Oregon’s legalization of marijuana has led to the creation of weed bars at some weddings. It’s one of the more unusual, but timely, trends when it comes to weddings. “It was absolutely beautiful,” Cathy Marshall said about one of the first couples to incorporate that twist into their big day.
Source: WPXI News
The summer wedding of John Elledge and Whitey Alexander included a marijuana tent on the family Christmas tree farm.
“We were shocked at the response,” Elledge said. “People loved it.”
The groom said he’s still hearing about his wedding.
“I’m still getting 15 to 20 texts a day from people, saying what a life-changing event that was and what a great experience it was to have the smoke tent there,” Elledge said.
The California couple used Bridal Bliss to plan the day. They say it was their first request for a cannabis bar.
“We posted a couple of photos from that wedding on Instagram and Facebook, and they have just blown up,” said Nora Sheils, the owner of Bridal Bliss. “They’ve gone viral. People either love it, think it’s a fun idea or hate it and think it’s disgusting.”
The key for the Bridal Bliss wedding planner was safety, by providing transportation for all guests.
“I thought maybe it would pull a lot of people away from the reception and that a lot of people would be hanging out in the tent, but it was the exact opposite. People just kind of popped in,” said the wedding planner, Elizabeth Corr.
The couple came up with the product and hired “The Bud Tender” to control consumption.
“With the new recreational laws, you can only have up to eight ounces on private property. We had about 13 different strains there,” Elledge said.
At the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, they admit this is new territory.
Weed bars are not allowed any place that has a liquor license, like a restaurant. People with a liquor license, like a caterer, can’t serve alcohol where marijuana is also available.
“Caterers should be aware that they can’t be bartenders and bud tenders,” said OLCC spokesman Mark Pettinger.
The groom, in what may be a first of its kind for Portland, is happy to be a pioneer. He is a professional marijuana grower in California, who thinks offering weed to his guests made the day extra special.
Elledge said the oldest person in the special weed tent was an 81-year-old woman, who said she hadn’t smoked marijuana since the 1960s.