Waste

It has been much too long since I last posted. JE and I are tying the knot in some 40 odd days. Life has been busy, stressful at times, but all in all, I am in a much better place than I was a year ago. There are moments in wedding planning when you realize that city hall makes so much more sense, or elope somewhere beautiful and have a party later. I have moments of guilt at the cost and shear over-done-ed-ness of the whole thing. At some point, just as many of my friends have, you realize that this isn't an event for you. Its an event for you and your family and their friends, and some of your values and expectations just go flying out the window. I really admire people who are able to maintain a sense of themselves in the whole process, and possibly a little more earth friendly in the process.

We have tried to maintain a sense of the simple. We sent save the date postcards on recycled cardstock. I also made our invitations on the same cardstock. We forced the issue of the RSVP card and envelope by asking people to respond online. My engagement, and likely only, ring is made from recycled and conflict free parts. It includes a diamond that was my maternal grandmothers, making it extra special - just a few ways we've tried to stay truer to ourselves. I can't really beat myself up about all the "didn't dos." I remember my brother having a similar realization. He was pretty fed up with all the stuff and in the end chose not to fight it. We will be surrounded by loving family and friends. It will be a beautiful party. It will create more waste and crap than we so desire, but we will make amends, and in many ways will just have to let go.

And for those brides who have done it in a more earth friendly manner, I salute you. As the waste and stuff piles up around me, I just sigh, and figure ways to repurpose stuff (and return) and eliminate unneeded stuff as much as possible.

I am so excited to marry JE, but I will be glad when this is all over.