There is no “magical” number as to how much you should spend on an engagement ring. For years, the “accepted” amount was 2-4 months salary, depending on who you asked. That is a reasonable and acceptable starting point to base your figures around but there are several other factors you need to consider.
The average engagement ring costs about $5,400. The average couple spends $1,900 on his and hers wedding bands.
At Mervis, our settings for rings start around $1,200 and go up from there. We carry a range of rings that fit above, below and on the average cost of an engagement ring, so we can cater to any price point.
The most important things to consider are these:
How much can you comfortably afford to spend?
No one can answer this question but you. This will depend on a multitude of factors: take home salary, amount in savings, monthly expenses. If you have a lot in savings, you may plan on paying for the ring in full. If you don’t have much in savings and are afraid to deplete your savings, Mervis offers amazing financing options. This way, you can put a down payment on the ring and put a little bit towards the ring each month.
What type of ring do you want?
What style ring are you looking for? If you aren’t sure, there are many ways to get more “bling” for a few less “bucks”. You can always go for the ever popular halo trend, which is comprised of a series of small diamonds surrounding one larger center stone to make the center stone appear bigger/blingier. The solitaire is always a good, classic choice if you aren’t sure what she wants- you can always add on details after choosing a simple stone to start. If you have NO clue what your girlfriend wants, you can always ask her or her friends and family-there are NO RULES when it comes to an engagement.
Would you prefer a larger stone that is less quality, or a higher quality stone that is smaller for your money?
There are two factors to consider here: the person you are buying the ring for, her style, and also your personal preferences. If you KNOW your girlfriend has her heart set on two carats and you can’t afford that, would she rather a spectacular 1 carat that is close to perfect or a 1.5 carat that has visible flaws? Obviously, those two are the extremes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot of diamond for your money. You can go slightly down in color and clarity to increase your carat size, or even go down in carat size but up in color and clarity. Check out our downloadable diamond money saving tips here.
Does shape of the stone or metal really matter?
If you are on a tight budget and don’t have a particular metal or stone shape in mind, this can aid your shopping experience. Platinum is the most expensive metal out there, so if you are looking to cut costs but love the COLOR of platinum, look for a white gold ring. It is a very similar look with a much lower price tag. Most people tend to go towards white gold- over 72% of engagement rings are white gold. Another thing to keep in mind is the shape of the diamond itself: round brilliant diamonds, although the most popular, are the most expensive per carat because you cut away the highest percentage of the rough diamond to form the round brilliant. Round stones make up 55% of the chosen stones for engagement rings.
At the end of the day, there is no “rule” for how much you should spend on an engagement ring beyond what makes you comfortable. Pick a budget, start looking at rings and if that budget is hard, we will work around it. If you find that what you want is out of your price range and your budget is more flexible, we can work with that too. At the end of the day, we want to create a beautiful ring to last a lifetime with you and your loved one.
It is always a privilege to capture a couple’s wedding, and when you have the opportunity to work with a new reception location, such as Doubletree Hotel, Eatontown, New Jersey, and a historic landmark, such as Wilson Hall at Monmouth University, made famous by the Annie movie, it become an opportunity to capture wedding photos with some amazing and unique backdrops.
Having a bird-themed wedding provides the perfect opportunity to donate to an organization in your guest’s names that supports our feathered friends. You can also ask guests to donate to a charity or foundation that supports winged wildlife in lieu of gifts. Love birds and bird cage themes are really big this season, so you will have no problem finding beautiful and sustainable wedding decor, invitations, cake toppers and more.
This invitation is ideal for a spring or summer wedding. The simplicity of a love bird-themed wedding is a unique way to share your wedding with guests. These invitations are perfect for a wedding in a park or botanical gardens. They are printed on 100% recycled plantable paper embedded with wildflower seeds. Plant the paper after the wedding and watch beautiful wildflowers bloom.
I like to think of true wedding DJs as symphony conductors. Like the conductor and his baton, we use the perfect mix of music to inspire a diverse crowd of guests to dance. Without the perfect mix, guests will eventually lose their rhythm and abandon the once full dance floor.
This “perfect mix” cannot be planned, but is spontaneously created by reading the energy of the crowd. What can be planned and practiced is the technique and skill to provide a diverse mix of music that not only appeals to all ages and genres, but keeps guests dancing to songs that they would normally not dance to. The outcome is a dance floor filled with guests of all generations…a true family event.
