Local couple planning eco-friendly festival of love

Mark Hamlyn and Jamie Hanson are planning an ecologically-sensitive wedding for November.

By LASHA MORNINGSTAR
WCR News Editor
Edmonton

Planning an eco-friendly wedding just underlines how committed Jamie Hanson and Mark Hamlyn are to living an environmentally respectful life.

"Sometimes we choose things that are not absolutely perfect, but we do our absolute best," says Hamlyn.

An operations manager at Suncor in Fort McMurray with a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta, Hamlyn, 37, met Hanson while on the job.

"He wandered into my office to thank the girl I shared an office with for recommending someone to hire and we got to talking," remembers Hanson.

Hanson, 32, works for TransAlta Utilities, Suncor's partner, as manager of the computer operation group.

She does the "obvious recycling" at home, such as avoiding over-packaged items, buying made in Canada products.

Foreign-made goods

"Mark's mum played a large role in my education," says Hanson, alerting her to be aware of the labour practices involved in foreign-made goods.

"So we make socially responsible decisions - buying things from countries that do fair trade. All of our coffee and chocolate are fair trade."

Hamlyn also lives an environmentally-friendly life. He walks on the plant site where others drive, "recycle every scrap of junk mail that I get," runs, is an avid cyclist and "I eat as much organic food as I can."

The couple are scheduled to be married Nov. 1 at St. Joachim's Church by Father Wilf Murchland, a priest Hamlyn says whose "homilies often deal with the environment and the footprint we are leaving on the earth. He's a great guy."

Elderly relatives

With 100 per cent of their guests coming from out of town, including many elderly relatives who don't have computers, the couple decided not to go with email invitations.

Instead, their invitations are crafted from non-fibre materials - no trees are cut down - and the ink comes from vegetable dye. The one-piece invite is designed so it can be mailed back.

The reception is at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald "and the chef probably has his own ideas, but wherever possible we are requesting organic food, even if it means an elevated cost for us because we feel that is important," says Hanson.

Locally-grown flowers

Finding untreated locally-grown flowers in November can be tricky.

"But I told Jolyn (Jolyn Saramaga, their wedding planner) the flowers are not the most important part of the day and we can go without, " says the bride-to-be.

"And we are renting anything possible."

Instead of favours for the guests, they are making a charitable donation - the charity yet to be decided.

Disposable cameras are a no-no at their reception. Instead, a digital photo docking station will be set up. "We are bringing our laptop and asking everyone to download their digital photos before they leave the reception that evening," explains Hanson.

And what about the scene-stealers at the wedding -- the ring and gown?

Canadian diamond

"Mark chose - and I am very thankful - to buy a Canadian diamond," she said.

The main diamond is surrounded by filigree metal and 23 smaller diamonds and the wedding band is a similar pattern without the solitaire.

The bride's dress follows tradition - an ivory gown, strapless, with an empire waist with navy blue detailing across the top, sides and down the back of the train to match the groom's Gordon tartan kilt.

For those couples wanting an eco-friendly wedding, Hamlyn and Hanson suggest they consult a wedding planner.

"Jolyn suggested websites and things we have not thought of. And if you don't know something, there are people out there who do," says Hamlyn.

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