Wedding Ideas

You’ve found the love of a lifetime. You’ve proposed. You’ve chosen a trio wedding ring set together. But now that the time has come, what will your budget wedding actually be like? Feeling stumped? Picture this possibility:

It is a gorgeous fall day. The sun shines brightly through the changing leaves that rustle in a gentle breeze. You and your groom stand hand-in-hand by the lake at the local state park, surrounded by your closest family and friends. You are holding a bouquet of seasonal wildflowers in front of your mom’s altered wedding dress. He is wearing his favorite suit.

Your minister marries you as a flock of geese flies over the glistening lake. After the kiss, you and your new husband wander together over to the picnic shelter where your budget wedding feast is waiting. Since you saved so much money by choosing an outdoor wedding with a small guest list and modest attire, you are able to splurge on a catered gourmet picnic lunch.

With your beautiful trio wedding ring set on your fingers at last, you are both able to relax and enjoy the moment together with a small, intimate group of guests. Unlike many couples, you actually are able to sit down and enjoy your own wedding food. While you are kicking back with the people you love most, your favorite wedding photographer will continue to take breathtaking pictures to help you remember this day for years to come.

You and your guests savor the fresh air and sunshine while eating pan seared lemonfish, grilled asparagus, a mixed greens salad with apricots and toasted hazelnuts, and a crisp white wine. For dessert, you chose the nicest bakery in town to make a luscious almond wedding cake topped with raspberries. And before you know it, it will be time to depart on your budget honeymoon!

Start planning your budget wedding with My Trio Rings today!

Photo credit: technicallyCreative

One of the easiest ways to derail a grocery budget – or a wedding budget! – is cooking for people with food allergies. Products that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and the like can be significantly more expensive. If you are planning a wedding on a budget, then you will want to think carefully about how to handle your food choices in such a way that will fit your needs and wants while also staying within your budget.

Budget Wedding Food Scenarios

Scenario 1: You have severe food allergies or specific dietary needs, but your guests don’t.

If you have a strict diet for religious reasons, moral choices, or food allergies, then you already know how to cater to your own diet. But will you ask your guests to eat the same way? There are two basic choices in this scenario. One option is to serve your guests a meal that adheres to your vegan diet, your kosher diet, your gluten-free diet, or the like. This is the preference of many couples, but it can also become very expensive to create a meal based around special diets, and it might be out of your price range if you are planning a wedding on a budget. Another choice is to offer more standard fare to your wedding guests but to have a special meal prepared to suit the dietary concerns of the bride and groom.

Scenario 2: You eat a standard diet, but some of your guests have strict dietary concerns.

This is a tricky scenario to deal with, because you want your guests to be happy and comfortable, but perfectly meeting everyone’s different dietary needs and preferences perfectly at your budget wedding just isn’t possible, especially if you are having a large wedding. Not everyone can eat dairy or gluten. Not everyone chooses to eat meat. Many people avoid carbs or sugar like the plague. So what is the savvy bride to do? Fortunately, most people with food allergies or strict diets know how to manage their own diets when they are eating out. They may choose to eat before they come, or they may pick and choose what foods best fit their dietary needs. One of the most practical food options for a group of guests with diverse dietary needs might be to offer a buffet with a variety of food choices and small cards that list the ingredients in each dish, to assist those guests with dietary concerns.

Are you planning a wedding on a budget with diverse dietary needs? Share your tips with us!

Photo credit: mattlemmon

If you’re looking for an engagement ring on a budget, you have a variety of choices. Your standard solitaire engagement ring in a brick-and-mortar jewelry boutique is likely to be quite expensive. However, My Trio Rings now offers both diamond cluster rings and affordable solitaire engagement rings to fit into your wedding budget. If you thought that a solitaire diamond ring was out of your reach, consider the new line of affordable solitaire engagement rings from My Trio Rings.

1. Did you ever think you could get a solitaire engagement ring for as low as $349.99? Consider this ring, a 1/3 carat solitaire engagement ring set in 10 K white gold. The ring features a central solitaire diamond nestled between two smaller diamond clusters shaped like leaves.

