An open bar at a wedding reception is a pretty common thing these days – but this couple decided to take the open bar in a different direction. Instead of having the traditional bartender serving up alcoholic drinks during their festivities, this Oregon couple decided it would be better to have a budtender dealing out different strains for their guests to enjoy.
There was a total of 13 different strains in varied amounts that maxed out at 8 ounces, which is the largest amount they were legally allowed to have for the event. The festivities took place in a tent and everyone seemed to enjoy it – even an 81 year old woman who had not smoked weed since the 60s.
If the reception had taken place in a public venue, then they would have needed a liquor license in order to hire the budtender. Since they were on private property, they were able to get around this – however if they had the event catered by a company that offered liquor, the budtender would not have been allowed.
The reason that the couple were not allowed to serve alcohol at the event as Oregon state law does not permit alcohol to be served simultaneously with marijuana at any event. Surprisingly, the guests did not seem to mind the lack of adult drinks with the large supply of flower to try out!
Each of the strains were supplied by John Elledge (the groom) who is a cannabis cultivator by profession. They hired a budtender who would help their guests sample the strains – Elledge even stated that guests were still texting him a week later to let him know how cool his idea was.
Since it was known from the beginning that this was going to be a potential hit or miss, the couple set it up where if guests did not wish to participate they would still feel comfortable being at the event. The tent was set up away from the main party in a way that would keep smoke from reaching the rest of the party. Some guests managed to nearly miss the fact that marijuana was there at all!
So is this a growing trend?
This may be a trend that is here to stay – after all, with four states now holding legal marijuana policies it is almost surprising this is the first event of its kind. While it has been reported that a Colorado couple offered goodie bags with a pre-rolled joint and lighter after their wedding, they didn’t choose bud over booze for their reception.
For many, a budtender would be a much better option than a bartender. Personally, I would much rather have my guests enjoying a mellow high with me, rather than getting crazy and potentially tearing up the venue. Will we be seeing more people looking at it this way now that one couple took that plunge?
Some people seem to think that bud is not the right choice for a wedding as it still has mixed views with many people – and while it is easy to find a bartender, finding a truly knowledgeable budtender available for your wedding may be more difficult if you are not working in the industry.
Overall, I think this is a really unique approach to a wedding reception and something I wish was available to everyone – and it will be in time.
