I think a lot of marriages fall apart due to financial issues, and starting off with a huge wedding debt is really just asking for it.
Same as ours in 1981.Made my dress, mom and church people made food, MIL made cakes. Reception in the church basement. Marriage is tough enough without the stress of spending so much money.
Mrs WBill designed hers and we had it handmade by a local jeweler. Set me back more than I'd like to admit, but I figure that she's only going to get one, and she'll wear it for the rest of her life, and likely pass it on to the grandkids. I don't mind if it's *perfect*.
As an aside, I took a friend to the jeweler shortly after my wedding, as he was looking for a ring too. Hilarious, the salesperson really rolled out the red carpet, laid it on thick... "Yes SIR, yes sir, MISTER WBill, Right this way SIR". My friend asked, "Jeez, Bill, you own this place, or what?"
Salesguy likely made his commission for the month, and the next month too off of me alone. :-) He was really happy to see me again.
Got my ring at Service Merchandise in 1991. Flushed it down the toilet in 2009.
It was an accident, though. I had lost a lot of weight due to an illness, and it just wouldn’t stay on my finger. Fell into the toilet as I was reaching to flush one night and off it went. Wasn’t worth pulling the toilet to see if it was still there, so we headed to Wally and got another one. 26 incredible years this April.