Getting married is fun. Planning a budget is not.

But here’s the thing:

It’s necessary.

While most guides to wedding planning and planning your wedding budget focus specifically on the big day, that’s not all that matters. To revel in a stress free married life, you should plan in three parts:

• Before the Wedding
• The Big Day
• After the Wedding

You’ll see that a little planning will go a long way. And it’s not as stressful as you’d think. Okay, let’s get into it!

Before the Wedding

Saving money and budgeting pre-wedding is one of the most important measures you can take. Here are a few big ticket wins to focus on:

Engagement Ring

We actually wrote a whole guide on how to choose an affordable engagement ring. But if you want the SparkNotes, here’s the gist of it:

Tip #1: Stay away from platinum. 

While both gold and platinum are priced similarly per gram, platinum is denser. It’s a wonderful metal, but it’s the most expensive. The best options for beautiful and affordable engagement rings are 14k white gold and palladium. (side note: all of our rings are ethically made with 100% recycled metals, whichever metal you go with)

Tip #3: Consider Moissanite or Sapphire.

Moissanite was originally discovered in a meteor crater and is a super rare mineral. It looks very similar to a diamond. Actually, it’s more brilliant than a diamond, which is why some people prefer Forever Brilliant Moissanite to diamonds. Check our our post on diamonds vs moissanite if you’d like to learn more.

Though more people think of sapphites as being blue, they’re actually available in all the colors of the rainbow. Even excellent quality sapphires (AAA rating) can offer substantial savings over a diamond.

For more tips on color and clarity, check out this article.

Engagement Ring Insurance

Engagement ring insurance is probably a good idea. It usually costs from $1-$2 per year for every $100 it would cost to replace. Basically this means if your ring would cost $7000 to replace, insurance would be $70-$140 per year. This goes back to our previous point – if you save money on your engagement ring, you’ll save money on your engagement ring insurance.

The Key to Saving for Your Wedding

The strategy is simple:

Set small goals.

Instead of impossibly ambitious goals, set yourself up for victory. When saving for the wedding, set up little challenges. One example: eat dinner at home 5 days a week. Other than that, indulge guilt free.

In addition, if it helps you shop, it’s okay to go to Whole Foods instead of a cheaper grocery store. Overall, if you shop and cook at home, you’ll eat healthier, eat at home, and save money. Whatever incentivizes you to do that will result in a small victory that adds up over time.

Finally, when you cook at home, make extra so you have lunch leftovers. Again, this helps you eat more healthfully and saves you money. Though for the sake of sanity, you should definitely feel free to hit up Chipotle now and then still 🙂

The important lesson to take away:

Set up savings habits that will not only carry you to your wedding day, but will allow you to flourish for a lifetime in financial stability.

The Big Day: How to Plan a Wedding on a Budget

As for the actual wedding, there are a thousands ways to save money and still enjoy your most special day:

• Schedule the wedding in off-peak season.
• Don’t get married on a Saturday.
• Consider an on-campus marriage ceremony.
• Fake your wedding cake (or forego it).
• Hire a friend as a DJ.
• Choose a nontraditional venue.

There are also a ton of creative and green ways to save money on your wedding. Let me give you a few ideas:

• Consider buying instead of renting a tuxedo. Something you can wear the next 10 years. Chances are, it will look better than the one size fits all that you would have rented. Plus, you’ll get to wear it on swanky occasions for a while.
• Champagne toasts are one of the biggest wastes of money at a wedding. Do a clean water toast instead and use that moment to be thankful for having clean water.
• Get creative with wedding favors. Often, these are wasteful trinkets. Instead, think about donating some dinero for each guest in a cause you like.

The Honeymoon

Go nuts. It’s your honeymoon; enjoy it!

After the Wedding

Truth is, after the wedding, saving is just a continuation of your pre-wedding habits.

Small wins, automated savings, open communication, etc, etc.

There are a couple creative habits you can set for your relationship, though. Here’s one from Do Amore founder, Krish:

“Set expectations for gifts. For example, my wife and I love to travel. So we decided that each year, instead of traditional anniversary gifts, we trade turns planning our annual trip. On our anniversary day, we’re excited to hear this year’s travel plans. It’s actually much more fun than opening a box of chocolates! And it’s a lot more practical, since we’d take a trip anyway.”

There’s a word buzzing around the ring world and it just might need to make it’s way to your lips. Moissanite.  When shopping around for the perfect way to ask “Will you marry me?”, it’s time to consider a stone from the stars.  You will not only change the life of your loved one when you slip this ring on their finger, but also the lives of someone in need!

Originally mistaken for an actual diamond, chemist Henri Moissan first encountered these crystals while, get this, examining rock samples from a meteor crater in the Canyon Diablo, Arizona in 1893. Yep, a meteor’s crater.  Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide and in it’s natural form, rivals the rarity of diamonds.

Before the 1950’s there was no other source for these stones other than meteorites (I still can’t get over that). In 1958, moissanite was found the Green River Formation in Wyoming as well as in a diamond mine in Yakutia in 1959.  Forever Brilliant Moissanite is 10% more brilliant than diamonds and reflects 2 times the light of diamonds, emeralds or sapphires!  Not to mention it is nearly colorless, so it often times catches more stares and starts more conversations than diamonds.

Now that we’ve got a little history, take the time to check out our collection of moissanite, which, as you now know, was even mistaken for a diamond by a geologists, so it’s sure to pack the glimmer of diamonds while saving you a considerable amount of money.  Wedding and engagement rings are simply symbols of your love.  At Do Amore, we want your love to shine it’s brightest, and brighten the lives of those in need.  With each ring purchase from Do Amore, your love amplifies, providing water for those in need!

Do Amore is one of the largest suppliers of Forever Brilliant Moissanite Rings.