A Wedding Band with Heart

Last week, I posted about my tough decision to spend big on videography, and keep the budget modest for wedding bands. But I could't settle for just any 'ole plain band, so I scoured the internet for a palladium or titanium band that suited me. Frustrated, I clicked over to Etsy to see some clever indie designs, and it was love at first sight:

5mm Palladium Band with Heart by WroughtGold

Here's where I should confess to over-thinking, plotting and planning:  I found this ring before I found Well Spun Wedding Films.  And I was torn between this and the Tacori platinum dream ring.  I wanted both! Fortunately, I found a distraction and a wise use of money in videography which made my ring decision for me.  (Although, if you look at this thought process... you can see I was just using the ring as an excuse to get the videography... it's a case of bride-brain logic if I've ever seen one).

Have you used or considered Etsy crafters for your wedding bands?

Making Tough Choices

I'm not very exacting. I'm an eyeball-it kind of gal, a how much do you think this weighs, a these two shades of yellow can work together, good enough kinda' gal. So you can imagine, I'm not very good at sticking to our budget.  My parent's told me what they can pitch in and we're staying in those boundaries, but there are a lot of extras on the peripheral budget that I can't quite see or keep track of. But I'm trying to get better! Today, I made a tough choice.

This intricate wedding band that compliments my e-ring:

Tacori 462ET

Elegant with a timeless heirloom quality... All this craftsmanship is concentrated in a dainty band that measures about 1.5-2mm wide.  I didn't really love any other band on my hand or with my engagement ring... but I felt guilty wanting such a glam designer ring! I mean Marc was okay with it, and after I confessed that simpler ones weren't really doing it for me he said we should just get it... and I was pretty giddy about it...

Versus beautiful heartfelt videography:

Well Spun Wedding Films

And then I stumbled upon Well Spun Weddings on the Weddingbee boards. I had completely nixed the idea of professional videography for our wedding. Every time a beautiful video in the blogosphere moved me to joyful tears and made me want to hire the filmmaker on the spot, I'd click over to their website and find prices starting in the 6K range. (I know, I mention how much things cost a lot. But my "eyeball the budget" methodology sees 6K as tooo biiig). I was scared away and never fully researched my options. Then 82 days before my wedding I found Well Spun and checked out their ala carte price list and thought, Hey! We were going to spend close to 2K on that ring... could we spend it on this instead?

My original video plan was to hand my friends some Flip Vids and tell them to get as much as the could and DIY edit. I was curious and excited to see what we could come up with, but also wary that I'd forget about this plan and lose video all together- and I didn't really want to make my friends work when they could be celebrating.  But then again... on the other hand... my friends are tv-film and theater folk who would do a great job...! 

See the over-thinking in action?

The only thing these two items have in common is the similar cost, which makes for an apples to oranges comparison.

I asked my mom her opinion, and she likened it to a recent anecdote about her friends: C and G were coming up on their 20th anniversary (or so....) and C had a choice of a diamond anniversary band, or a romantic trip to Paris with G, a destination she has always wanted to visit. My mom voted for Paris, I voted for Paris, C and D chose Paris!! I mean, for me it was a no-brainer. 

Translate to:  Marc can always gift me with a diamond band later ;) But we only have one chance to capture our wedding in HD.  We chose videography!! A new vendor, completely on a whim, and it feels sooo goood!! (Barring any competition for our date of course. There was one other bride who had inquired and it was 1st come 1st served to complete the online contract and deposit...)

But don't worry!  I have a plan B forming in my mind grapes for a beautiful sentimental wedding band. And another layer to my over-thinking tendencies so stay tuned.

In what ways have you prioritized wedding costs? How did you decide which elements are more  important?

Small Wonder {Part VII, 2, The Point cont...}

There are two exciting reveals to come in this post {and finally some ring pics!}, so hold on to your hats.

First:  I searched EVERYWHERE all over my apartment, in ridiculous places that could not possibly hold my lost engagement ring for MONTHS. Seat cushions, drawers, pockets, jewelry box (like I said, unlikely places to find my ring).

In pulling apart my night stand, I opened every old purse (bottom drawer) and makeup bag that I came across. Even if I hadn't regularly used them in years, like a little makeup bag pouch where I store nail polish. In my desperation, I dug in there with my greedy, hopeful little fingers, felt something small round and ring-like, and revealed....

Ring part VII/ Loss & Regret Part 2: Getting to the point

I thought I'd try to wrap this long story up today as any readers out there were probably wondering "why the build up for the obvious ring-on-finger ending?"

Well, life is really never so simple. And despite the fact that Marc likes to tell people how nice I am, I think he really means naive. Sure I mean no harm, but I am a bad, irresponsible, messy, been told my whole life to get organized person. Family and friends, ready to scream "I told you so!!"???. Well, here's your chance, I'm coming clean:

Loss and regret part 1 (or, the story of a ring {and us}, part IV)

I think we all know where this is going...

I wore my pretty promise ring for 4 years, never taking it off.

Except one time when I was acting in a friend's directing class scene and I asked my friend to keep in it his pocket and had to chase him down later when I remembered to get it back. And then one other time in late night rehearsal for another student-directed scene, I didn't take it off, but the tiny diamond fell out.

A Promise: The story of a ring, part III

Another fast forward to February 3rd, 2003. Our one-year anniversary. Marc and I had endured our first semester 4 hours apart at different colleges. (In the meantime we were voted "best couple" in our senior superlatives [ha!] and we enjoyed the best summer ever together. How I long for that simpler time. I never imagined I'd be that girl, heading off to college with a long-term high school sweetheart.)

Our relationship survived on bi-weekly visits and AIM. We used to talk about how it kinda sucked that we met young. That if we were older, we could live normal lives together, get engaged and married. Wouldn't it be nice...?

The story of a ring... part II

Cut-to senior year. (you missed me dating other guys in my 8 months of being "single-and-loving-it" or whatever. Boys, embarassments, heartbreak and bff bonding).

After a happening February half-day of video games, deli sandwiches, Stratego, and a bf in common, Marc asked me if I'd like to go running. Now, don't think I hadn't noticed new in-shape Marc at the beginning of senior year, and I wanted in on his secret. If this guy could run, so could I. I should also mention that I decided I liked him that half-day. It felt like a rebound from the guy I broke up with the day before thing- and I felt bad about that- but the fact that I felt bad that he might be a rebound was a good sign, yeah? So, we went running in Tyler Park one mild, overcast afternoon, and back to his house for dinner. Where I noticed that in my pathetic attempts at shove-laugh-flirting on our run/walk, my class ring went missing from my left ring finger.

The class ring company replaced it for cheap, but Marc would replace it with something eeeven better...

The story of a ring... part I

To fully understand the whimsy of the m&b relationship and proposal, you'll need to know some back story. Rings have been a theme since the beginning. They have been an accidental metaphor for our relationship. It was spring of aught'1....

.... And Marc- a kid in my 1st period English class- stopped me randomly [it seemed to me- and it was trendy to say "random"] in the hall during our get-to-homeroom-or-die-trying power-walk from 2nd floor west to 3rd floor east [probably an exaggeration. I have no recollection where my junior year homeroom was. It was just a huge crowded school and we all (I) had this sense of urgency between each period]. He turned around and handed me a little gift bag illustrated with a red flower. I don't think it was a special occasion. This guy just gave me this gift. In the hall. Between first period and homeroom.