Wedding on a Budget: Picking Out Your Wedding Rings
It’s week 6 of our Wedding on a Budget series and we’re already past the halfway point. Time is quickly getting away from us and the big day is almost here. Last week I shared some tips for getting inexpensive clothing for your commitment ceremony. Today I want to talk about one of my favorite subjects ‘“ jewelry.
The wedding ring ‘“ to buy or not to buy, that is the question. Many couples, gay and straight, have started opting out of the ring tradition for several reasons. For many, the wedding ring symbolizes outdated definitions of marriage where the woman is viewed as the property of her husband. Others are opposed to the genocides in Africa that are a result of the diamond trade. I tend to find validity in both of these viewpoints.
Nevertheless, you and your partner may decide that wedding rings are right for you. In that case, let’s talk about the dollars and cents of picking out your rings.
For many of us, the selection of our wedding rings can feel overwhelming because it is the first time we have picked out a substantial piece of jewelry. There’s so much to learn about the different kinds of metals and stones that are available. Nobody wants to make an uniformed decision and end up spending a lot of money for something that’s not worth the price. Stephanie Pedersen, The Keep it Simple Guide to Planning a Wedding has two pieces of advice: price doesn’t always equal value, and take your time ‘“ don’t rush your decision.
In today’s economy, many couples are opting to spend less on engagement and wedding rings. The Wall Street Journal reports that the average couple spends nearly $2000 on their rings. But I’m here to tell you that you can spend less than $200 on your rings if you’re willing to do your homework.
Many straight couples have the option of using a family heirloom so they don’t have to spend money on their rings. This may or may not be an option for same sex couples depending on how supportive their families are of their union. Even if your family doesn’t support your commitment, there are other avenues for saving money on your wedding rings.
Think outside the box. Anything that is called a ‘œwedding ring’ by the vendor is going to be marked up in price. Why not do a Google search for ‘œrings’ instead? Try browsing the jewelry departments at your big box stores to find something in your budget. Kohl’s, for example, has a nice selection of jewelry and their prices are really reasonable. You can even set the search results to be sorted according to your price range. Overstock.com is another great place to shop. My partner and I decided on a pair of handcrafted rings we found on Etsy.com that we got for under $100 (for the set). But you could also look for your rings at flea markets, secondhand stores, or pawn shops (although I would think that buying someone’s pawned ring might carry some bad joo joo with it . . . that’s just me, though).
What about you? Where have you found the best deals on wedding rings? Or have you and your partner decided to forgo the tradition all together?
My fiancee and I got plain bands (4mm and 5mm 14kt white gold) from Zales.com for less than $250 altogether. I just kept an eye on the clearance section, then found a $50 off coupon code on retailmenot.com. Great deal!
We spent less than $200 on both of our rings, including engraving and shipping. We looked for nontraditional metals (tungsten carbide for him, palladium for me) because of their nifty chemical properties and because they are much cheaper than gold or platinum. We bought online using coupon codes from retailmenot.com, which saved us a little extra money. We bought rings billed as wedding bands, since the metals we really wanted are harder to work with and so aren’t widely available on etsy, but that is a great suggestion–some really lovely things made by very talented people on that site.
Check out worldjewels.com. They have an awesome selection and one that I bought for my sweetheart. They 30 day free returns and make their own pieces. Truly wonderful quality for the price.
I love the idea of shopping for wedding rings on Etsy.
When my partner and I had a career change that required us to be bi-coastal for a year (after being together for about two years), we bought rings from “An American Craftsman.” It’s a chain of stores of only handcrafted items. Ours rings are funky hammered silver, and I think they cost about $25. That was 14 years ago. We’ve thought about upgrading to something a little nicer, but I’m rather sentimental about our current rings. Maybe if I see the right one on Etsy…
Serena: Thanks for the post and outlining some really good ideas for our readers. Awhile back there was an article on PlanetOut indicating that a wedding ring makes us visible:
Jeanine and I have always worn rings, but inexpensive silver ones we have purchased on a whim while traveling together. The last ones were found during a long weekend in Cabo a couple of years ago. Jeanine recently misplaced hers so were looking for new ones. On our fifth year anniversary, we really wanted to buy nicer rings, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a good time to spend the money. Year six came and went as well. I guess the new goal is our ten year mark. For now, the inexpensive versions will have to symbolize our love and commitment.
As an aside, Bill wrote a post about why Diamonds Are A Tradition That Gay Marriages Can Do Without…. interesting perspective on the topic that’s worth a quick read.
The Turtle Love Committee carefully curates a collection of sterling silver wedding and engagement rings at http://www.turtlelovecommittee.com, all priced at $200 or less. We’re dedicated to inspiring people to pursue weddings and engagements in the way that best suits them and their relationship. Check out our blog where we celebrate people and their decision to make a lifetime commitment without getting sucked into the hype of wearing a huge diamond ring.