Watch the Love Grow

The wedding’s earth-friendly will be featured throughout the show’s storyline, starting in March and culminating with the nuptials of Sami and Lucas in May.  The storyline will feature Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of THEKNOT.COM, who will help to provide overall style, expertise and vision in the creation of a green wedding.  Also collaborating on the big event are The Hidden Garden Floral Designs, Monique Lhuillier, Tacori, NancyKay's Confections, Debbie Geller of Geller Events and chef Ben Ford of Ford’s Filling Station.

In lieu of gifts, Sami and Lucas request that donations be made to the United States Fund for UNICEF. In support of UNICEF's work, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF focuses on five major priorities: education, emergencies, HIV/AIDS, immunization, malnutrition and water & sanitation. Get more information and donate now.

Planning Your Own

How do you plan your own green wedding?  It can include everything from pesticide-free flowers to biodegradable favors, but it doesn’t have to lack style. You can have the wedding of your dreams and be a princess for a day without impacting the environment.  Visit daysofourlives.com every week for updates on Sami and Lucas’s eco-friendly wedding and tips to turn your own world green.

For now, we’ll bust some Green Wedding Myths, courtesy of The Knot:

FALSE: Throwing rice is bad for birds

Who hasn't heard the old saw that if guests throw rice when you leave the church, birds that eat it will be unable to digest it and die (or worse, some say they explode!). Rest easy that if you choose to go that traditional route -- rice symbolizes fertility and prosperity -- no birds will be harmed. While sources disagree about how this story got started, there is agreement that birds are not harmed by rice. If you are interested in a rice alternative (since some sites have banned it), check out Ecofetti (Ecoparti.com), biodegradable confetti that dissolves in water for easy cleanup.

FALSE: Butterfly releases are safe and natural

Releasing farm-raised butterflies can be disruptive or even disastrous for local butterfly populations, especially if the just-released are a non-native species or diseased. Even if this isn't a problem, the butterflies you release don't have a great chance of survival. For an alternative, consider a dove release -- these domesticated homing birds will return to their handlers. (For more info about butterfly releases, go to NABA.org.)

FALSE: Artificial flowers are eco-friendly

Sure, using fake flowers saves some real stems, but most artificial flowers are not made in an environmentally friendly manner. Synthetic fabric or plastic flowers are petroleum-based, creating hazardous waste and using up a nonrenewable resource. If you must go faux, choose all silk flowers.

For more tips and hints to plan your own wedding, go to http://www.theknot.com.

NancyKay’s Confections

Every girl wants the most beautiful cake in the world and NancyKay is the girl to go to.

For over 10 years, NancyKay has brought a lifetime of passion for pastry and her artistic sensibilities to designing cakes. She creates upscale, ‘contemporary classic’ wedding cakes. NancyKay accepts a limited number of consultations to offer the most attentive service possible.

"I continue to stand in awe of the wedding cake. It is magical! As the focal point of your wedding reception, it must be made to the highest standards, as you will share it with your family and friends to celebrate the most special occasion of your life. Let this truly be the cake of your dreams!" -NancyKay

For Sami and Lucas’ green wedding, the cake will be made of organic flour, organic dairy products, free range eggs and other natural ingredients.

Click here for more on NancyKay’s Confections.

Ben Ford of Ford’s Filling Station

Ben Ford. Hm. Name sounds familiar. And when you see him, there’s something about him that’s vaguely familiar, as well, something you probably wouldn’t be able to put your finger on without a little prompting. So here’s the prompt. He’s the son of actor Harrison Ford (you know – Han Solo. Indiana Jones). But he’s more than making a name for himself as a chef and restaurateur.

Ben Ford’s trip to becoming a chef began with a baseball injury in college; he left the University of Southern California for the University of Dijon, in the heart of Burgundy, France, where the food and wine are renowned, even by French standards. There, he gained inspiration from the burgeoning Slow Food movement, a movement that seeks to reconnect people with the food they eat, where it comes from, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

After he returned to the States, Ford continued his studies at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, then further explored seasonal, organic and local ingredients with Alice Waters of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse.

In 1999, Ford opened Chadwick, a restaurant that took its name from Alan Chadwick, a guru of organic gardening who developed something he called the “French Intensive” style. This technique uses raised beds to grow abundant produce in a small space, while still using sustainable practices. The restaurant Chadwick had a garden out back that provided about 10% of the produce and was cultivated according to these principles. Ford planned the restaurant’s menu around what was freshest, that day.

