Engagement Ring vs. Wedding/Reception...?

Question

I guess that I need to ask this question again, because so many people got hung up on the phrasing of an engagement ring as an "investment". (Thank you to those who did get the point the first time around.)

Obviously, it's not a home...but it is something that lasts much longer than the whole wedding/reception ordeal (a few hours)...and diamonds never depreciate in value (like real estate). They are something that can be passed down to your children/grandchildren.

My question was: Is there anyone else out there that believes the engagement ring should cost more than the wedding/reception?

*Note: I already have my ring and my wedding plans.

**I want to know how YOU feel about it....

Answer 1

I believe that the wedding/reception should be as simple as possible. The ring symbolizes much more than the actual event does, and I believe it holds more value. I am not sure if the costs of the wedding and the ring are comporable. I do believe that no matter what, you should get the ring that best suits your wants and your budget. Throwing a nice party for the family and friends is nice, but your ring will last a lot longer than anything else.

Be reasonable about the cost concerning both. I do believe that the ring should cost more, but thats only because I can't justify spending more than 2K on a 5 hour event.

Answer 2

I don't think it matters either way. I know people that have spend at least $8,000 on an engagement ring and still had a nice and expensive wedding reception. They did it because they could afford it. They have the memories as well as a ring.

But you are very wrong in thinking diamonds never depreciate. Diamonds have only been popular for the last 80 years. They're not rare and not as valuable as other precious stones, like a ruby. You can't bank on De Beers maintaining their monopoly and withholding all those rocks, so if you want some jewelry that will be a good investment, get gold. And lots of it.

Or better yet, how about using the money you would spend on the ring and reception and buy a house? That's much more valuable than a ring and can also be passed down to family and you won't be upset if your kid gets a divorce.

Answer 3

Yay!!I found someone who got a blue topaz ring!! I know that's random, but that's what I want, 1 carat, oval cut, London blue topaz solitaire, in platinum. I'm assuming this will cost under one grand. Now, my deal is, I would rather have a rockin' honeymoon than a huge reception. This is how I plan on spreading it all out:
1 grand on engagement ring
5 grand or less on ceremony and reception
1 grand on my ensemble
1 grand on wedding rings
10 grand on honeymoon

Although I doubt it'll work out that way...

My mom didn't have an engagement ring, and had 10 people at her wedding reception. For their 27th wedding anniversary, my dad bought her a 1.5 carat princess cut rock, which I'll inherit. So I don't need a big rock.

I'd rather get something I'll wear everyday, something that has more sentimental value than $$$, and have a great first trip as a married couple together.

So screw this idea of having a ring that costs more than the reception.

Oh yeah, and I think one reason it's harder to sell back engagement rings and diamonds is because some women don't want to be given a ring from a relationship that didn't work out...or whatever the situation may be.

Answer 4

I don't feel it should be any particular way. Some people would rather have the ring, others would rather have the wedding or the honeymoon trip, others would rather put a downpayment on a house, and yet others can afford all of the above and not blink an eye. It's really up to an individual to sort out their priorities.

My own "breakdown" was about like this: we already had a house; my engagement ring and our wedding bands cost under $1,000 total; our wedding was probably under $300; our honeymoon was $5,000-$6,000, it was a 9-day Caribbean cruise. We loved it, and would do it again in a heartbeat. Honestly, I didn't care much about the rings, and both of us wanted the wedding to be low-key and informal. My engagement ring is blue topaz/white gold - and if I ever have a daughter, I can pass it down as a memento just fine, it doesn't need to be a diamond to be appreciated for what it is. The sentimental value of it is the same no matter what stone is used - and as far as the monetary value goes, no engagement ring has ever sold for the same amount it was bought for.

Answer 5

Diamonds are not forever. Even though they are the "hardest" mineral, this only means that they cannot be scratched by any other mineral, it does not mean it can't be cleaved (broken into pieces). After a while, the wear and tear of being worn every day can cause cracks in the diamond. This often happens with antique diamonds. But if you take good care of your diamond, it probably won't happen in your lifetime, so if you consider your ring to be the most important thing in your wedding, then spend what you want on it. Everyone has the right to have different priorities. I, personally, don't really care too much about the ring, especially since I'm going to be a doctor and won't be able to wear my ring a lot of the time. I also think the memories of the event are more important to me than a rock.

Answer 6

NO it should never costs more than a reception or even a house . If you say it's an investment , than , you should have it insured . Also don't forget , if it would ever come down to a divorce , then that investment turns into community property . Spend the money on a home if you don't want a reception . Expensive engagement rings are nothing more than gaudy , trinkets , worn by vane people who want to show how much it costs .

Answer 7

No, I believe both should reflect where you are financially as a couple or even as individuals. I don't see any point in spending thousands of dollars on a wedding/reception and wasting countless hours stressing about the perfect color for some detail no one will care about. I also don't see the point in forking over your life savings for a ring. I do understand where you are coming from though but make sure the man does too. In the end the only thing that matters is that both of you are happy - and still have some finances to your name. I definitely agree on spending more money on something that makes the both of you happy.

Also, I guess if you do get an expensive ring, make sure you don't take on the impression that you are extremely materialistic...large rings spawn tremendous jealously from females and you could get some unintentional (on your part) rude comments behind your back.

Answer 8

A wedding ring and the memories from your wedding hopefully will last a lifetime. Without really thinking about it both cost me about the same.

Diamonds are not really an investment unless you get something of quality. You would in most cases be better off investing the money.

A wedding can be seen a gift you give your friends and family. How much you spend depends on your friends and family and what you can afford.

The engagement ring is something that last a lifetime, when I see it on my wife finger, I still can't believe I spent that much but realize it is worth it. It may be a stupid rock, but it makes my wife happy. I didn't buy the ring to be passed down, I bought for my wife.

Answer 9

I think all that really matters is you get the ring you want. That is the one thing my husband said about our wedding bands was that he didn't care what the cost was because that was the one thing we were going to take away from the wedding and keep forever and always have. Everything else was materials. But I will be honest my engagment ring was very cheap because he got it on a huge sale price and I didn't want anything fancy. My ring cost $600.00. That wouldn't do much for a reception. That would have barely covered the food because we paid $500.00 for that.It is all in what you want.

Answer 10

Though a wedding only lasts 5 - 7 hours, it is composed of many different elements and all the family and friends who love and support you both. A ring is a single item, and the price can go down if the market is flooded with diamonds (which has happened recently).
A ring will last a lifetime, but so do the memories of that day.
Personally, I would not want my wedding ring to cost more then my wedding. To me it's ridiculous to spend 10k, 20k, 30k, on a wedding ring.