My Big Fat Vegan Wedding

I got married in Galway on the west coast of Ireland this summer, and it was the best day ever! And best of all, from the dress to the shoes to the food – no animals were harmed in the making of our big day. While the idea of planning a vegan wedding (or any wedding for that matter) initially seemed daunting, it actually turned out to be a piece of (non-dairy, egg-free) cake.

Walking down the aisle in style (and without harming animals) was no problem. I steered clear of leather and silk (who wants silkworms to be boiled alive for a celebration?) and opted for a little white cotton dress that was totally “me.” Barry found a faux-wool suit on the high street and ordered a pair of faux-leather brogues from Wills Vegan Shoes.

Most of the guests were not vegan, so I really wanted them to say, “Wow, I can’t believe this is vegan!” – and they did! Crudités with seaweed “caviar”, fresh summer rolls, roasted tomato lasagne with a cashew cheese and soya chorizo and red velvet cupcakes were among the mouth-watering dishes served to our guests.

At the end of the meal, just when I thought I couldn’t eat one more bite, a vegan cheese board was presented (which I ended up devouring!). Friends and family raved that the food was delicious, and many even declared, unsolicited, that they would start eating more vegan meals because they were so impressed. For me, that was the icing on the cake.

Barry and I have everything that we could possibly want, so in lieu of gifts, we asked guests to make a small donation to a Galway animal shelter. So does planning a wedding have to mean saying, “I do,” to silk dresses, pearl-trimmed veils and meaty main courses? Not at all! I hope my story will inspire other brides-to-be to say, “I do,” to a cruelty-free wedding.

Here are the companies that helped us keep our big day animal-friendly: Dress and headpiece: Anthropologie Menswear: Faux-wool suit from Jaeger Faux-leather brogues: Wills Vegan Shoes Catering: Kai Café + Restaurant Vegan Wine: Cases Wine Warehouse For more vegan wedding inspirations, check out PETA’s resource page. Photos: Christian McLeod and Mark Clinton