How Much was your setting as compared to the price of the stone

[moremoremore]

no fair...that's a three stone!

And a beauty I might add!

 

[verticalhorizon]

NiceIce... interesting poll. Did they say WHO they polled?

Can you clarify some things?

Question 1. How much did you spend in total on your wedding (this includes engagement, wedding, honeymoon, etc.)

Does this refer to just the 'party' aspects?

Question 2. How much did / will you spend in total on bridal jewelry?
28.7% said less than 5%
19.4% said $500.00 - $999.00

Do you mean less that $500 or 5% of something?

 

[niceice]

Most of the article can be found on the National Jeweler Web Site by running a search for "Engaging Diamonds" click on the first link on the results page. This is the Direct Link to the article but we're explaining how to get there via a search in case the direct link doesn't work due to a script error or something.

 

[abeawasthi]

mine was about 5.3% the price of the stone and 5.1% the price of the ring.

 

[Shay37]

Running the numbers in my head, around 20%. Then again, I may not be done yet. teehee

Shay

 

[foundnemo]

Hehehe, I know this is a diamond forum and so of course most would spend more on the stone!

My FI didn't get the stone and the setting separately, so my rough calculation (from looking at *price stats* of non-H&A diamonds) is that my setting was 55%.

 

[laney]

nice ice..

I didn't look closer at the link.. but if you were to ask me how much I spend on bridal jewelery.. I might not be thinking about the engagement ring.. because usually that is already done. I would say if a girl answered that question, she may be thinking.. necklace, earrings, maybe a w-band..

Those numbers for what was spent looked low.. but then again, I hang out here to find out about diamonds (I blame my high standards on you guys! lol

)

Also - I am on a wedding board all the time, and those numbers are definately low -- and I agree with moremoremore not in NY (where I live)... People always confuse what to include in "total wedding costs". . people ask all the time what the "average" wedding costs are.. and we always have to clarify what that means..

I guess it's all in how you ask the question.

Then again.. maybe I'm just sour grapes because of how much we are spending !?!?!

 

[Mara]

Okay I wanna know who throws a wedding and includes everything in it for under $1k? Hell, even under $5k? With a ring even? Even if you aren't spoiled and love large sparkly diamonds, wedding basics alone on even the barest scale can really still add up. Obviously I did something wrong as we are in with the minority of everyone else.




Those stats are also interesting considering that theknot.com reports the average wedding in the US to be $19k. So wonder which is more accurate?

 

[hoorray]

Mu guess is it's like diamonds. The average diamond size is much smaller than we all think it would be. There are probably lots of people getting married and having simple receptions at home or in the church hall without all the fuss. This can't be the numbers of wedding "events".

All I know, based on what you all say weddings cost these days, I'd be thinking out of the box! The $$ are crazy -- especially when you are just starting out.

 

[headlight]

Thank you, moremoremore!
Well, although a three-stone, it still is a mounting! I think that most people who spend a very small percentage of the stone's cost pointed out that they had solitaire mountings (no accent stones).
It does amaze me how expensive mountings are. Actually, that is why I got this stone a year ago in May, and then got to purchase the trilogy mounting now (earlier this month). Just too much $$$ to lay out at one time. Yes, I did have to pay for the basic solitaire mounting, but it is the least costly way to go after putting all the funds into the diamond. And, it gave me a year to really think about what type of mounting I wanted, what side stones to use, how I wanted it all set, how I wanted the shank, the prongs, etc.

 

[squirerad]

For my fiancee's triple H&A 3-stone ering, the setting is approximately 81% of one of the side stone and 16% of the center stone. Overall, the setting is 11% of stones, 10% of the overall purchase price.

 

[pauls girl]

My setting was about 31% the cost of the stone.

But, like it was mentioned I just look at my ring and think "WOW" everytime. I'd say that's worth the cost

(IMHO)

 

[limey]

10 years ago we had a small initimate wedding ceremony at a chapel in Michigan, just a few of my direct family came over from the UK and to keep it balanced only direct family on my wife's side attended. We then all went out for a wonderful meal. We spent our wedding night in what turned out to be the same hotel as the Detroit Red wings who had just played San Jose in the playoffs. The manager opened up the pool late at night for my wife and I only and Sergei Federov and Yzerman were teasing us. Total cost was <$1000.

Funny thing is we had already eloped and no one knew! After we had set our wedding date my brother set his. The time differene was not enough for me to apply and get a green card and one can not leave the country while that is in process... so we eloped to get the process started a few months earler! The local magistrate who married us provided her husband as a witness, we pulled in a fireman from the station next door and they played cheesy music on a boom box from her son! We honeymooned in Japan - a themed hot tub garden in Ann Arbor

Total cost was < $100 !! Yah!

Both weddings were very memorable and perfect. In fact my wife was so nervous for the stand-up wedding that her Mom thought she was getting cold feet and explained it would be OK if she didn't go through with it! She wasn't nervous about marrying me, she was already married, she was nervous about remembering the vows and making a fool of herself!

 

[laney]

limey - great wedding stories! We are doing it kind of small too - a destination wedding - so it won't be a big affair - hopefully only 50 people or less. We actually are saving money from a big traditional wedding.

mara - I think I agree w/theknot. I'm on there a lot - and when we do polls there - people are spending 19K on about average. Maybe not all of their own money - but for some areas (i.e. NY.. that might be even low).

But to each his/her own. I've been to the extravagent affairs and the little ones - and they all are nice in their own ways..

Headlight - I'm doing what you're doing. We put money in the stone.... now we are looking for a setting "later". I have my stone set in a simple solitaire right now.. but when looking for bands... well might as well upgrade the setting too!