Now Ford has opened Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City, California. It follows the British gastropub concept and turns it into something decidedly American. The idea behind the gastropub is to serve high-quality food in un-pretentious settings. Chef Ford explores American regional cuisine and his deftness in the kitchen, along with serious respect for individual ingredients, elevates the dishes with fine-dining flair.

Ben Ford will be creating an organic menu to be served at Chez Rouge for Sami and Lucas’ reception – and maybe swapping recipes with Maggie.

Want to know how to whip up one of your own Ben Ford recipes? Click here.

Click here for more on Ford’s Filling Station.

Tacori

The rings that Sami and Lucas will exchange come from Tacori, a company famous for their signature crescent silhouette trademarked design. Tacori is a highly-regarded jewelry designer that creates unique platinum and diamond styles. Every design is hand-crafted by expert artisans in California and incorporates the Tacori "touch,” which is the exquisite detail that makes each piece gorgeous from every angle.

Tacori is a green business, certified with special permits that show that they are non-polluting and non-smog producing. Processing raw platinum and gold requires tremendous heating/cooling capacities; however, they have installed a special water refining system that cleans and purifies all water that exits their headquarters. All of the "ovens” in which the rings are made have special filters which ensure that they do not release smog, smoke or other harmful pollutants into the environment.

In addition, Tacori made the decision that all of their manufacturing, marketing, customer service, etc., would take place under one roof in California. What that means from an environmental standpoint is a reduced reliance on overseas manufacturing or employee outsourcing, meaning they save on fuel resources.

And they still make some of the most gorgeous rings on the market. Lucky Sami! Make sure to watch May 1 when Lucas presents Sami with her new ring.

Monique Lhuillier

While still a student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Monique Lhuillier decided she wanted to specialize in bridal and evening gowns. She was sidetracked for awhile after graduating but, while planning her own wedding, her focus on the dress was reborn and in 1996 she launched her first bridal collection. The next year, Tom Bugbee, Monique’s husband, took over the company and their collaboration has proved to be very successful. In 2001, Monique designed her first evening wear collection and it has developed into a complete ready-to-wear line.

Today, Monique Lhuillier is considered one of the leading innovative fashion houses in terms of design, quality and brand image. The Monique Lhuillier boutique, in the heart of Beverly Hills, offers world-class service and a wide selection of her latest ready-to-wear and bridal collections

The dress for Sami and Lucas’ wedding will be created out of silk, but parts of it, including beading, embroidery or petticoats, may not be "green." Remember: Do the best you can while planning your eco-friendly wedding, while knowing that you may not be able to avoid some non-green elements.

The Hidden Garden & Geller Events

Amy Child Marella’s passion for floral design and creative expertise are the guiding forces behind the success of The Hidden Garden Floral Design. Amy began by creating arrangements for friends and family as a hobby. Her undeniable gift combined with a fierce entrepreneurial spirit led Amy to open The Hidden Garden Floral Designs in 1999. She quickly established herself as a top florist in Los Angeles for everyday flowers, premiere entertainment events, weddings, formal galas, awards ceremonies, holidays and everything in between.

The Hidden Garden boasts beautiful and innovative designs that cater to the unconventional needs of her clients. They are known for incorporating nontraditional elements, such as wine bottles, fruit and textiles, into classic arrangements, creating works of art certain to impress family, friends and business associates.

To keep it green, many of the flowers for the LUMI green wedding will be living arrangements – in other words, potted plants, that can be transplanted and reused. All the cut flowers are organic and grown pesticide-free.

Geller Events

Geller Events is a boutique wedding and event coordination firm that specializes in planning events in the Los Angeles area and worldwide. Understanding the unique needs of their clients is of primary importance in creating a blueprint for a fabulous celebration. First, Geller Events evaluates their client’s needs and helps them to understand and further develop their personal style and vision. Then they utilize creativity to construct a unique plan for an event that will indelibly remain in the minds and hearts of the guests. Life gives us many reasons to celebrate; Geller Events helps their clients to illustrate these reasons.

Debbie Geller brings to the table over sixteen years of experience coordinating one-of-a-kind weddings. With a background in food, graphic arts and design, she is uniquely qualified to expertly advise clients on all aspects of their events. Celebrities and other high profile individuals who want their wedding to be both creative and flawlessly executed have entrusted us with the most important day in their lives. Whether modern or traditional, romantic or streamlined – Geller Events create unforgettable environments.

Debbie Geller also has years of experience planning green events of all kinds and has helped coordinate all the elements of Sami and Lucas’ green wedding.