… and planted a native forest!

We think ending 2020 with a wedding is a beautiful symbol of hope and resilience. It’s even better when the couple getting married have decided to plant trees to mark the occasion.

On 31 December Emelie and Peter will celebrate their love in front of a small group of family and friends at Point Lonsdale in Victoria. Even though Covid logistics have necessarily trimmed the guest list the couple have decided to carry on and plant their original small forest of 100 trees. One to honour every special person they’d hoped would be there on the day.

Planting trees as part of a wedding says so much about the couple involved. It tells us they care about the planet they live on; they truly value their guests; and that they must be thoughtful, humane and generous people. In this case, Em and Pete’s trees are also a direct reflection of how they live their lives. They spend lots of time walking in the bush or seeking out secluded beaches, and they do what they can to reduce their environmental footprint by finding ways to live sustainably every day.

Fifteen Trees has arranged for Em and Pete’s trees to be planted in the Brisbane Ranges, just 70km from Point Lonsdale where they are being married. One hundred native trees and shrubs will find their feet in our ancient land, and spend their lives giving shelter, food and support to the surrounding ecosystem. What a poetic way to honour and celebrate lasting love.

As most of you know (or have seen on Instagram), we love the great outdoors! We can often be found spending time in nature, either walking in the bush or visiting secluded beaches. We also are conscious of their environmental footprint, and do what we can to live more sustainably.

So, when planning our wedding we thought … rather than buying a small gift or bonbonniere for our beautiful guests we would plant trees! One tree for every guest. Even though our wedding plans had to reduce in scale, we decided to carry on and plant 100 trees to honour the day – a genuine little forest! From us to you with love.

Thank you for sharing our special day with us.

Emelie and Pete

Thank you to Emelie & Peter and Fifteen Trees for your contribution to Brisbane Ranges Landcare Group for 100 indigenous trees and shrubs.  We appreciate your support. And so does the planet. These trees and shrubs will help protect the older River Gum trees who are vulnerable to disease, pests and weather when they don’t have the support of vegetation around them.

Wishing you a sustainable and happy future together.

Robert Hall | President | Brisbane Ranges Landcare Group.

We absolutely adore the growing movement in the wedding world toward replacing traditional bonbonniere gifts with environmentally friendly alternatives. Who needs an embossed, cobweb-collecting candle when you can take your place in a forest? What’s a sugared almond compared to a little piece of habitat for vulnerable species?

Writer – Sarah Hart.

Sarah is an artist whose passions include the stories and experiences of women and narrative driven creative work. Her aim is to delight, to reveal glimpses of everyday beauty, and to celebrate flights of the ordinary. Sarah works across a range of media, with an abiding interest in pen and ink, mixed media and the human form. You can find Sarah here.