 

[Mara]

thinking outside of the box is half the fun!

we nixed the larger local wedding to do destination and other than family/friend stress/drama with us playing host and hostess as well as bride and groom...the whole thing went off amazingly well. we probably would have had the same drama locally...hah! that is what families are for right? by doing destination, we saved about 30% of the cost and now have even more amazing memories and PICTURES of the blessed event. Lastly, and this is my favorite thought....no one will be talking about the cake or the food at our wedding, instead it will be about the amazing sunset, the warm tropical heat, and the aisle of plumeria and orchid petals which showcased the ocean behind it. much more fun than cake and food!

three cheers for thinking out of the box?

 

[laney]

Mara - Congratulations on getting married! We decided on a Destination Wedding kind of by default. We are from Maryland, but now have lived in New York for the last 5 years. We didn't like either place for a wedding - so we are going to do it on a beach..and have fun. We are just happy that most friends/family are excited about the idea too.

I'm happy everything worked out for you, and that you had such an amazing location for your nuptials!

 

[laney]

Ok - this is SORT of the setting that we are looking at.

Yes, it's a scott kay...? I was looking at everything under the sun.. and liked the three little diamonds on each side that sit against the stone..

Originally I didn't look at any scott kay stuff - don't know why? I don't think he has a bad rep -- probably because I saw it in a lot of mall stores (PRE-pricescope)


We are going to have scott kay make a new cast - with diamonds all the way around. Instead of .41 of the pave it will be .82. Then the band (which is a different than the one shown in this picture) is also pave all the way around.

Each band is 2.5MM My centerstone is a 1.506 RB - which I think has a 7.47 diameter (don't have nums in front of me) which is a little bigger than the one in this pic.

I'm happy that Scott Kay will make the ring for us! I think I may just order it today! (then wait only 3-4 weeks!)

Maybe....

 

[dbgaap]

Great poll idea! I like how lotsof people immediately apply even more arithmetic to calculate cost per day, etc.


PS fans are definitely analytically oriented!


My setting was about 20% of the cost of the stone. A simple solitaire with a little extra styling & weight.




Mara, love your new avatar!!! Congrats on wedding.


I agree with your statement: "it's thinking outside the bix that's half the fun"




Folks spending less than a grand to get married must be doing city hall type deals (my first marriage was that way - we were broke and it was really pretty fun)


Anyway, fast forward to TODAY....


We got our Historic Landmark guide yesterday & spent the evening drooling over the cottages, castles, forts, towers, follies available for rent in the UK.


http://www.landmarktrust.co.uk




We're already committed, in concept, to a simple civil ceremony so it will not cost much. We're gonna make it special by doing it someplace really cool (Scotland is really the only English-speaking country in Europe where it's pretty easy to get married)


Hubby-to-be has a pretty alternative outlook so some of his ideas are hilarious (I sorta wonder if I can REALLY get married in some of the outfits he has described) but it's fun.


Anyway, my point is that our week-long trip to Scotland and the cost of getting married will be ...$3,000 or so? - less than my engagement ring!


I am not counting the cost of meals, entertainment or clothing since all of that is stuff is routine. Totally undecided about wedding band. I might go with a yellow gold comfort fit band or .... more bling.


TBD

 

[Mara]

Thanks dg and laney....the destination was alot of fun.

I never would have really thought I'd be a destination gal, but it was so much more memorable than doing something locally. Greg likes the 'cheaper' part..ehhee.

Laney, I like that setting...did you look at the AJaffe rings, similar somewhat but with no surrpise diamonds that you said you liked. Also don't know if they do eternity (or are willing to), but they have a band and ring very similar to that pic minus the surprise diamonds that are something like $1100 each in platinum. Not bad at all? Just something else to consider IF you are considering budget. Take a look at the rings in the Show me the Ring forum, I posted the AJ rings about 5-6 months back? However, I do like this setting you posted, esp if SK will make a custom one from scratch that is eternity. Just be careful with the pave and durability, make sure they create it with enough metal to safely hold stones for daily use.

 

[laney]

I did see the pictures of the A. Jaffe that you posted a while back - and your comments about them. Unfortunately, I haven't been to a shop yet that had them to try on. You'd figure I'd find a place, living in NY and all. Don't want to do the Michael C. Fina..

Anyway - I don't necessarily care for the "suprise" diamonds.. just the ones on the band next to the stone. I always thought it was funny to call them "surprise".. ?!? The three side diamonds were "different" and stood out to me - just different than other plain pave bands..

I've tried on TONS of pave, and liked a Vatche micropave for a while- until I saw it in person, then I liked tacori pave for a while, and then it just didn't look clean to me. I've tried on all pave that I can get my hands on at other stores.. but the SK actually felt nicer and more secure. I even drug myself in to a BBB Mall store to try on Vera Wang's jewelery.... hahaha. Why?, I don't know. I was curious. The band was SUPER thin - pretty tho' I didn't bother to get a price.

I like the A. Jaffe..in pictures - but it's always different on the hand.. Maybe I'll try a store this afternoon.

Here's the issue with price... SK was actually LOWER than most other designers that I was looking at. But with this custom work - now it's back in the "high" range. Actually - in comparison for same ctw - it's still a good price.

But .. if I pay for the SK custom... I could spend a teensy bit more and consider Michael B.. or Richard Landry..

It's a mental thing. On one hand I don't want to wear an SUV on my ring finger... (ok.. a cheap SUV) On the other hand YIPPEE!!!! Bling Bling... I'm just crazy, I know!

 

[cutes814]

My setting cost 14% of the diamond cost.