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Amy Cook, author of PETA’s VegCooking Blog, shares with us her Six Tips for Planning a Vegan Wedding. As Amy says: “It’s a piece of cake! Delicious, nondairy, egg-free cake, that is.”

Read the labels
Walking down the aisle in style (and without harming animals) is no problem. Many bridal shops have a variety of satin, linen and other vegan fabrics available — you just have to read the labels. If you’re having a dress made, silk styles can be reproduced in satin, and tuxedos and suits are also readily available in cotton instead of wool. Designers and retailers such as Stella McCartney, Liz Claiborne, Capezio and Sam & Libby offer some of today’s hottest shoes — and their products aren’t made from leather.

Stick to your guns
Be up front with everyone about your plan to avoid products that come from animals, and let everyone know exactly what those products are. Your caterer may not know that you’ve been vegan since you were 2 and might try to talk you into a little something for all the meat-eaters. If you make it clear from the start that you’re not going to budge, you can avoid a few awkward exchanges. Trust me.

Arm yourself with recipes
If you must work with a caterer that serves meat, eggs and dairy foods, see if they would be willing to create an all-vegan menu for you. Be prepared with menu suggestions. Check out this guide from VegCooking for a little inspiration: www.vegcooking.com/InviteElegantCateredCuisine.asp.

Pour some sugar on me
When searching for a wedding cake, you might have to visit a traditional bakery and request a vegan cake. You’ll be surprised by the number of bakeries that will accommodate you.

Don’t settle
Unless you really, really like vegetables, don’t settle for a menu that consists of marinated vegetables, grilled vegetables, raw vegetables and stuffed vegetables. There are endless possibilities for a gourmet vegan meal, so find a caterer who is willing to be creative.

Do it yourself
The easiest way to make sure that you’re getting exactly what you want is to make it yourself. Again, the vegan wedding menus from VegCooking work for all budgets and tastes, and most of the recipes are already scaled for large crowds. Almost any vegan cake recipe can be used to make a wedding cake. Just take a decorating class at a local bakery or college, and you’ll be set. Also, be sure to ask your reception venue if self-catering is allowed. You don’t want an insurance or health code issue standing in your way.

For more information on vegan weddings, visit www.PETA.org/veganwedding.