Most DJs fail at this technique because they rely on the bad habit of “sets,” or long groups of music from the same genre. While this is great for the guests that love this genre, the rest will lose interest and retreat to their tables. Once these guests lose interest, it is difficult to get them back on the floor. Learning how to create the perfect mix requires the DJ to think out of the box and mix together songs that normally would belong in different sets. By alternating genres and decades of music, all of your guests want to keep dancing in anticipation for next great song.
Example mixes would be:
“I Got a Feelin” by Black Eyed Peas
“Rock This Party” by Bob Sinclair
“PYT” by Michael Jackson
“I Can’t Help Myself” by The Four Tops
“You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” by Barry White
“This Is How We Do It” by Montel Jordan
“Poison” by Bel Biv Devoe
Beat-mixing songs together will keep a consistent tempo and help to sustain the energy on the dance floor, but this cannot always be done. This is where other DJ skills come into play. Skills such as cuts and record breaks can help to transition between songs. Also, using effects and filters, your DJ can be creative while not ruining the integrity or the original song.
Another great way to keep all decades of guests dancing together is to play remixes or “mashups.” Old classic songs remixed to new beats can really bring crowds together on the dance floor. A great DJ knows what remixes are done well and if they will be a hit at your wedding.
Some great songs to remix are:
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston
“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey
“Sweet Child of Mine” by Guns and Roses
“Billie Jean” by Micheal Jackson
Find a DJ that understands how important the perfect mix is to your wedding. Ask questions about his/her mixing techniques and how they plan to keep all of your family and friends on the dance floor together. Inquire about remixes and ask to hear some of them to be sure that they sound great.
Remember, the right DJ with the perfect mix can make your wedding the best it can be.
DJ Jimmie Espo, CEO of Move It Music DJ and Lighting, has been a successful disc jockey in Boston for over 20 years. His versatile resume spans from Boston’s hottest night clubs in the mid ‘90’s, to becoming the accomplished, premier wedding DJ and master of ceremonies he is today.
Park weddings are becoming very popular in the spring and summer. Many people do not take advantage of their local or state parks, but they are a great area to have a wedding in a natural setting. Guests will be able to enjoy the outdoors while gathering for your special day. One may choose to have their wedding in a city park such as Central Park or somewhere a bit more secluded in the countryside. Either way, your special day will be remembered as being extra unique and eco-chic!
Send your guests news of your impending park wedding with plantable forest wedding invitations. This hand drawn artistic representation of an old tree is a great way to enhance your theme and comes in an earthy brown color or a vibrant green. All of the invitations are planted on 100% handmade paper and are printed on luxurious plantable paper, embedded with wildflower seeds. Guests will be able to enjoy the special wedding invitation as well as the beautiful flowers that come with it once you’ve planted the invite.
These cute owl cake toppers are another great idea for a park-themed wedding. These are completely hand crafted and designed from wood accented with wood burning techniques. They are painted in non-toxic water paints and finished with a natural sealer, then lightly polished with beeswax cream. Both owls come with a painted red heart, and the groom has a black hat and bow tie. Each topper comes with “Owl Mine” written on the bottom. This cute cake topper is ideal for a fun and outdoorsy wedding.
Branch place card holders are a perfect way to let your guests know where they are sitting at the reception. These are ideal if your park-themed wedding is at a state park or in a forest. They are rustic looking but still elegant and simple. Each stump is hand selected and can be used for place settings, table number holders, food table name cards and more. The wood used is always from fallen trees. No trees are ever cut down to protect the wildlife and forests. Natural methods are also used to dry and preserve the materials.
Wood save-the-date magnets are another unique way to incorporate a park-themed wedding. You can engrave the location of your park wedding, as well as the the couple’s names and wedding date. These save-the-date magnets are a great way to make sure your guests are well-informed of the date of your wedding: magnets are a great reminder because they are easier to stick on the fridge and keep track of than a piece of paper. The magnets are 100% biodegradable and can be created in a variety of wood choices.
