weddings - i am out of touch

[rotters]

What's the point of having two rings? I can understand having one, to show you're married and as a symbol of love, but why two? Seems like a waste of money to be honest. Then again, I find the whole thing a waste of money .

Surprise for you it's actually 3 rings...eternity ring is usually given after the 1st born or after a period of time youve been married.

 

[big_white_dog84]

My wife's parents paid for the reception and we paid for the rest. This decision was mainly because they wanted the whole extended family, children, partners etc to be invited whereas if we had been paying per head then it would have been only the bare minimum close friends and family invited. Their costs were variable with headcount, ours were fixed.

 

[dowie]

Surprise for you it's actually 3 rings...eternity ring is usually given after the 1st born or after a period of time youve been married.

yup - and guess which company marketed this tradition too...

(they'd secured a deal to import soviet diamonds which were generally quite small and so started marketing diamond eternity rings containing them)

 

[rotters]

Luckily my wife wants amethist stones so no where as near the price.

 

[Freefaller]

Worst "I earn £40K a year" post ever...

Meh...

Even on an average salary 3 months wages would be over £6k... That is a stupendous sum to be spending on a ring. As FF said the woman probably wouldn't want the responsibility and for an average income couple £6k is not a paltry sum, I'm sure most people would rather buy a holiday, a car or be part of a deposit on a house.

I'd hope that the girl I wanted to buy an engagement ring would be thinking the same as me tbh. Engagement ring or a trip for two to antarctica for a couple of weeks... I know which I'd choose...

Indeed. To me it seems excessive, and I'd rather put that extra money towards the wedding, honeymoon or deposit for a house for example. Of course if you're after a girl that just wants to milk you dry of money then go for it!

 

[SexyGreyFox]

but at the end of the day it's something that will only happen once

And there you hit the nail on the head, spending obscene amounts of money on something that 'only happens once'.

 

[AHarvey]

And there you hit the nail on the head, spending obscene amounts of money on something that 'only happens once'.

so? I don't understand what the issue is. Just because something happens once should you not make it exactly what you want? The wedding day only happens once, but the memories will live with you.

I know you like your music, so if you had the one off chance to play with your favourite band live at a concert but it'd cost you £10k for the day, would you not want to do it?

People are paying for the memories that the one off event creates!

This whole thing is a touchy subject for me because last time I took part in one my wife and I were attacked. She was made out to be a money grabber etc which is as far from the truth as you can get.

I'd love to fly a mig in russia, I'd only do it the once and thats £10-15k.

 

[Destination]

Father of the bride (great film back in the day I'm sad to admit ) used to pay... not any more and I'm pretty sure the engagement ring is "meant" to be one months wage (that's now, not sure what is might have been previously)

One months wages was tradition, US jewelry scum nowmadvertise three months to muddy the waters and get more profits for themselves.
Father of te bride traditionally paid for the wedding, now the couple often pay for it themselves. You will find in rich background families the father of the bride still tends to fund most of it.
Weddings rings are simple bands and thus are cheap in comparison to engagement rings, the stone costs the money.

 

[Destination]

Rings don't tend to lose value, but resale could prove very difficult.

 

[Jay794]

If my fiance's parents were paying for the wedding, well lets just say, do Aldi do weddings? they're skint lol.

Although my parents could afford it and will probably put some money aside for us, me and my fiance are going to pay for the wedding ourselves.

Regarding the engagement ring price? screw a months wages, I used my grands ring, sentimental value F.T.W. It is worth about £500 though

Weddings are stupidly expensive, why pay so much money for something you only do once? I'm trying to convince my fiance to rent a dress instead of buying one, a friend is making the cake, I'm using a mates E-Type as the wedding car. The venue decorations are free, the most expensive bit will be the after party venue I guess. Which as far as I'm concerned, should be free since we'll be putting a lot of money behind the bar, I guess some places do it like that anyway, either that or we'll go back to my house since the garden is massive

 

[Dr House]

Indina wedding,

I paid for half the engagement costs which was about 10k, my wife's parents paid for the wedding which was very very expensive we are talking small house expensive.
I had to pay for jewellery and other stuff so another 10 to 15k.


