Search For The Perfect Venue

Hotel ballrooms and reception halls are my worst nightmare. Blank, bland, and boring. Some budget-conscious brides feel like they have to settle for a blah venue, but that's not always the case. With a little hunting and an open mind, there are thousands of possibilities.   


We always wanted an outdoor wedding. After visiting dozens of possible venues, I was beginning to think a scrubby Florida national park might be the only thing we could afford - but I was wrong. Gems are out there, if you know where to look.


I started scouring online wedding websites with vendor reviews, pouring through hundreds of websites and going straight for the price lists. Finally, I found something that stood out.


Maitland Art Center. It was outdoors (sort of), detailed, old-world, peaceful, and amazingly beautiful. The price was right too - $200 for the first hour and $100 an hour after that. In comparison to the hotel ballrooms and reception halls we'd been seeing, this was a steal - and it was three times as beautiful!


Better yet - we could have both our ceremony and reception at the same venue. We decided to rent the breathtaking Chapel for our ceremony...

...and the adjacent Mayan Courtyard for our reception.

And the entire rental fee combined for both? $700. So don't give up - there are hidden gems waiting for you if you just look deep enough.

The Ring

When my fiance asked me what kind of ring I wanted, I knew exactly what to say. Small, subtle, feminine. Gold, filigree, antique.

I wanted a ring with history and character, and he knew exactly where to look. A pawn shop. 

I know some of you are cringing at the thought, but for a couple on a mission to stick to a budget, this option was perfect for us. He found me a delicate, filigreed, 18k gold ring, with a little .5 diamond and just enough sparkle.

I adore it. And it cost him $120. 

For me it isn't the amount of money he spent that makes it valuable. This estate ring has probably been loved by several people before me, and that just makes it all the more special.

If you're looking for a cheap engagement ring, try a pawn shop! If antique rings aren't your style, check out www.overstock.com for some amazing deals on engagement rings and sets. Take your tie, you'll be wearing this ring for years to come. But that doesn't mean it has to break the budget!