The great Bengali wedding season is back and with that, the razzle-dazzle of wedding preparations. Every wedding is geared to be as pompous and glamorous as possible. But families often end up spending the most on the most ephemeral part of the wedding, the jewelry. While the sentiment is understandable behind it, it doesn’t have to be so. Here are some smart ways to save money on wedding jewelry. And maybe invest the money on something else.
Best Ways to Save Money on Wedding Jewelry
Now there might be the question that why save money on wedding jewelry? After all, gold is an investment. The thing is, wedding jewelry doesn’t always comprise gold. And on top of that, the heavy and complicated nature of wedding jewelry makes them almost impossible to wear anywhere else. So it just becomes ornamentation for the storage safes. And why spend a fortune if the same can be achieved with much less?
Reject the Established Norm
A simple google or advertisement of wedding jewelry shows all sorts of heavily ornamented and decorated pieces. The tendency is to influence wedding shoppers to spend big money on decorative jewelry. The key to saving up starts with not getting influenced by such marketing stunts. Make a plan of jewelry pieces according to your budget and taste. Wedding jewelry should be looked at as investment pieces rather than one-time show-off ones.
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Mix the Components
Ask whether the jewelry piece has to be completely gold or diamond-studded? No right? Truth be told, there are other ways to compensate rather than going all out on gold or diamonds. Diamonds and rubies can be replaced with much less expensive gemstones. Yet it will look just as good as them. Sapphires can be used instead of gold links. The key here is to mask the jewelry in a way that looks precious nonetheless. Sometimes, it even makes the jewelry pieces look denser and more attractive.
Avoid Matching Sets
One of the big selling curves for jewelry stores are the matching sets for the bride. Be it nose pins, earrings, bangles, or even anklets, jewelers try to push matching sets to maximize the sales margin.
But again, this doesn’t have to be the case. Go out of the traditional established idea of wedding jewelry and be creative. Like maybe choosing an expensive piece for the center necklace and cutting down on the complementing ones like the earning and anklet. It all comes down to planning and personal taste.
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Borrow the Jewelry
Let us accept it, wedding jewelry is worn only once. So why not simply borrow them? The concept of borrowing wedding dresses already exists. Going forward and borrowing wedding jewelry can also help to reduce the cost greatly. It can be from a family member or a jewelry shop. Regardless, it’s a great way to save money on a tangible aspect without much return other than some glamorous wedding picture.
Get DIY Crafty
Rather than buying wedding jewelry, an alternative solution can be to make them at home. There are a lot of DIY jewelry kits available in the market. People who are crafty or have a knack for making stuff can easily take this route. It provides a sense of freedom to choose the design and build an innate connection to a memorable piece.
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After all, marriage is an important event in life. If getting creative isn’t the jam, ask a friend who might be interested in making them. Making DIY jewelry from all sorts of components makes it much cheaper compared to ready-made pieces.
Go Online
The offline jewelry market is very saturated and monopolized. The prices are controlled in a way that there’s hardly any price variance anywhere. A good alternative to this would be to go online. There are several online places that sell different ornamentation specifically designed for weddings. Some of them even have their offline shop but only provide a discount on the online picks.
A problem with this strategy is that it can be quite hard to understand or judge jewelry based on the photos only. As a result, look for similar pieces offline first and then go ahead with the purchase.
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Ask for Gifts
Okay, this point might sound silly but hear out. Wedding events are a celebration for not just the bride and the groom. Rather it is a festive occasion for the entire family. And more often than not, they are split on what to give to the newlyweds. Why not help them out and suggest wedding jewelry?
If they are going to give gifts, wedding jewelry as a gift is something that will not only add a tangible value but also help to save up a ton on the wedding expense list. After all, wedding jewelry is an investment, and it is better than receiving dinner sets, any day.
Be Selective
A traditional Bengali wedding sees the bride getting draped in jewelry from head to toe. That is nothing more than being over the top and excess. Wedding jewelry doesn’t have to be like that. There’s mention of breaking the established norm before. Try and incorporate that in the wedding jewelry too. Rather than going all guns blazing, make a selection of pieces that will look voluminous at the wedding. And make sure these pieces can be worn again and again for different occasions.
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A good choice in this regard would be to get modular jewelry. The genius design behind this jewelry allows them to mix and connect to create a big piece. And when not in use for such heavy occasions, they can be worn individually as well.
Final Thoughts
Wedding ceremonies are some of the most extravagant and lavish programs in the sub-continent. But that doesn’t mean people on a budget can’t have the same fervor on their wedding. While jewelry pieces are the most spent item on a wedding, it doesn’t have to be so if one decides to be a bit creative and smart. Saving money on wedding jewelry can give the new couple an opportunity to invest the money on more important things in their future life. Happy wedding!
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