If it was up to me I would have had a small wedding and only spent a few k.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I know you like your music, so if you had the one off chance to play with your favourite band live at a concert but it'd cost you £10k for the day, would you not want to do it?

Absolutely not, I wouldn't pay a penny (well I'd buy them all a drink).
I got married in 1980 and the most important thing was to fill our house with what we needed and the wedding was done on a budget which for everything including my suit, her dress, ring & wedding dinner cost way less than £200.
All the photography, video, cars, bands, disco, buffet and night club were all free provided by family & friends.
Our honeymoon was a coach trip round all the major war sites in Europe which was what she wanted and I went along and cost about £100 each.
We have some of the most amazing memories and it isn't of buying invitation cards at £5 each or over £1000 worth of flowers which my work colleague recently did.
Their wedding album cost over £1000 (It is the best I've ever seen though).
I suppose if you've got money to burn then do it but personally I'd rather spend it on a new domestic appliances (Bosch of course).

 

[ChrisJSY]

And there you hit the nail on the head, spending obscene amounts of money on something that 'only happens once'.

Hehe but it isn't always once, is it; or ever lasting
The whole thing screams consumerism, nothing says I love you like throwing obscene amounts of cash to material goods and feel good events.

 

[Dinomania]

In terms of paying for it, I think it varies a lot now - depends on the situation, certainly I think it's growing ever rarer for the bride's parents to pay for the lot.

As for the ring, grrrrrr I hate DeBeers and how they have been fooling the public into thinking that:
1) The an engagement ring should carry a diamond
2) That it should cost 1, 2 or even 3 month's wages
3) That there even needs to be an engagement ring!

Also DeBeers are terrible for controlling the prices and market in diamonds - once bought new, a diamond instantly loses value and will never be worth the same again.

See this, notably points 3, 5, 8 and 9: http://www.neatorama.com/2008/12/01/10-facts-about-diamonds-you-should-know/

I'd much prefer an engagement ladies Omega Seamaster to a diamond engagement ring.

 

[Jay794]

Regarding wedding presents, I'd just ask for household stuff that we didn't already own, or at least money towards it, stuff like a chest freezer, blender etc...

Girlfriend says PC parts can't go on the present list lol

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Hehe but it isn't always once, is it; or ever lasting
The whole thing screams consumerism, nothing says I love you like throwing obscene amounts of cash to material goods and feel good events.

I didn't want to hit on that fact.

22% of marriages in 1970 had ended in divorce by the 15th wedding anniversary, whereas 33% of marriages in 1995 had ended after the same period of time.

I can't find data for now but I believe it has sigificantly gone up.

 

[Yas786]

So you'll be wearing a wedding ring but she won't? That seems... Weird somehow.

Not really, shes not into jewellery and shes one of these women who will take off the ring and forget about it ie lose it so she asked me not to get her one. And the biggest reason for her not wanting one is that she finds it 'strange' when she has a ring on her finger.

To me it makes no difference as a ring doesnt prove/show to me how much she loves me etc.

Saying that i am planning to get her a nice diamond necklace that she can wear around her neck, think that would work for her. Saw a very nice one in Hatton Garden yesterday so probably pick it up this week after work for her.

 

[Jay794]

I don't think I could stand wearing a ring, I don't even wear a watch despite owning several, I don't even wear a neck chain most of the time lol

 

[Yas786]

I don't think I could stand wearing a ring, I don't even wear a watch despite owning several, I don't even wear a neck chain most of the time lol

Exactly some people are like ie my missus....although she did say if it meant that much she would wear one but obv knowing that she isnt comfy with wearing one i didnt push her into it. I did ask her if she would wear a diamond necklace as a replacement for a ring and she said she would with no problems.

For me i have a necklace, a bracelet, a watch and my wedding ring. But none of those are too 'blingy'...just nice understated jewellery.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Not really, shes not into jewellery and shes one of these women who will take off the ring and forget about it ie lose it so she asked me not to get her one. And the biggest reason for her not wanting one is that she finds it 'strange' when she has a ring on her finger.

Respect to her for not being a sheep.
I can't count the amount of times Mrs Dimple has had to search for her rings over the last 32 years.
She could be wearing replacement toy ones for all I know.