You’re excited to “shower” the bride with love, good wishes and gifts as she prepares for married life, but you’re daunted by the planning? Follow my favorite tips for a great planning experience:
1. To Theme or Not to Theme
One of the most important decisions of your planning process will be whether to utilize a theme or not. Consider the bride and her tastes, as well as any quirky or fun aspects within the bride and groom’s history together that could make the event unique. This first step in planning then guides the location you choose, the décor, food served and so much more to create a cohesive setting. Top trend shower themes: Sex in the City, an activity shower {think cooking lessons or floral arranging} and Vineyard Wine Tasting.
2. An Event All its Own
Because the bride may have multiple showers and pre-wedding events, I always suggest creating an event plan that is all its own and does not duplicate any of the color schemes or aspects of the wedding or reception. It will be a fresh and unique memory for the guest of honor.
3. Make Room For the Groom
You’ve heard it said a lot, “It’s his day too!” and well, it is. So consider a trendy couples shower in the form of a unisex cocktail or dinner party, or at least invite and welcome the man of the hour to appear at the event to express his thankfulness and gratitude to the guests.
4. Consider the Gifts
The very nature of a shower is to help set the couple up for their new life together. When creating your event plan, don’t forget to consider the gifts. While bath towels and hand mixers are necessary components of newlywed life, if the bride and groom are already prepared in these areas, consider suggesting a gift giving theme that will better meet their needs. Top trends right now in shower gift giving: a money tree, gift card showers, and honeymoon funding websites.
5. Gaming
Some brides dread them, and others embrace them with relish, so it’s a role of the dice whether to incorporate shower games at the event or not. Consider if they fit the theme you have chosen, if they fit the “style” of your bride, and if they lend to the atmosphere of the event you have planned. If so, have fun with them! If not, it is quite acceptable to forgo this tradition!
The two cakes pictured above may look different but they’re actually exactly the same. The cake on the left is sitting on a fondant-covered board, while the cake on the right is set on a foil-covered board. It makes a big different, don’t you think?
It’s shocking to me that there are so many cake professionals still presenting their cakes on foil-covered boards. And it’s even more shocking that some bakers charge to cover the board with fondant!Very few couples ask me about their cake’s board presentation during their tastings. But you should make sure that your cake board will be dressed in a way that coordinates with your cake.
When you visit websites of a potential baker, be sure to take note of the cake boards. That will give you a good indication of how much attention to the detail your cake professional has.
Another important question to ask your baker: How thick does he or she roll fodant? Fondant should be rolled super-thin, about 1/8” thick. This way the fondant will melt into the buttercream a bit and won’t have as gummy a texture.
Although looking at pictures will not tell you if the fondant covering the cake is thin or not, looking at the thickness of decorations and borders of a cake will give you a good clue if your cake professional takes the time to roll her fondant thin.
Tip: If you have a smaller wedding cake, use a stand to elevate and give more presence to your cake. Just make sure that the stand can sustain the weight of your cake and still be stable.
Renata Papadopoulos is the owner of Lovely Cakes in Connecticut. One of her designs was selected by Brides magazine in 2011 as one of America’s Most Beautiful Cakes.
Dr. Who is one of the most popular and longest-running science fiction television shows in the entire world, with a fan base more dedicated and loving than most marriages. It seems so very obvious then that so many couples would want to use elements from the show within their nuptials. So, how can you include your love for the doctor in the most important social gathering of your relationship without alienating (haha, alien) those you love who may not have yet discovered the most perfect combination of old, new, borrowed and blue? The answer is subtlety, as it is with anything. Here are my thoughts and recommendations for each part of your special day:
When a potential client reaches out to me for help planning their wedding, their top concerns are always budget management and negotiating with vendors. While many find this topic difficult, it really is not, if you take the time to do the following steps:
Step 1) Review your budget
Some brides are on a tight budget and others have unlimited resources. No matter the category in which you fall, you should always set a budget. When calculating your budget, do not put in a maximum amount that you can spend. Find a comfortable middle ground and allow yourself some wiggle room. I also suggest making a habit of entering in your data in a budget tool or spreadsheet. WeddingWire has the best budget tool in cyberspace. It is customizable, printable and easy to access via their app.
Step 2) Know and understand your event worth
Your wedding will be one of the most momentous days or your life. Couples get sidetracked by only considering their emotional attachment to the wedding instead of getting an understanding of the event’s worth to vendors. Every wedding is different, but for your vendors, it’s their job. That means they know which dates and venues are ‘worth more’ to the average couple. The more valuable, the pricier; the lower the value to your vendor, the easier it will be to negotiate rates, extras and much more.
