As much as you want to impress your wedding guests with an unforgettable, delectable foodie-fantasy lineup of dishes at your cocktail party and reception, 
Gorgeously Green brides know that some fish are far more eco-friendly than others, to include on their menus. Let’s take the wedding staple of Chilean Seabass. You see it on so many wedding entrée lists that it’s become a yawn. No originality. Cliché. Everyone has it. The list of ‘why not’ goes on and on, but here’s what makes Chilean Seabass the new ‘Something Oh-No!’ for your wedding plans: it’s one of those over-fished species that’s becoming quickly depleted in the ocean realm. So to be a part of the solution, rather than the problem, it may be smarter and safer to skip the seabass.
I was actually quite stunned to see Chilean Seabass on the Gorgeously Green list of ‘Avoid’ seafoods. It’s such a standard in event catering, and one would think that caterers would warn you. But the disturbing fact remains: you have to be your best food advocate, searching for the best, organic menu choices and telling your food experts what you would like. Yes, many organic caterers are top-notch and in-the-know, but sometimes menu options get added in because the price is right, or it’s considered ‘expected’ by a bridal audience. When you say No to an in-short-supply fish, you’re in control of your wedding menu’s kindness to the environment, and your wedding gets good karma.
I live by the Gorgeously Green shopping lists and especially the Safe Shopping Cheatsheet as I live my own greener life, and I encourage you to print out Sophie’s brilliant list for your catering discussions with chef pros and as you plan to self-cater your own bridal shower and other wedding season parties.
Here are just a few of the seafood items that are best to Avoid (and you will be shocked at many of these!!):
· Alaska King Crab
· Caviar (That’s right! Caviar!)
· Atlantic Halibut
· Imported or Tiger Prawns
· Farmed Scottish Salmon
· Swordfish
· Bluefin Tuna
· Turbot
· Yellowtail Flounder
I was especially floored by the inclusion of Turbot in this Avoid list, since I’m a huge fan of Top Chef, and the cheftestants make turbot all the time. But now that I know this little fishie is being over-harvested, I’ll skip the trendy foodie choice and party-plan instead from Sophie’s brilliant Safe-To-Serve list.
The Best Choices fish found on the Safe Shopping Cheatsheet include:
· Clams
· Crab: Blue and Dungeness
· Pacific Halibut
· Atlantic Mackerel
· Mussels
· Pacific Octopus
· Farmed Oysters
· Wild Alaskan Salmon
· Farmed Tilapia
· Uni
· Pacific Squid
When you meet with a caterer and show that you know your stuff when it comes to creating an environmentally-safe menu that’s still every bit the foodie 
fantasy, chefs come alive. They love to work with wedding couples who speak their language, who want the good stuff when it comes to any form of catering or garnishing, who understand their world. That’s so much more inspiring to a chef than having quivering, uninformed bridal clients arrive at their studio, shrugging, saying ‘whatever,’ and not knowing what they want, let alone what’s great for the menu and the environment.
So go get your copy of the Safe Chopping Cheat sheet, not just for the seafood lists, but also for Sophie’s amazing lists of non-organic fruits and veggies to keep off your wedding catering list, and which non-organics can still be included. Makes menu-building lush, lovely and lower in price depending on your choices!
Oh, and strawberries on your cake? That’s a DON’T. Which is better for a hot, liquored-up dessert – bananas or cherries? Check out the Safe Shopping Cheatsheet to find out!
Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 wedding books, including 1001 Ways to Save Money and Still Have a Dazzling Wedding and more. She is beyond thrilled to be a member of The Gorgeously Green Dream Team, and she brings fresh green wedding ideas here to her favorite green living site!
