My First Time...

Wow...well, I guess I'm not a blog virgin anymore. I kind of feel all grown up! Better late than never right :)

I'm so excited to have a voice and to share my everyday experiences, ideas and thoughts about living a more sustainable life. But at the same time, not freaking out if I took a long shower or chose the filet over a vegetarian dish. I believe everything in life is about balance, and I'm honored to share my thoughts with you.

My main focus right now is planning my own wedding that is ecologically, economically and socially responsible without becoming obsessed or going overboard. Sounds easy right? Luckily, I still have just over a year to go and I already got a head start.

I bought the book Eco Chic Weddings by Emily Elizabeth Anderson. I found it to be very helpful and a quick read. It's nice because it's small and paperback so you can stick it in your purse and use it like a hand book.

As I began to read, I noticed one of the first chapters was about engagement rings. I started to panic as I stared at my new best friend...my very first diamond ring. I have to say that I immediately started grilling my fiance about where he got my diamond and if it's conflict free and when he didn't know the answer, I had a sick feeling in my stomach that turned into guilt-fest. I thought, "Well...way to start off your green wedding Natalie. Your diamond ring you love so much is probably supporting all the evil practices against children and labor workers in sub-Saharan Africa along with polluting the earth from all the mine waste... AH!"

After slightly insulting the man of my dreams even though he took so much time to design my ring, I took a deep breath and calmed down a bit. I realized that my beautiful ring was a gift given out of love and that I will take this whole "green wedding" process in stride. Some things will be more eco-friendly than others and that's okay...at least in my book.