In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, our hosts Sonja Babich and Dan Riggs sit down with Carla Callahan, the innovative force behind Seattle-based Young Vine Rentals. Carla shares the story of her wedding career, from owning a successful cake bakery to founding a unique rental business with a focus on sustainability. With her background in environmental policy and creative design, Carla's venture into the wedding rental industry is reshaping how couples think about décor, floral installations and eco-friendly options for their big day.

Carla kicks off the conversation by explaining how her love for the wedding industry began with baking. "I ran a wedding cake bakery in Seattle for almost 15 years," she shares. But after realizing she needed a new creative outlet, she took her passion for sustainability and channeled it into Young Vine Rentals. By offering reusable décor and faux floral installations, Carla's company not only helps couples create stunning events but also significantly reduces waste. "Rentals are already a more sustainable option because it's part of the circular economy," she explains, highlighting how using items multiple times is better for the environment than single-use purchases.

As the episode progresses, Carla dives into her specialty: faux floral (or, as she likes to put it, permanent botanical) installations. She describes how her company uses the highest-quality products that look and feel real, a critical aspect for ensuring beautiful, photo-ready setups. "Our flowers are the finest on the planet," Carla says, noting that they are carefully crafted to appear and feel authentic. One major advantage of using faux flowers is that they're not limited by seasonality. "With premium permanent botanicals, you can get whatever you want, whenever you want," Carla explains, making it easier for couples to achieve their dream wedding vision no matter the time of year.

Sustainability is at the heart of Young Vine Rentals, and Carla emphasizes how much waste is generated by fresh flowers in traditional weddings. "Only 4% of wedding flowers in the US are composted correctly; 96% end up in the garbage," she notes, pointing out the environmental impact of single-use fresh florals. With Young Vine's reusable faux flowers, Carla is working to reduce this waste and offer couples a more eco-friendly solution. She also mentions that by repurposing large installations, couples can save money while maintaining the beauty of their event. "You can use it for your ceremony and then move it to the reception," Carla adds, promoting both sustainability and cost efficiency.

One of the highlights of the episode is Carla's insight into large-scale floral installations, which have become a huge trend in the wedding industry. "It's not a wedding without an installation," she says, emphasizing how these statement pieces are now considered essential for many modern weddings. Carla's team specializes in creating stunning arches, arbors and aisle meadows, all designed to make a visual impact while minimizing environmental harm. Her installations are pre-built, making them quick to install and allowing for more flexibility on the wedding day. "It takes us about 20 minutes to install a large arch that would normally take fresh florists hours," she explains.

In this episode of the Wedding Day Podcast, our hosts Sonja Babich and Dan Riggs sit down with Carla Callahan, the innovative force behind Seattle-based Young Vine Rentals. Carla shares the story of her wedding career, from owning a successful cake bakery to founding a unique rental business with a focus on sustainability. With her background in environmental policy and creative design, Carla's venture into the wedding rental industry is reshaping how couples think about décor, floral installations and eco-friendly options for their big day.

Carla kicks off the conversation by explaining how her love for the wedding industry began with baking. "I ran a wedding cake bakery in Seattle for almost 15 years," she shares. But after realizing she needed a new creative outlet, she took her passion for sustainability and channeled it into Young Vine Rentals. By offering reusable décor and faux floral installations, Carla's company not only helps couples create stunning events but also significantly reduces waste. "Rentals are already a more sustainable option because it's part of the circular economy," she explains, highlighting how using items multiple times is better for the environment than single-use purchases.

As the episode progresses, Carla dives into her specialty: faux floral (or, as she likes to put it, permanent botanical) installations. She describes how her company uses the highest-quality products that look and feel real, a critical aspect for ensuring beautiful, photo-ready setups. "Our flowers are the finest on the planet," Carla says, noting that they are carefully crafted to appear and feel authentic. One major advantage of using faux flowers is that they're not limited by seasonality. "With premium permanent botanicals, you can get whatever you want, whenever you want," Carla explains, making it easier for couples to achieve their dream wedding vision no matter the time of year.

Sustainability is at the heart of Young Vine Rentals, and Carla emphasizes how much waste is generated by fresh flowers in traditional weddings. "Only 4% of wedding flowers in the US are composted correctly; 96% end up in the garbage," she notes, pointing out the environmental impact of single-use fresh florals. With Young Vine's reusable faux flowers, Carla is working to reduce this waste and offer couples a more eco-friendly solution. She also mentions that by repurposing large installations, couples can save money while maintaining the beauty of their event. "You can use it for your ceremony and then move it to the reception," Carla adds, promoting both sustainability and cost efficiency.

One of the highlights of the episode is Carla's insight into large-scale floral installations, which have become a huge trend in the wedding industry. "It's not a wedding without an installation," she says, emphasizing how these statement pieces are now considered essential for many modern weddings. Carla's team specializes in creating stunning arches, arbors and aisle meadows, all designed to make a visual impact while minimizing environmental harm. Her installations are pre-built, making them quick to install and allowing for more flexibility on the wedding day. "It takes us about 20 minutes to install a large arch that would normally take fresh florists hours," she explains.