Wedding Ideas

My husband and I were married last winter, after a year of planning and decisions and details. Because we were saving for a home and investing in our small business, we were committed to planning a wedding on a budget. At the same time, we wanted our wedding to be one of the most beautiful days of our lives, and one that was as free of stress as possible. I'm happy to say that we accomplished our goal to stay sane throughout the planning and the wedding day, and we learned these five things in the process.

1. Remind yourself frequently, "Our wedding is a stress-free zone."

You wouldn't believe how many times I said this to myself, silently and out loud. Remember that your wedding is about celebrating your love and commitment to your partner, so it would be a shame to let worries about money and logistics steal your joy. If you feel yourself getting anxious or upset about something, take a deep breath and put it out of your mind for a while. Before you come back to it, recommit to making your wedding a stress-free zone. 

2. Decide where to save and where to splurge.

My husband and I decided to invest in the items most important to us -- photography, food, and music -- and seek out inexpensive options for most everything else. We bought affordable wedding rings, reasonably priced wine, and a beautiful wedding dress on closeout. To finance our honeymoon, we encouraged guests to donate to our Honeyfund account instead of sending us a gift. It wasn't important to us to provide wedding favors, so we simply skipped them. Make a list of items you want for your wedding and rank them in order of priority. Splurge on the items at the top of the list, and save on the ones at the bottom.

3. Limit your guest list to close friends and family.

Given the astronomical costs of the average wedding -- currently more than $25,000 -- people will understand not being invited when they hear that you're keeping your wedding small. Let's put it this way: Are you willing to pay around $100 for your second cousin once removed to eat a sit-down dinner? Although I couldn't afford to invite my extended group of local friends to my wedding, I wanted to include them in the celebration. I sent an email early in the planning process to let them know that I was keeping my wedding small, but I'd love for them to join me at the after-party. Guess what? They completely understood. Plus, those who were planning a wedding on a budget themselves didn't feel obligated to invite me.

4. Find vendors through your network.

I live in a small community, and my husband and I made good use of our local connections to find vendors for our wedding. A few traded labor with my husband; for example, he designed a website for someone in exchange for professional lighting at our reception. Other vendors knew that we were planning a wedding on a budget and liked us enough to give us a good rate on their services; in turn, we recommended them to others as often as possible. We asked two dear friends to play music during the ceremony as their gift to us, and they were honored to be part of our big day. Think about your own connections, and the skills that you could trade with wedding vendors, or loved ones who have similar talents.

5.  Make decisions by asking yourselves, "What do we want for our wedding?"

You'll get tons of unsolicited advice from friends and strangers (Exhibit A: this very blog post!), and you'll probably feel pressure of some kind from your families. Take other opinions into consideration if you like, but keep coming back to what will make you and your partner happy on your wedding day. If you're lucky, it'll be the only one you ever have, so tune out the noise and make your own decisions. 

Stay within your budget by finding affordable wedding rings at My Trio Rings.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user sinksanctity.

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.

Lately, the internet has been abuzz with the best places to propose. If you are looking for creative proposal ideas, be certain to keep up with the My Trio Rings Precious Places series. This week, our destination is Washington, D.C. So if you are ready to pop the big question, then pick out an affordable wedding ring set, and ponder the following proposal venues.

Creative Proposal Ideas in Washington, D.C.

1. Blooming Cherry Blossoms

One of the things that Washington, D.C. is best known for outside of government and politics is its extravagant display of blooming cherry blossoms around the perimeter of the Tidal Basin. If you live in the D.C. metro area, consider a springtime stroll around the lake. Find a bench to sit on, and declare your desire to spend the rest of your lives together. Another romantic option would be to pack a picnic blanket, a basket of gourmet goodies, a bottle of champagne, and an affordable wedding ring set and set up camp for a picnic proposal under a blooming cherry blossom bower.

Alternative: There is also a lovely, meandering rose garden, the Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden, outside of the Smithsonian Castle that offers a longer growing season and more opportunities for creative proposal ideas in the great outdoors.

2. Delicious Ethnic Cuisines

We’ve all seen the movies with the candlelit Italian restaurant and glasses of wine. While there is nothing wrong with the tried-and-true romantic classics, you may also wish to consider more creative proposal ideas, such as a different kind of culinary venue. Washington, D.C. is uniquely suited for food adventures with its wide variety of different ethnic restaurants. For something different, start the adventure of a lifetime at an Ethiopian restaurant such as Meskerem, where you will sit on intricately patterned cushions and eat with your hands. Talk about your future hopes and dreams while you feast together. Then slip the engagement ring from your affordable wedding ring set onto her finger while you wipe each other’s hands with a warm, wet cloth after your meal. For a more romantic experience, consider requesting a private room at the restaurant of your choice or getting reservations for a time when you may have the restaurant mostly to yourselves.

What is your Washington, D.C. proposal story? Share it with us!

Pick out an affordable wedding ring set today!

Photo credit: robeposse

When you’re ready to get married, you’re ready to get married. But according to some sources, most Americans are engaged for over a year before they tie the knot. Some couples need time to save up for their wedding, and others feel the need for plenty of time to plan the perfect wedding. Whatever the reason, many couples like having a lot of time between their engagement and their wedding. But believe it or not, if you’re ready to get married sooner, planning a wedding on a budget at the last minute is easy to do with a few easy tips.

Planning a Wedding on a Budget – Fast!

1. Food

If you are planning a wedding on a budget, then it is a wise move to avoid a wedding that coincides with a meal time, no matter what your time frame is for making wedding plans. It is much cheaper to serve your guests appetizers, champagne, and wedding cake than a full-on catered meal. Even cheaper would be just cake and champagne. If you’re hoping to plan a wedding in a short amount of time, then your best wedding cake option is probably a large grocery store bakery. They are likely to have more last-minute availability and lower prices than dedicated wedding cake bakeries, and they will still taste delicious.

