LUUM Collective

02/14/2025

“What is Cultivate and who is it for?”

It’s an event for event industry professionals, engaged couples, and planners can explore sustainable event design, get inspired, and discover values-aligned vendors for your wedding or event.

This is a great chance to sip and snack your way through a curated marketplace of vendors and get inspired by the beauty of sustainable design.

The event is perfect for event professionals curious about designing sustainability and inclusively AND conscious couples looking to put together a wedding that aligns with your values.

🎟️ RSVP for the free marketplace or grab a ticket to the sessions. Drinks and snacks included!

Photography by .lea.photo with vendors as tagged.

02/13/2025

Hark Bakery is the Twin Cities’ only dedicated gluten-free, vegan and allergen-friendly bakery.

Taking cues from Minnesota’s seasons and a vintage cookbook collection, creates decadent custom desserts for weddings, special events, birthdays and all of life’s sweetest moments.

From sourcing to fair labor practices, Hark Bakery supports and values relationships with the local community, neighbors, farmers, and each other.

Hark Bakery has a long-standing relationship with local farmers, where they source all apples, berries, stone fruits, melons, rhubarb, florals, herbs, and squash—always purchasing produce in season.

Each delicious treat is made with organic sugar, coffee and chocolate; with all chocolate and coffee products are Fair Trade certified.

The team is passionate about reducing waste, utilizing reusable baking tools and materials, compostable materials where available and limit single-use plastics.

We can’t wait for you to try these treats at Cultivate 3.18.25! Tickets on sale now for sessions.

What would you pick for your desserts? Vote below.

02/11/2025

Inspiring clients and floral businesses alike, Hannah of prioritizes sustainability through local sourcing, plastic-free design, and giving back.

Inside our latest interview with Hannah, we explore what inspires her designs and why sustainability is important to her business. She shares her top tips for florists around creating beautiful designs with the least amount of waste possible and accessible ideas around sustainability for couples.

Hannah shares some tips and ways she reduces waste:

➕Using as many local flowers as possible - which helps reduce plastic waste, reduces travel time/pollution, and helps out local business owners, communities, and pollinators.

➕ Composting scraps and leftover flowers after events and weddings.

➕ Saving rubber bands with plan to use them on her farm in the future.

🥹 Never using floral foam and instead stick to things that can be used multiple times like chicken wire and reusable vessels. Using alternatives like , , chicken wire, and flower frogs.

Dive more into sustainable florals with Minne Floral Co. on the blog and hear her speak at Cultivate on 3.18.25 at .luminare. Tickets on sale now. 🌱

02/04/2025

Venue Sustainability Commitments from the Inside Out

The Luminare at Cultivate: A Sustainable Event & Wedding Showcase
luminare is committed to sustainability by implementing zero-waste practices across its operations. This includes offering compostable cups, upgrading to reusable glassware, and eliminating single-use plastics like straws and cups, as well as non-compostable or non-recyclable garnishes.

Additionally, they partner with vendors who share their sustainability values, encouraging the use of florists who avoid floral foam, reuse or rent vases, and choose locally-grown. Their in-house catering option prioritizes food all made in house sourced from partners based on their level of commitment to environmentally responsible practices.

Vendors, couples, and clients alike are invited to explore this gorgeous, fleixble space with a holistic commitment to sustainability at our event on March 18th. Tickets on sale soon!

Photo credit:

01/31/2025

Choosing ethical flowers for Valentine’s Day is a perfect way to ensure your gift supports fair wages, sustainable farming, and local sustainable florists. Here are some tips as you are thinking about gifting blooms this February:

🌿 1. Choose Local & Seasonal Blooms

Support local flower farms to reduce carbon emissions from transportation.

Seasonal flowers (like tulips, ranunculus, or hellebores in February) are more sustainable than imported roses.

🌎 2. Look for Fair Trade & Certified Flowers

Certifications like Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, or Veriflora ensure workers receive fair wages and better working conditions.

Many imported roses come from South America or Africa—Fair Trade ensures ethical sourcing. Check out your local co-op for these options!

💐 3. Buy Organic or Pesticide-Free

Conventional flower farming often uses harmful pesticides. Look for organic flowers or those grown with sustainable practices. We have some beautiful locally grown options

🌱 4. Dried or Potted Plants as Alternatives

Dried flowers last longer and reduce waste.
Potted plants (like orchids, succulents, or herbs) are a living, long-lasting gift.

🎁 5. Avoid Plastic Packaging

Request plastic-free wrapping or use recyclable paper, burlap, or compostable materials.

🌸 6. Consider Florists with Sustainable Practices

Look for florists who source locally, compost waste, and use eco-friendly arrangements (foam-free floral designs).
Here are some of our favorites who are doing V-Day specials: .floral.design, , .floral, , , and .

Photos credited to the tag. Front photo 💓

01/30/2025

11/15/2024

Feeling a little vulnerable... 💔

Our team and community have been navigating a challenging time as we face the profound impacts on our lives, particularly on the rights of women, q***r communities, and the natural world.

This moment has reminded us once again of our deep interconnection. Our freedom is tied to each other’s—none of us are truly free until we all are. While the future feels uncertain and the solutions unclear, one thing remains certain: local community-building and direct support is our power.

Black and brown communities have embodied and shared these truths for centuries. It’s now our responsibility to draw strength and purpose from this wisdom as we move forward. We cannot afford to stay silent or complacent. More than ever, we need each other to build real power through collective action.

