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Man made diamonds are real diamonds. In fact, they are better than natural diamonds, in both appearance and uses for industrial purposes.
Also isn't a gold ring merely an accessory to show that you are taken? *shrugs*
Diamonds are BO-ring!! And who says that diamonds are about engagement or love or any of that cr@p? Think about it; are you really going to let an international diamond cartel tell you what stone is most attractive/appropriate? My mother's engagement ring had an emerald. Branch out. See what your gf's favorite color is, and aim for that. Purple? Amethyst, set in pink gold. Explore different stones, there are some unusual and beautiful ones out there that are affordable. Green? Try chrysoprase or chrysoberyl. Don't fall for corporate advertising.
I'm single, but if I actually do find someone some day, I'd like to have a nice engagement ring and skip the big, fancy wedding. I've never found weddings to be all that fun and I've never understood why so many people attend, when the bride and groom basically say "hi" once if at all to most people in attendance. Weddings seem to be a huge, needless expense, but we have a segment of society that really pushes for these overdone events, despite many people not really being able to afford them.
I'd much rather put my hard earned money towards my shared future with my husband than on a one-day event, where I'm surrounded by a bunch of people I may or may not necessarily want to be around. And I'd like to have an awesome honeymoon with my man (who's just imagined at this point)!
well, what if the person you are marrying has a very large family and wants all of them present so as to not cause a rift within their family? That would result in a large wedding with proportionately large costs.
"I'll take 'Things that cause a rift within a large family' for $500 Alex."
Diamonds are BO-ring!! And who says that diamonds are about engagement or love or any of that cr@p? Think about it; are you really going to let an international diamond cartel tell you what stone is most attractive/appropriate? My mother's engagement ring had an emerald. Branch out. See what your gf's favorite color is, and aim for that. Purple? Amethyst, set in pink gold. Explore different stones, there are some unusual and beautiful ones out there that are affordable. Green? Try chrysoprase or chrysoberyl. Don't fall for corporate advertising.
Haha! That's probably why I like them! I'm pretty plain. I don't wear flashy clothing or really bright colors and rarely wear jewelry, so I'd never want a colored stone on my finger. Somehow, I think I'd tire of a color and would feel that it draws too much attention to me.
Yep, I smiled grimly all through the planning, production and attendance of my sister's wedding as maid of honor. I've born my fair share of bridesmaid dresses. Do you really blame me for wanting to skip all that? I have been plenty nice and polite. Bought lots of wedding presents. Paid out for dresses. Paid out for hotel rooms. Paid out for Jack and Jill parties and Bachelorette parties. I be done, done, done, done, done.
Haha! That's probably why I like them! I'm pretty plain. I don't wear flashy clothing or really bright colors and rarely wear jewelry, so I'd never want a colored stone on my finger. Somehow, I think I'd tire of a color and would feel that it draws too much attention to me.
Aw, 'kat! You can enjoy a pretty stone guilt-free. Explore a couple of jewelry stores, just for fun. Get jiggy with different stones. Or start out with a book on gemstones, and learn about all the different stones. There's so much more out there than the standard ones you see in the typical small jewelry store. Explore. Enjoy. Learn.
Diamonds are BO-ring!! And who says that diamonds are about engagement or love or any of that cr@p? Think about it; are you really going to let an international diamond cartel tell you what stone is most attractive/appropriate? My mother's engagement ring had an emerald. Branch out. See what your gf's favorite color is, and aim for that. Purple? Amethyst, set in pink gold. Explore different stones, there are some unusual and beautiful ones out there that are affordable. Green? Try chrysoprase or chrysoberyl. Don't fall for corporate advertising.
I agree, I like sapphires, peridots, and opals myself.
In fact, I will give my partner an engagement necklace that matches her eyes, so I can tell her how beautiful she looks with that necklace.
First, there is the engagement ring, $5-6k (after tax) is a minimum expectation it seems these days, then wedding bands (another $1k) then the wedding itself... looking around $25-30k seems to be the average, then the honeymoon, another $5k or so... when all is said and done we're talking close to $50k!!
And this seems to be very average, not high end at all.
My question, how do people afford it? Especially considering that marriage often means starting a new family which leads to even more very high expenses - buying a home, family cars, kids etc.
How many people can blow this kind of money and then continue into making expensive choices like buying homes and having kids?
First, its all about choices. And nobody has to spend that kind of money. We sure didn't. For everything, there are always cheaper options, you just have to be willing to not do what everyone else things you should do or expect to do and do what you can afford. Period.
Engagement ring? Try $1500 - $3000.
Wedding bands? Mine was like $300, his $200.
The wedding? There are tons of ways to cut back, My husband and I were unemployed when we got married so we kept it bare and only what we needed; we flew to Hawaii for 8 days, just the two of us and got married on the beach, instant honeymoon. Our wedding package = $1200. This included the ceremony, flowers, videographer, photographer, limo. 8 days in Honolulu, beachfront hotel suite with compliment buffet breakfast = $1500. We still get compliments on our wedding photos.
So that's an entire wedding for $3,000. I bought my dress and David's Bridal for $99 and he just bought a nice white dress shirt and wore khakis. We were barefoot!
House? Bought a cheap foreclosure $60k off the price our neighbors houses are listed (the houses are identical).
Kids? Our first is on the way and you best believe I will find a way to do it in the most economical way.
It can be done, you just have to find less expensive options and forget what other say.
Don't know how people do it, bc. I didn't.
Spent $50 to get married,
spent $100 or so 4 & 1/2 yrs. later to get divorced.
Didn't buy any special marriage/wedding stuff or services,
and kept my last name (so didn't have to incur hassle/expense changing it back when marriage ended).
Even if I had the money, there's no way I would spend it on such things.
Ostentation & "public performances" are just not important to me, they don't bring me joy.
The comfort of a partner makes me happy, not the bells & whistles of the "getting married" event.
First, there is the engagement ring, $5-6k (after tax) is a minimum expectation it seems these days, then wedding bands (another $1k) then the wedding itself... looking around $25-30k seems to be the average, then the honeymoon, another $5k or so... when all is said and done we're talking close to $50k!!
And this seems to be very average, not high end at all.
My question, how do people afford it? Especially considering that marriage often means starting a new family which leads to even more very high expenses - buying a home, family cars, kids etc.
How many people can blow this kind of money and then continue into making expensive choices like buying homes and having kids?
Many 50k weddings don't last five years. The Justice Of The Peace with the mechanic working next door to be a witness lasts over half a Century.
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