Diamonds or cubic zirconia? Three stones or solitaire? Platinum or white gold? Princess, asscher or emerald cut? For most of us these are just sets of words, which don’t really make a lot of sense but for a couple waiting to face the altar, these words bear much weight for it represents the promise and the bond that’ll tie them together. Browsing through a line of designer engagement rings can be overwhelming, from choosing the style to the shape and to the size (carat)---these things alone could be very confusing. With the glamour being dictated by Hollywood celebrities like the pink diamond ring worn by the almost Mrs. Jennifer Affleck or that sparkling marquise diamond present in the Douglas-Zeta-Jones nuptials, engagement rings are becoming more and more expensive.

But how would an average Joe compete with the likes of Affleck and Douglas? Simple, diamond stimulant. Imagine having a stone that glistens like a diamond, be it yellow, purple or pink, in your grasp. This is what you call cubic zirconia (CZ), the alternative for the costly designer diamond rings. Though I advice that one must calculate first with regard the ring that you could actually buy. If a guy’s salary for 2 to 3 months will cover a diamond engagement ring, then by all means buy it. Also, you can adjust the setting of the ring. Instead of having a platinum band, you can opt for a white gold---which is less expensive or one can have a smaller diamond or fewer diamonds. Don’t go cheapo with your soon-to-be-wife. But that is the limit, 2 to 3 months worth of pay.

If this is unmistakably beyond your budget, get the alternative instead. Remember the wedding costs do not only lie on the ring, there’s the bridal gown, the floral arrangements, the ceremony, the reception, the transportation, the honey moon, the list goes on. If you don’t want to start your life as a couple buried in debt, please go with the CZ.

I’ve encountered couples trying to snag that ideal ring in shops offering wholesale diamond jewelry sets. There are those who take trips on thrift and antique stores, making calls inquiring for designer wedding rings, even going to garage sales. Through these activities, one might just end up with the perfect rock bearing the ideal price tag. One can also try comparing prices in the internet. There are numerous sites presenting wholesale engagement rings. With internet services, they charge their products a little lower for they don’t have to pay for business costs (overhead, rental, employees, etc.)

But one must realize that a happy ever after need not begin with an overly expensive, bank breaking engagement ring. A diamond ring could be the most pricey accessory that’ll ever embellish a woman’s finger. True, though same cannot be the basis of what your life will be once together. You need not follow the maxim, ‘the bigger, the better.’ In all honesty, one cannot gauge love using stones, be it a diamond or a well-made reproduction. The ring symbolizes your union, it embodies what the two of you share (and will soon share), but it does not determine of a couple’s devotion to one another.