Welcome!

Submit your Event to the

Green Circle!

The Green Circle is a place to recognize weddings & events the incorporate sustainability by booking 3 or more SEC Members.

Whether you’re planning an event, or you’re a vendor who is a part of putting it together, enter the event details here to be featured in our Eco blog and social media!

for wedding & event hosts

Ready to plan an event that reflects your values?

Join Chicago's sustainable events community and find vendors who make green events & celebrations beautiful.

Become part of our green circle

Planning your own wedding/event or coordinating events for clients? We've curated a directory of Chicago vendors dedicated to sustainability—so you can focus on creating beautiful moments, not vetting green credentials.

How it works for Vendors

  • If you are a vendor and notice there are 3 or more SEC members booked for the event, submit the event info

  • We’ll recognize submissions at quarterly member meetings

  • Each participating Green Circle member will receive 1 point toward their overall point total.

  • The member with the most Green Circle points at the end of our fiscal year will receive a social media shoutout and a prize!

  • The SEC will also plant a tree for each Green Circle event submission to honor everyone’s hard work.

Submit your Green Circle Event Info here:

If you’re not sure, no worries! You can fill out as much info as you know and we’ll check it out for you!

If you’re just looking for general info for the SEC, feel free to contact us here instead.

How it works for Event hosts

  • Submit your event info, including your SEC member vendors

  • We’ll connect with you so we can plant a tree in your name(s)

  • For a fun date night or team outing, we’ll share a $50 gift certificate with you for one of our member restaurants:

    • Lula Cafe - founding member of the nationally recognized Logan Square culinary community and a celebrated forerunner of the ‘farm to table’ movement in Chicago.

    • Eden - a contemporary restaurant focused on new American, simple, clean cuisine, embracing seasonal flavors that are cultivated inside our on-site greenhouse or sourced locally from farmers and purveyors.

Not sure where to start?

We get it. Planning a wedding or party can be overwhelming. If you have some ideas about the vibe, style, and/or theme of your event, we can help match you with the best vendors in our community. Fill out the form, and we’ll get back to you with our curated list of vendors that will be best suited for your vision.

Download Our Vendor Lookbook
A presentation of gener8tor's sustainability programs empowering startups and innovators to create impactful solutions for a greener future.

FAQ

For Couples/Planners

  • If they’re a member of the SEC, you can rest assured that they have been thoroughly vetted by our Membership Committee to ensure they meet our requirements.

  • Not at all! You can book a single vendor, or several.

    When you hire 3 or more vendors, we invite you to be a part of our Green Circle and give you some additional perks!

  • Not necessarily. This site is a resource for sustainable vendors, so if you choose a vendor who will travel to other parts of the country, that’s great!

    Our member vendors are based in the Chicagoland area and work primarily in this area.

  • There is no fee to use this resource. We are a non-profit group aiming to increase sustainability within the events industry.

  • Contact us to see if we can help!

  • We have a great group of Planners who can help you plan any type of event - Weddings, Birthday Parties, Corporate Galas - you name it, they can help you achieve it!

For vendors

  • You’ll simply fill out the form and our Membership team will get back to you with next steps 👍

    There is a $15 application fee to help encourage serious applicants only.

  • Applications for new vendors open January 1st each year, with vendor interviews taking place February - March.

    Join here

  • Our Membership team will let you know the areas of improvement to focus on to meet our requirements.

  • There is a $15 application fee to help encourage serious applicants only. Once you’re invited to join, membership dues are $250.

  • Your interview with the membership team will cover many facets of sustainability within your industry.

  • We do require each business to have a presence in the Chicagoland area to be a member.

  • Submit an application! Our goal is for every vendor category to have a sustainable vendor option. If you are interested in how to be more sustainable in your field, contact us and we can provide recommendations for how you can incorporate more sustainable practices.

general

  • We’re just growin’ up!

    We started as a small group of vendors in 2011, and have grown to a group of over 50. Our members focus on private parties, social events, corporate events and weddings, so our new name helps capture sustainability for all types of events.

  • Our Membership Committee interviews each applicant to ensure they meet certain thresholds within their industry. A site tour is also conducted of venues and caterers.

  • We are a non-profit with a primary focus on sustainability. Our goal is to help educate vendors and party planners that you can have a party and also be kind to mother earth.

  • We have 2 flagship events we host

    • Committed - Chicago’s Only Sustainable Wedding Show. Takes place every February on the third Sunday of the month.

    • Wedding Recyclery - Chicago's largest in-person marketplace for gently used wedding decor and other wedding items. This event takes place in the Spring & Fall each year.