ArtGuest UserFebruary 13, 2020Sustainability, Home Decor, Environment, Eco Friendly, Lifestyle, Photography

AIRY WINTER FEAST || A Sustainable Birthday Party Inspired by Winter Forest and Sunsets

ArtGuest UserFebruary 13, 2020Sustainability, Home Decor, Environment, Eco Friendly, Lifestyle, Photography

Who says birthday parties cannot be eco-friendly?

Every day, we make choices in our lives that more or less have an impact on the environment. That could very well extend to throwing a birthday party for our loved ones. Think of all the single-use plastic utensils, plates and the disposable decorations we purchase that are designed for easy clean-up rather than long-term use. For many of us, we look towards and indulge in the material extravagance of birthdays but often neglect the amount of waste we leave behind. And the reality is the word “sustainable” isn’t necessarily the first word to cross our minds when we plan a birthday party or any kind of gathering for that matter.

Inga Avedyan and her family have been proudly and fully living a sustainable lifestyle, taking responsible actions that reflect her and her family’s values. A mother, photographer, videographer and creator of Solid Motherhood, Inga embraces sustainability with sensual grace, just like the recent delightful and eco-friendly birthday party she meticulously designed for her daughter, Amelie.

THEME | AN AIRY WINTER FEAST

Inspiration for the theme of the party, which Inga named Airy Winter Feast, was winter forest and sunsets. Warm orange hues were incorporated to evoke a refreshing atmosphere while layering soft touches of whites, browns and bright accent colors to create an airy and cozy feel. After all, the main objective Inga envisioned for the occasion was to bring everyone together.

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE DETAILS

The birthday party put sustainability at the forefront as it is one of the central values to Inga and her family. Instead of single-use cutlery, the family opted for adorable, wooden dinnerware sets. Everything was kept vegan including the cake and donuts. Subdued floral pieces and hanging greenery rounded out the design of the setting, accentuating the magical, fairy woods-like ambience. Even the favour bags, each containing a personal monogram cup given to the little ones at the party, came in a reusable and handy sachet.

*Airy Winter Feast - tabletop display and decor.*

“For the feast, we stayed true to our family values and kept everything vegan and as sustainable as possible by eliminating single-use plastic. Taking care of our planet is high on our priorities list so we wanted to inspire others to think outside of the box.”

— Inga Avedyan

*Second hand tutu dress that Amelie wore.*

CREATING MEMORIES

Amelie requested wearing a tutu dress that reflected her personality – a girly and statement second-hand piece. To add an entertainment component to the occasion, Inga invited a music (ukulele) teacher who spread joy to the kids by having them sing together, play musical instruments and even engage in a fun parachute game. The big smile across Amelie’s face beautifully captured by Inga is the most compelling evidence of how enjoyable the party must have been.

It is heartwarming and enlightening to see how devoted Inga’s family is to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The birthday party for Amelie exceeded their expectations and that was only made possible by working with local vendors who contributed tremendously to realizing their vision. Though there were challenging moments throughout the planning and executing process, Inga was able to channel her immense love for her daughter and inspiring passion for taking care of our planet into a meaningful project, creating everlasting memories along the way that the family would look back on and savour for many years to come.

ABOUT INGA AVEDYAN

Inga works as a photographer and videographer, collaborating with people and brands to create beautiful, authentic, and unique imagery. Her family of three lives in gorgeous Vancouver, B.C. She is inspired by the beauty of the everyday, and intentional living. Inga is the creator of Solid Motherhood, a community-driven resource blog that seeks to connect and help women navigate through this often tricky journey of motherhood.

Inga believes that everyone has the responsibility to make this planet greener by making mindful and intentional purchases and decisions. Her passion is to empower women entrepreneurs and support small businesses and startups to promote their sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

When Inga is not working, she loves to spend time with her daughter outdoors or have a little picnic all together by the lakeside.

Inga’s Instagram: @solidemotherhood