Please Come to My Wedding but Cleanse First

I’d like to begin by admitting that I’ve sunk to a new low. While I’ve been known to read and sometimes post about stories from US Weekly and People, I’ve never been an In Touch reader. I have standards after all…that is I did until today. I was pedicuring and had already read the aforementioned titles. So I grabbed In Touch despite not knowing which Kardashian was on the cover and Vogue (only read the food articles). So judge away, I deserve it but I found a fun story. You’re going to have to tell me what you think.

It turns out there’s a “Hollywood health guru” named Rainbeau Mars. I generally think guru = no real title or degree to mention but Rainbeau looks nice and new agey enough, I read on. Rainbeau, 37, and her “business manager” Michael Karlin (they never list the men’s ages but let’s say over 47 ok let’s just say sugar daddy or sugar “beau”) got married in July. Instead of inviting guests to choose steak or fish, Rainbeau and Mike invited all 170 guests to join them in a three-week cleanse leading up to their wedding.

Since I know you care: week one was no meat or sugar, week two raw foods and week three liquids only. Some people seemed to think “Mars” was off base but she disagrees, it was about “rejuvenation”. Part of me is embarrassed for her, I envision my parent’s accountant being asked to cleanse and as In Touch eloquently put it some guests said “no f---ing way.” For the record, Ira the accountant would never say that (but would think it).  Plus, cleansing isn’t always good for the mood- I’m picturing a whole lot of cranky people not feeling much like celebrating. And then the less cynical part of me, that’s small but exists, thinks maybe this isn’t so bad, she didn’t demand guests juice she suggested it. While she does sell this cleanse on her website she offered it to guest gratis.

I was shocked to learn 73 of the 170 guests RSVP’d “yes I’ll cleanse”. Once cleansed the guests were offered “spiritually enriching activities” such as yoga and breath work when they arrived in Hawaii for the wedding. The wedding itself had a menu of organic lamb chops, local seafood and a vegan, gluten free chocolate cake. How many chops and pieces of cake do you think the 73, who had lived on liquids, consumed?

So here’s the question, is this absolutely insane or gracious? Where does one draw the healthy line? I love a cleanse as much as the next juice-loving person but I don’t know how I’d react to receive an invitation to “go raw” with a wedding invite. However, in counseling clients, I hear reports of how grateful they are when a festivity includes healthy choices. So while I don’t like to force habits on others (unless they come to my office) maybe Rainbeau is onto something.

What do you think of this? Inclusive or bridezilla? Would you accept if this was offered to you? Would you think it was weird? And is my name boring? Maybe Lau-wren Slate?