Being aware of when peak and off-peak wedding seasons are in your area can be helpful. Weddings in more sought-after seasons or on popular dates (like Saturdays or gimmicky dates like 12/13/14) are worth more to vendors because it’s easier for them to fill those slots. They will be less likely to negotiate your rate. Choosing a date in the off season gives you a lower starting rate and availability to add extras to your contract.
Step 3) Select the one or two elements of your wedding that are most important to you
Most couples start wedding planning like a kid in a candy story. Every magazine has a flower arrangement that speaks to you, and every bridal show you attend has a design element that is just right. Being so drawn to design often causes couples to go over budget, overlook details or just get lost in planning. Sit down with your fiancé and decide the one or two elements that are most important to you – prior to choosing any wedding vendors. This step is very important to future decision making. If food and music is the most important, adjust your budget to enhance these features. Take away from things that matter less, like escort cards or a 3rd meal choice.
I also suggest choosing a wedding inspiration that will drive the style of your wedding. Couples should use any one item that truly represents your wedding style: Your grandmother’s lace handkerchief, a cool chevron pillow you got at a garage sale, an interesting font that you love, or the first flower your fiancé ever gave you.
If you do make the commitment to stay true to your important elements, and your wedding inspiration, you can turn to those objects into anchors in times of difficult decision making.
Step 4) Seek Vendors that are within budget and fit your needs.
It sounds so simple but realistically it is one of the most difficult for couples. If your max budget for a band is $5,000, you should stay clear of bands whose pricing starts at that number. A comfortable fit would be a vendor that is has a middle package for around $4,000. This will give you room to add on something like including ceremony music, if you want. Don’t forget, if that $4,000 package is just right for you, you now have room in your budget to move that extra $1,000 to another category.
Step 5) ABN- Always be negotiating
There have been countless studies about women and negotiation. There is one thing all the studies have in common – woman tend to negotiate less than men. Studies also show that men view more things as negotiable where as women think that many things cannot be changed. For this final step, remember, EVERYTHING is negotiable when it comes to weddings. And if a vendor truly is not willing to work on a fair trade they may not be the vendor for you.
Taking time to consider each vendor’s offer is necessary to prepare yourself for negotiation. It will require that you take time away from the vendor to think about what you’ve seen and experienced in your initial meeting rather than making a decision on the spot. After looking at a vendor package ask yourself: What do I really want and need from this vendor? Are there services that I can give up to get what I want? What services will equal more or less work for the vendor?
If negotiation really gives you much anxiety, remember, that is totally natural. Here’s my trick: Women who have issues negotiating for their own benefit almost always do 10 times better negotiating on behalf of others. Before your discussion with your vendor, take a breath. Imagine the people who will benefit from your wedding if it is the way you want it to be. Take their interest to the negotiation table with you and use them as back up when you need strength.
Approach your vendor as if you are on the same team rather than an “us against them” tactic. I recommend coming right out and asking for the concessions that you would like changed or added to the contract. What’s the worst they could say? If you get push back, then it’s time to discuss the services and features that you don’t need. Offer one of those up in exchange for the service you really want. Don’t be afraid to ask vendors to “throw in” a service. In the end, remember to get everything in writing. Take the time to review the contract before signing it to make sure that all your concessions are represented.
I hope that this guide give you some power towards taking control of your wedding.
Olivia Lee is the owner and lead planner of Precise Events Inc. in Philadelphia. She has been coordinating both large and intimate celebrations for over ten years.
Trends may come, and trends may go, but there is something to be said about timeless, classic, elegance – it never goes out of style. Each generation may have their spin on the concept, but the foundations are solid; and also comforting.
As a historic venue, we see many variations on that “classic” theme. Everything about Elaine and Charles wedding day seemed like a dream of elegance and grace: her lace-trimmed veil, the gloves, the bow on the dress; his white tie and tails and rose boutonniere; the layers of flowers between white flourished cake, the pearl-accented centerpieces . “Each time I see the photos, I remember how happy everyone was and how much fun we all had,” agreed Elaine when reviewing her wedding day recollections. ”I was absolutely floored at how gorgeous the place looked. It was like a fairy-tale wedding. I loved it!”
