One for the ladies

Sausageroll14

Personally I would keep it relevant to you guys. Somewhere special for you both. A local park with champagne picnic. Save the fancy holidays for post wedding. You don't want to peak early. 

Ring wise. Definitely go second hand and ideally get your partner's input. If she wants something big, remind her it's a nightmare to wear and will ruin clothes, if she wants something expensive offer a match but with cheaper materials. It's a ring at the end of the day. 

I am happily married for over 10 years. The holidays and jewellery are lovely extra bits. Getting the right person, priceless. 

VyEu

I'd want my man to ask me what I want. I don't have a price tag id want on my ring, I'd want it to be meaningful and ideally something which we both like. I wouldn't want to wear something he couldn't afford or id feel guilty.

If he bought the ring on credit I wouldn't be happy. We have the rest of our lives together, you telling me you can't budget for a proposal? I don't mind waiting six months or so if I know it's coming and you need a bit of time to save, fine, and frankly I don't mind covering more of the fun money/discretionary spending in the meantime so you can save. It's a partnership  (while ofc marriage is a financial major commitment)

thriftytracey

I got married in 1983 on a shoestring.  My engagement ring was a yellow Topaz and cost £40.  I did in later years say wistfully I would like a diamond and got a zircon but it is a lovely ring and I really appreciated it and saved money.

Went to Iceland in February 2020 for my 60th.  Never saw the Northern Lights but it was a lovely holiday as we had deep snow.  Had a few trips included in price.

Meals out are very expensive but we were able to go to cheaper fast food type places in Reykjavik, within walking distance, e.g. had fish and chips one night, Vietnamese another night, the lamb stew in a loaf meal etc.  All about £40 for two. On my birthday we ate in the hotel and they threw in a free bottle of wine.

GDB2222

We married 45 years ago. The engagement ring cost a fraction of a month’s salary. Same with the wedding. It’s better to be romantic than purely practical, but staying solvent beats romantic hands down.

elsien

No to a ring on credit.
Yes, to a trip if you both really want to do it but make it a holiday that’s got enough other stuff in that it doesn’t matter so much if you don’t see the lights. 

They are not guaranteed and if you go with the attitude that yes it would be good if you did see them but in the meantime you are  doing the ice hotel, dog sledding, or whatever else it is that you would like to do it will be memorable anyway. that’s what a family member and I did and we had a great holiday.

otb666

My wedding band I took back to the shop to get refund after we got married. Then because FIL kept asking where it was had to buy replacement that was slightly different. 36 years later had to have it cut off at jewelers as got to tight on my finger. Its in hubbys wallet now in 2 pieces. Never got an engagement as we married without engagement. I asked him.   

Silvertabby

A little different for us.  We were both in the RAF, so my ring is a simple bezel set diamond, suitable for wearing in uniform.  We were based in Germany at the time, and he was due to be posted back to the UK before me.

Only married couples could ask to be co-located (posted together) so our plan was for a quiet registry-office type wedding (carried out by an RAF officer in SHQ conference room) then have a big frock blessing once we were settled back in the UK.  But both families were having none of that!  Everyone we told immediately announced that they were would be joining us.....This was less than 2 months before our planned wedding date.

To cut a long story short, our Unit was downsizing so there were enough empty rooms in the Sgts' Mess to accommodate everyone.  Then almost everything was DM100 (£40).  Station photographer - £40.  Cake (from the Officers' Mess)- £40.  Use of the CinCs Daimler with uniformed driver - £40.  Printed invitations and place cards - bottle of brandy.  The reception, in the Sgts' Mess, obviously cost more, but we then had a 'free bar' (thanks, duty free!)..

Never did do the 'big frock' but we are still happily together over 30 years later.  And our wedding went down in family history as the best one ever.