2. Décor

Get married in a beautiful outdoor setting or a gorgeous church if you want to save your decorating dollars. Or plan an impromptu flash wedding in an art museum, like in the recent romantic movie “The Vow.” If flowers are important to you, consider planning a last minute wedding in the spring, when lots of flowers are in bloom. If you’ve got a green thumb, you could host a wedding in your own backyard garden, or you could at least grow your own bouquet or flowers for the reception.

3. Attire

If you are planning a wedding on a budget, then you can easily shop for affordable wedding band sets online and have them shipped quickly. The wedding clothing might seem more complicated than the wedding jewelry, but that is not necessarily the case. Last-minute tuxedo rentals are not too difficult to come by, especially if you avoid a date that coincides with local high school proms. And as for wedding gowns, look into gown rental at local bridal shops or costume stores, or buy a dress straight off the sale rack and have it altered. And if you’re thinking of a spring wedding, there is no shame in choosing a less expensive white prom gown!

What are your last minute wedding planning tips?

Shop for affordable wedding band sets online now!

Photo credit: lisaclarke

If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, it's time that you do. The site allows you to share the beautiful and interesting things that you find on the web quickly and easily. It's free to register on Pinterest, and it's incredibly useful for discovering creative budget wedding ideas. 

Start by visiting Pinterest.com and start a free account. Select the people whose pinboards you want to follow (both friends and those you don't know personally). Then create pinboards for the topics that interest you, such as "Recipes," "Ideas for the Home," and, of course, "Wedding Inspiration." With the click of your mouse, you can now pin the photos you discover on the web and repin photos that other people have shared on their boards. One word of caution: Pinterest is seriously addictive.

Here are 5 ways that you can use Pinterest to plan the budget wedding of your dreams:

1. Save-the-Dates and Invitations

The easiest way to decide on the style of Save-the-Dates and Invitations is to look at a variety of examples and see what catches your eye. Do you prefer a modern design, or a more classic one? Splashy or understated? Whether you are planning a destination wedding or a homegrown event, you'll find inspiration for wedding planning on a budget.

2. Engagement & Wedding Photography

You may have rolled your eyes when you've seen run-of-the-mill engagement and wedding photography. Make sure to avoid cheesy poses yourself by finding creative shots on Pinterest and showing them to your photographer. Get ideas for props you can use in your engagement photos, such as chalkboards for writing fun messages, and start brainstorming unexpected settings. Give your photographer suggestions for uncommon wedding day poses and shots to capture.

3. Wedding Decor

Pinterest users (or "Pinners") share wedding decor ideas galore. Find pictures of gorgeous place settings for indoor or outdoor weddings, sweet wedding favors, and simple flower arrangements. You're sure to find the perfect accents for your budget wedding, including eco-friendly and DIY options. .

4. Bridal Style

You'll find many different ideas for bridal style on Pinterest. Pictures of wedding dresses range from elegant to simple to funky. You'll find ideas for wedding day shoes, jewelry, and styles for every kind of hair. There are even accessories that you can make yourself if you're wedding planning on a budget.

5. Honeymoon

What kind of honeymoon would you like to follow your budget wedding? One of the biggest benefits of Pinterest is that it displays a plethora of beautiful photos side by side. You can browse through them and decide whether you'd like to save or splurge on your honeymoon, and what kind of experience you'd like to have. Do you want to lounge on a tropical beach? Go camping in the wilderness, or ride the roller coasters at a Disney theme park?

BONUS - 6. Follow My Trio Rings!

My Trio Rings has created a number of pinboards which cover unique engagement and wedding rings spanning the entire web in addition to pictures of the latest ring styles and designs in the industry and by My Trio Rings. Follow the pinboards to see updates to these boards!

To look for wedding ideas on Pinterest, hover over the "Everything" option on your home screen with your mouse, then choose "Wedding & Events" from the drop-down menu. You can also use the Pinterest search bar to search by keyword for a specific type of item.

Happy pinning!

Last edited; 4/18/2012. Photo credit: Pinterest

Many couples today are uncertain about whether they should get married and at what point in their relationship it is the appropriate time to do so. There are a lot of practical reasons why couples choose to get married: tax benefits, legal protection for children, expectations of family members and friends, sharing health insurance benefits. But regardless of all of the practical considerations that might encourage some to rush into marriage (or the undeniable excitement of wedding gowns, diamond cluster rings, and honeymoons, the best time to get married is when you both feel ready to commit to spending your lives together – not just when you are ready to plan a budget wedding or when other people are ready to see you walk down the aisle.

How will you know when you are ready? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. You want to spend your lives together, regardless of whether your budget wedding plan involves a simple trip to the courthouse or an extravagant trip to the Mexican Riviera.

2. You are prepared to stay together through thick and thin, regardless of future employment, future health, future lifestyle, or future residence. This is the person you are excited to share your life with, through all the ups and downs.

3. You share important values and are able to compromise and come to consensus on important issues as well as seemingly trivial disagreements. You have discussed everything from religion and children to household chores and spending styles, and you know you are compatible. Remember, no couple has a perfect relationship or a completely smooth road ahead in their lives. The important thing is that you are prepared to support each other and work together in good times and in bad. If you think you are ready for wedding bells to be in your future, keep in mind that the time for choosing diamond cluster rings for a Christmas proposal is drawing near. But if the time isn't quite right, then wait until you both are ready before you jump into planning the budget wedding of your dreams. How did you know you were ready to get married? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Photo Credit: Flickr (mikebaird)