2. For $599.99, you can choose an affordable solitaire engagement ring with 14 K white gold band, a central round-cut solitaire diamond, and a ring of smaller diamonds in a straight line around the band of the ring. The total diamond weight for this beautiful ring is 1/2 carat. If you are interested, each of these diamond solitaire rings also can be paired with a matching wedding band set for an affordable price.

3. If you are hoping to pick a solitaire ring over a diamond cluster ring, you might consider this 1/2 carat ring from My Trio Rings which features a 14 K yellow gold band, a solitaire princess-cut diamond, and a small line of clustered diamonds on either side of the solitaire head.

Start shopping for affordable solitaire engagement rings today!

Photo Credit: My Trio Rings

This post is part of the My Trio Rings Precious Places series, which uses Mashable's Top 10 Cities for Getting Engaged list for inspiration.

Baltimore is a gorgeous city that is a short distance from Washington, D.C., and it offers many unique places to propose. If you are ready to start planning a proposal, then here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning.

1. Places to Propose: At the Park

Baltimore’s oldest park is Patterson Park, a large nineteenth century space with walking trails, playgrounds, fountains, a swimming pool and splash pad, fields, woods, and even a lake. Located in southeastern Baltimore within blocks of Johns Hopkins Hospital and Fell’s Point, Patterson Park is a vibrant community getaway within the city. If you are ready to propose in Patterson Park, consider a picnic on the fields just below the Pagoda, where you have an excellent view overlooking the park and the city. Another lovely Patterson Park proposal would be a stroll on the walking trails down to the lake, then sitting on a bench near the lake, near the middle of the park.

Another of Baltimore’s well-known parks is Federal Hill Park, on the south end of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Federal Hill Park is not as well maintained as Patterson Park, and it does involve a rather steep hike to the top of the hill, but the views of the harbor and the city are hard to beat.

2. Places to Proposes: On the Water

One of the things that makes Baltimore stand out is its abundance of waterfront property. If you are ready to propose in a romantic location, then finding a likely place by the water is a good start. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants, outdoor entertainment, places to walk around, and even an old-fashioned carousel. Another option is proposing on a boat in the harbor, such as a harbor cruise or a water taxi ride. For more privacy, consider renting a paddleboat and proposing out on the open water in a boat made for two.

3. Places to Propose: Over Dinner

Like many big cities, Baltimore offers a wide variety of dining options, from its Little Italy area to an abundance of fresh seafood restaurants. One romantic dining destination is Tapas Adela, located in the Fell’s Point neighborhood along the water. Tapas Adela offers elegant indoor seating as well as outdoor tables perfect for people watching and breathing in the harbor breezes. A meal of fresh and innovative Spanish tapas dishes in small portions offers ample opportunity for talking, sipping wine, and lingering – a recipe for the perfect romantic proposal.

Photo credit: jepoirrier

Are you ready to propose? Start shopping for a diamond cluster engagement ring today!

When you're shopping for a bridal ring set, you need to consider several different factors. You'll need to keep your purchase within your budget. You'll also want to pick trio wedding rings that best suit your tastes. In addition to a wedding band that works for you, the setting of your diamonds is a large part of the style of your rings.

Here are three of the most common settings for trio wedding rings:

1. Prong Setting / Claw setting

Prong settings, or claw settings, are the most popular and most classic style, especially for solitaire rings. Four prongs show more of the diamond's surface area, while six prongs hold the gem more securely. It's typical for this setting to give the impression that the diamond is floating above the band, letting in more light and enhancing its sparkle. One downside to prong settings is that the prongs may occasionally catch on hair or clothing.

2. Cluster Setting

 Cluster settings group smaller diamonds together into a shape. Simple shapes include circles and squares, and more intricate shapes include flowers and leaves. My Trio Rings offers a wide selection of trio wedding rings with cluster settings because they are less expensive than large solitaire diamonds. They also provide an impressive visual impact. 

3. Channel Setting

 Channel settings in a bridal ring set embed stones into the band. In an engagement ring, they accent a solitaire diamond or cluster beautifully. Channel settings come in many different patterns. Some line the top of a band, and others form an artistic pattern around the entire band. One advantage of choosing a channel setting for your trio wedding rings is that the bands clearly complement each other, symbolizing your union as a married couple.