“Shop Local” isn’t just a catchy phrase; it accomplishes a few things that benefit us directly. So why shop local? When you order the elements of your wedding from local providers, you’re talking with your neighbor. You’re talking with someone who is invested in the same community as you are, and that helps build a neighbor-helping-neighbor image and a strong community.
Nevada County has become known for this important and increasingly rare attribute in communities. In many cases, when ordering items and services from outside the area, you’re increasing the carbon footprint of what it takes to get things to your doorstep.
Think about a box of decorations that you order online. Where is it coming from? How many airplanes, semi-trucks, and delivery vans will it take to get to your doorstep?
There are several ways to find what you’re looking for in Nevada County. Make your shopping lists and call around! There are lots of local businesses that carry all kinds of items and services for your event. You can also go on a local shopping spree!
Why Shop Local?
Understanding why “shop local” matters is essential to preserving this unique community character. There are many benefits to shopping locally, and here are a few:
Strengthens Our Local Economy
When you invest in local businesses for your wedding, you create a powerful economic ripple effect throughout Nevada County. Hiring a local caterer like Antonio Ayestaran Custom Catering or Emily’s Catering allows you to invest your money back into our local economy.
Studies show that for every dollar spent at a local business, approximately 67 cents stays within the community, compared to just 43 cents from chain businesses. This local circulation of money helps fund essential community services through tax revenue, creates and maintains local jobs, and enables business owners to support other local enterprises.
Consider this: the local caterer you hire likely sources ingredients from nearby farms, contracts with local bakers, and employs servers and chefs from the community—multiplying your initial investment across numerous local households.
Additionally, thriving local businesses enhance property values and attract more diverse businesses to the area. This creates a more vibrant economic landscape that benefits everyone who calls Nevada County home, including you and your new spouse as you build your life together here.
Keeps Things Simple
Shopping local helps engaged couples keep their wedding dinner refreshingly simple while maintaining quality and personalization.
By connecting with nearby caterers like Pickles & Olives Catering or Bill’s Chuckwagon, couples can have face-to-face conversations about their vision, dietary needs, and budget without the communication barriers of long-distance planning. Local vendors understand regional tastes and seasonal ingredients, eliminating the guesswork in menu selection while ensuring freshness.
Couples can easily sample food beforehand, adjust as needed, and visit venues where caterers have previously worked. This localized approach reduces logistical complexities: no coordinating with out-of-town businesses or worrying about transportation delays, while supporting familiar faces who genuinely care about their special day’s success. The result is not just a simpler planning process, but a more meaningful dining experience that authentically represents the couple and their community connection.
Strengthens Local Ties
When you hire locally, it strengthens your connection to our community. Shopping local strengthens community bonds in meaningful ways beyond simple transactions. When couples choose local vendors for their wedding—whether it’s a florist, caterer, or rental service—they’re not just hiring service providers; they’re forming relationships with neighbors who share their streets, schools, and community spaces.
These connections often evolve beyond the wedding day, as the baker who created their perfect cake becomes a familiar face at the farmers’ market, or the florist remembers their anniversary with a special discount.
Local business owners tend to be deeply invested in their reputation within the community, offering more personalized service and genuine care about customer satisfaction.
By interacting with local businesses, engaged couples can become more integrated into their community. They’ll discover new shops, meet other community members through recommendations, and develop a network of trusted resources for future needs. These connections create a stronger sense of belonging and investment in the community, which is particularly valuable for newlyweds establishing their lives together.
Immediate Gratification, Guaranteed Delivery
When you shop online these days, it’s hard to know when your item will show up, no matter what they promise as a shipping date. Shopping local allows you to walk out of the store with your items in hand. No stress worrying that things won’t show up on time!
Sometimes, you won’t be able to find exactly what you are looking for, especially if you live in a small town. Get creative! You can even enlist your local shopkeeper to help you come up with an alternative!
Local Pours: Showcasing Nevada County’s Beverages
We’re lucky to have so many wonderful suppliers of all kinds of things you might need for your wedding. Did you know you can stock your wedding bar with all kinds of local beverages? If you like beer, you’ll want to sample Grass Valley Brewing Co.‘s Grateful Haze or Brunswick Blonde.
For wine drinkers, try Nevada City Winery‘s Chardonnay or Merlot. There are other local wineries to choose from as well, including Lucchesi Vineyards, Montoliva Vineyards, Naggiar Vineyards, Pilot Peak Winery, and Szabo Vineyards. Making a choice can be challenging, but several local establishments carry many of the wines from each winery, so you can list what you would like to try.
