow it anywhere on site. Aside from that, for those who are sharing weed with the wedding guests, it’s usually wise to have a budtender on site who can roll joints, load up pipes and give advice on edibles to those who may not have imbibed before. They can also make sure the drug doesn’t get slipped to a guest who is underage, and help make sure guests aren’t over-served.

Our marijuana lawyers would also advise couples to make sure safe transportation is pre-arranged – for themselves and for guests. Having a guest suffer a marijuana DUI arrest or an impaired driving crash is not a stain you want to have on what should be one of the happiest days of your life.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Weed weddings no longer a pipe dream for cannabis connoisseurs, Jan. 26, 2017, By Lindsay Minerva, Fox News Travel

More Blog Entries:

Marijuana Tourism May Become Increasingly Common in California, Jan. 29, 2017, L.A. Marijuana Lawyer Blog