Whatever your passion—environmental justice, q***r rights, or gender equity—we encourage you to continue your work with resilience and joy. Every cause is interconnected, tied to the shared freedom and dignity we all deserve.

Our fight for a healthy, livable planet remains our guiding light, and we hope your business will join in co-creating a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.

We don’t have the answers or even the words, but speaking up before you’re certain is the bravery we all need.

We’d love to hear from you. Are you finding community? What do you need during this time?

11/08/2024

Fall is a favorite season for flowers, filled with rich colors and textures that make for stunning arrangements. While the growing season winds down in October there’s still an abundance of flowers and unique natural elements for creating full autumn arrangements.

For our next seasonal feature in our photoshoot series, we partnered with Chowgirls Catering and The Tiny Florist aiming to highlight seasonal bounty featuring orange and green elements, adding natural and dried elements to fill in when florals are not available.

Megan and Alissa the artists behind The Tiny Florist embraced the natural shift in availability and took advantage of unique autumn elements like kale, vibrant tomatoes, and Chinese long beans from the market for a unique mix of texture, color, and edible elements.

Dive into the local options from mid-September through November, along with tips for incorporating dried elements and other autumnal accents into your floral designs.

Dream vendor team:

Photography:
Catering/Event Design:
Floral: tiny florist
Floral Sourcing: .flora
Rental:
Venue:
Tabletop rentals:
Sustainability Consulting/Design:

10/18/2024

“Ultimately, thoughtfully selecting our vendors helped us make decisions that aligned with our vision and we were able to lean on them to bring the details to life.”

Kelsey + Eric share more about the why behind their wedding choices and how they made their wedding sustainable through working with aligned vendors, foam-free floral, and sustainable materials.

See their gorgeous wedding on the journal!

10/09/2024

Kelsey + Eric weave together cultures through this colorful modern wedding, featuring natural wood elements and local flowers.

In this heartwarming interview, Kelsey and Eric share the story of how they met, fell in love, and planned a wedding that was a true reflection of their values and backgrounds. From incorporating sustainable practices to blending traditions from Minnesota and Mexico, their wedding was a unique celebration of love, culture, and community. Through thoughtful vendor choices and a commitment to sustainability, they created an intimate and memorable event for their family and friends. Their experience is filled with valuable insights for couples looking to infuse their personal values into their special day.

We share their love story and design on the journal.

09/26/2024

Summer in Minnesota is a dream for flower lovers, as the gardens burst into life with vibrant blooms. Starting in late June and continuing through to the first frost, we see a variety of summer annuals and perennials flourish.
For our recent photoshoot series, we partnered with and .floral aiming to highlight seasonal bounty featuring orange and green elements, adding a splash of color for extra fun.

Sydney from Cosmos Floral focused her design around what she found from local growers, keeping things simple yet impactful. She chose marigolds, dahlias, and rudbeckia, complementing them with scented geranium and a few sprigs of tomato vines.

Learn more about summer florals and this stunning design on our journal!

09/13/2024

Minneapolis’ commitment to sustainability is evident in its infrastructure, community engagement, and ambitious citywide zero-waste goals, making it an ideal destination for eco-conscious events. We had the pleasure of partnering with to share our tips and vendor recommendations when planning a sustainable event in Minneapolis.

Inside the guide we share:

➕High level tips for planning your sustainable event in Minneapolis

➕Eco-conscious venues to host including , .luminare, and larger conference spaces like Mpls Convention Center and .

➕Our favorite caterers that are serving up local, seasonal menus like , , , and all plant-based . With a nod to .

➕Free resources by available to any planner on tackling waste, adding organics recycling, and food rescue options through .

Read on to discover why Minneapolis is at the forefront of innovation in sustainable events, and how it’s a great choice for hosting your next eco-conscious conference, convention, professional event, or intimate gathering.

Thanks to Allison Hunt for the great writeup!

08/02/2024

Still dreaming about spring flavors and fresh ingredients!

For our recent seasonal photoshoot series, we partnered with and aiming to highlight seasonal bounty featuring orange and green elements, using seasonal ingredients for creative menu items. Chowgirls focused on building dishes using local seasonal ingredients from local growers and their herb garden to design a menu that was colorful and delicious.

Whether you’re planning a wedding, a photoshoot, or simply want to enjoy the beauty of the season, understanding what’s local can help you make the most of any season’s magic!

Get ready for a mouthwatering experience in our latest post on “Designing Spring Menus in the Midwest.”

What’s your favorite spring dish? Dive in and learn how to make the most of the season with your menu!

07/27/2024

Building your conscious event team.

We know it takes a set of creatives and vendors to bring your event vision to life and we are here to help you find your perfect team. We’ve connected with and built relationships with eco-ethical vendors and creatives, that support the causes you care most about.

** Plus we’ve added a few new vendors to our list **

🔎We are doing the research for you.

Everyone on our list we’ve connected with and reviewed their practices so you can feel at ease. We believe that sustainability is a journey and have designed a rating system that honors progress over perfection for ourselves as planners and for all our vendors and small business partners. You can read more about our process on our website!

Explore our directory for vendors that prioritize people, communities, and the planet.

If you are a vendor who is interested in joining our community of conscious creatives reach out to us! We would love to connect and amplify the work you are doing behind the scenes or support you on your journey.

Photo:
*
*
*
*