You know we're heading full tilt towards summer when the age old debate of wedding finance rears its ugly head again. It's a bit like that dinner guest who always insists on finding out how much everyone earns! This time it's the turn of the Church to wag the finger at commercialism with a book called Making the Most of Weddings. It advises couples to amongst other things -
#Brides should hitch or take a taxi to the wedding rather than a horse drawn carriage or limosine
#Buy second hand rings or use ones handed down through the family
#Make your own invitations on recycled paper
#Use silk rather than real flowers and gift to a nursing home after.
I have a feeling a couple of these ideas will have some of our brides incensed (I, for one, am rather repulsed at the idea of wearing a second hand ring) but I'd like to know what you think once you've read the BBC article. (You can also see comments relating to the article here)
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Why repulsed? I think it's a rather nice idea. I'll be wearing a ring passed down through the family, and prefer antique jewellery anyway as it has some history, rather than something that's just been bought in a shop. Each to their own!
I agree why on earth are you repulsed? It is so romantic if there is a bit of family history attached, makes it so much more special.
oh no, wearing a ring that has been passed down doesn't bother me, but the idea of a second hand ring from say, a pawn shop or eBay does bother me.
You always wonder why it's on eBay, don't you? Could be bad luck... Although I agree with you that there's a big difference between an antique shop and online auctions.
I don't care where the ring has come from as long as I like it, that is the bottom line for me really. He could have found it on the street, it wouldn't matter.
I'm just amazed the church is recommending hitch-hiking to the wedding - yup, THAT sounds safe, thanks Church! Think I'll be sticking with the car, somehow...
I like the idea of most of those things suggested (not the hitch-hiking of course) but frankly i think most weddings are disgusting displays of faux-opulence (especially when you barely have two dimes to rub together!!). It's one thing to have a great fun party to celebrate the union... it's another to fool your bridzilla self into thinking that you are actually in someway a princess. Cuz' ya not!
We've actually decided there's something quite romantic about 2nd hand wedding rings (Not to mention cheaper and more importantly better for the environment).
We went around a few places trying on new, shiny gold wedding rings and we both felt that a new ring wasn't us so we've started looking in pawn shops, and then inventing wild and fabulous stories about how they got there. I don't think there is such a thing as a 'cursed' ring, and I like the idea of giving them a new life.
I was also interested to find out my mother brought her wedding ring in a similar way, in a pawn shop a few days before her wedding, so I feel I'm at least upholding some family tradition!