Next time you’re out, pick those brands from the menu for a taste test. Many grocery stores in town also offer these labels. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, call the vineyard and either go tasting (if they’re open) or order and have them send it directly to you.
You can also offer local coffee at your event. Retro Joe’s Coffee Co. is a mobile coffee and beverage café specializing in private events. They can serve coffee and specialty beverages during your wedding reception and at your post-wedding brunch the next day, helping you streamline your vendors, details, and wedding weekend! And Holy Grounds Coffee Co. serves the finest organic, roasted coffee beans to craft a diverse range of beverages, from classic espresso drinks to refreshing iced coffee.
When you’re making a list of the alcohol you’re going to serve at your event, you have a local choice for mixed drinks too! South Fork Vodka is always good with Cirino’s Bloody Mary Mix, and they’re both made in nearby Grass Valley.
Local Event Rentals
Renting décor and all the items you need for your wedding can also be done locally. We have a 10,000-square-foot warehouse called our Something Borrowed Barn, full of all kinds of décor to rent in different themes, from shabby chic to dripping with elegance.
There is always SRC Party Rentals in Grass Valley that can take care of what we don’t have on hand. If it’s large tents you’re looking for, Lifes Best Inn Tents is in Nevada City and has all kinds of tents to choose from.
Shop Local for Wedding Florals
Shopping local for your wedding florals guarantees peak freshness. Your flowers will arrive at your venue after traveling minimal distances, maintaining their vibrance and fragrance throughout your celebration.
Local florists like Foothill Flowers or Art in Bloom Flowers understand regional growing conditions and seasonality, allowing them to recommend blooms that naturally thrive in Nevada County’s climate during your wedding month.
When last-minute adjustments are needed (as they often are with weddings), you can quickly communicate with your florist in person rather than struggling with distant vendors. Additionally, local florists offer the opportunity to personally select flowers, ensuring colors precisely match your palette while supporting sustainable growing practices that reduce the carbon footprint of your celebration.
This mindful choice not only enhances your wedding’s beauty but contributes to the flourishing of your community’s small business ecosystem.
Wedding Favors Sourced Locally
For your wedding favors, Grass Valley Florist and Foothill Flowers have gift shops at their locations, but many places locally produce wonderful gift items!
The Olive Groove offers delicious, high-end flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars in bottles of all sizes that make wonderful gifts if your guests love to cook. Foothill Mercantile is a local’s favorite and sells various items, from yard art and dish towels to collectibles and beautifully scented, handmade body lotions. Nightingale Farms offers goat milk soaps and body lotions.
These unique local products exemplify why shop local is more than just a trend—it’s about discovering distinctive, quality items while supporting your neighbors.
Why Shop Local?
The question “Why shop local?” has many compelling answers, as we’ve explored here. Shopping locally strengthens our community’s economic foundation by keeping money circulating within Nevada County while establishing meaningful relationships with neighbors who share our investment in the area’s prosperity.
The environmental benefits are also significant, reducing the carbon footprint of long-distance shipping and transportation. Beyond practicality, local shopping offers tangible advantages: immediate access to products rather than uncertain delivery dates, personalized service, and opportunities to discover unique, high-quality items specific to our region—from South Fork Vodka to freshly roasted Retro Joe’s Coffee.
Choosing local vendors and products doesn’t just create a memorable event; it contributes to the distinctive neighbor-helping-neighbor character that makes Nevada County special. By shopping local, we’re not just consumers—we’re active participants in building a stronger, more connected community.
Rough & Ready Vineyards
There are so many details that go into wedding planning. At Rough & Ready Vineyards, we encourage all our couples to take full advantage of all we offer, including our Preferred Vendors list. Let us help you with your wedding planning and on your wedding day! Our clear, all-inclusive wedding packages and the Something Borrowed Barn ensure there are no hidden fees or surprise charges.
Get started by checking our available dates for your wedding, learning about our pricing, or booking a complimentary tour:
Heidi Keefer is a seasoned content creator with nearly 20 years of experience in professional writing. Specializing in wedding planning and lifestyle topics, Heidi combines industry expertise with a passion for storytelling to inspire and guide couples on their journey to the big day. When not crafting articles about wedding trends, budgeting tips, or romantic inspirations, Heidi enjoys exploring new venues, collaborating with vendors, and sharing insider advice to help every couple create the celebration of their dreams.
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