Let’s Change the Way We Think about Weddings – for Our Collective Future!

Conner and Elizabeth Jarvie explain why they generously invited their wedding guests to donate to EESI instead of purchasing gifts off a registry.

 

After we got engaged, we decided to host a relatively large wedding so that we could include all the people we love—while still staying true to our values. When it came time to discuss our registry, we felt so privileged to live in a one-room apartment in Seattle—acknowledging that we live on the Coast Salish Territories of the Duwamish People—that we didn't feel like we needed anything else. Instead, we thought that, should a friend or family member want to give us a gift, the best gift we could receive would be one that supports organizations that we believe are creating a better future. We decided to support two organizations; one of them was EESI. 

We've always loved the outdoors; especially hiking, camping and beach walks. To think that future generations may not be able to experience the same joys we've experienced is discouraging and unfair.

Conner knew that he wanted to support an organization that he was certain would do the most with the donations, so he spent hours researching nonprofits and was impressed by how EESI supports climate change initiatives. He believes that changing public policy is essential in the movement to fight climate change.

We believe that a problem caused by humans can also be fixed by humans if we act before it’s too late—and we both felt that this institute was one we could trust to help do the job. 

We also chose to support Fabian's Fund, an organization that is particularly close to Elizabeth's heart, which aims to dismantle the structures underlying mass incarceration and restore the lives of those impacted by it. 

As the wedding approached, we were honored to receive over one hundred donations, and even more excited to hear the enthusiastic support from our guests. Some of our guests mentioned feeling hopeful when looking at the upcoming generations who are taking steps to save the Earth.

All in all, with the showering of love and support, we raised over $2,500 for EESI. Recently, it's been uplifting to see youth from around the world rise to power the climate change movement. We will continue to be activists to the best of our ability. We hope our wedding story inspires others to follow suit. We thank EESI for all the work they do. 

 

Authors: Conner & Elizabeth Jarvie