Bling and over-consumption is so ‘80s. If you’re planning to get married today, couples are much more aware of the financial consequences of such a decision. The recession has put a damper on lavish ceremonies, but there’s still one way you can impress your lady when it comes to the proposal. Show her you can find a special diamond ring that’s not going to break the future marital bank.

Everyone Wants A Deal These Days

Budget crisis in the news and forced reduction in hours or layoffs has everyone looking for a deal. People about to get married are no different. They still want the perfect proposal, wedding, and honeymoon; however, as this is an event that’s only supposed to happen once in a lifetime. It does call for a little something special. That might mean that the trip to France is still on for the honeymoon, but other deals are scouted out, like buying alternative wedding bands for the ceremony.

Couples Getting Smart with Wedding Budgets

One place that people still want quality and size is the diamond engagement ring. Prices can vary greatly at retail stores, but smart shoppers are realizing the best deals are online. Not only is it easier to shop for a diamond engagement ring online, but it’s easier to make an informed decision that fits your budget. There’s no annoying sales clerk trying to steer you towards something outside your budget just so they can make a fatter commission.

By doing some investigations online, couples have the choice of virtually designing their own diamond engagement ring, from a multitude of stones and fashion settings. They can change the type of metal in the setting or manipulate the cut, clarity, color, and carat weight to reduce the price. They can visualize the final result with a 3-D ring builder that is available online to help them decide whether it’s exactly what she wants at the price you want.

Alternative Metals for Wedding Bands

Gold has always been traditional for wedding bands, but it has become very costly during this recession. Now, you can opt for other types of metals, from tungsten and titanium to white gold to get a more modern twist, and less of an impact on your wallet. These wedding bands will last forever, just like gold, in most cases. The metal colors are easier to accessorize with today’s modern palettes also.

Imagine Her Delight

She’ll be thrilled to get just the right ring and also realize that there’s plenty of money left in the wedding budget for the wedding of her dreams. As these recession couples start out their lives together, the financial lessons of today are creating adults that want to get the most value for their money that they can. It’s not about being cheap or sacrificing quality, it’s about knowing that your money is being spent well. You should be able to afford what you want, but not have to pay too much for it. Do that and you will certainly impress her in a big way!

Combing the web for good fashion tips? Less is more during this recession, and that includes your make-up, fashion, and jewelry choices. The desire to be friendly with Mother Nature isn’t just about making green choices in jewelry materials, it’s an over all appreciation of natural elements. When adding some recycled gold into your jewelry chest, you still want to wear it to show off the natural beauty with special attention to Mother nature. That can mean paying attention to your skin, as it will naturally show more with less jewelry and make-up. It can also mean wearing floral jewelery designs that echo the beauty of the natural world.

Care For Your Lips and Skin First

The best tip in the early spring is to keep your chapstick on you so that the winter’s blistery weather doesn’t have to scour your lips. Special attention to the health of your skin is also necessary, as no one looks good with acne or rough, dry, patchy, skin. The investment you make in good skin care will help to give your jewelry a backdrop of satiny, healthy, skin.

Amp Up the Naturals with Violet Shades

Violet tones for the eyes will pair well with the natural lip color in tones of coral and beige. It also tends to amp up the look, so that you look a bit more sophisticated. You can use amethyst and diamonds in the jewelry, to heighten the look. Add a little smoky quartz, chocolate-colored diamonds, and it gives an air of the mysterious too.

Add Nature

Motifs of flowers are very powerful when it comes to a natural look. It’s feminine and yet, also green. You can individualize it by choosing something meaningful, like a birth flower, or you can opt for a more classic choice: roses. The look for spring is going to be nymph-like and softly feminine.

Gemstones and pearls also come from Mother Nature’s bounty, and it’s probably the reason you’ll see lots more diamonds this season. Not only will you get the soft, rosy, hues but you’ll also have those sparklings of diamond dew here and there. It’s a look that’s meant to be soothing and charming, while also evoking a bit of magic and mystery.

Can you tell from the honeymoon or the diamond engagement ring? Is there some magical secret that will make any marriage a lifelong, loving, affair? Many people want to know how to survive disastrous divorce rates that have plagued modern man and there is one couple that just might have the answer: Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher.

Almost 86 Years of Wedded Bliss

The Fishers are the living couple with the longest marriage, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. However, they’re only 128 days short of being the longest marriage in all of recorded history, which falls to a couple that has already passed away: Philipose and Sosamma Thomas of India. While they may have more experience, it’s not possible to ask them how they did it, unlike the Fishers who are still alive. Just in case you don’t live in North Carolina, where the two lovebirds reside, you can still find out the secret to their success online. After all, who can resist the temptation to ask: How did you do it?

Tweeting Sweethearts

From February 12th to the 14th, people from around the world will get to ask just that of this couple. The couple is willing to share their secrets for a long and happy relationship by posting replies to fourteen of the best questions on Twitter. For a couple that got married when the computer wasn’t even invented yet, it seems part of the secret of a happy marriage is always learning new things together. This along with the desire to help others who are just starting out and want to learn how to make their relationships a success – just in time for Valentine’s day! So grab your sweetheart, and check these two lovebirds out. Their combined wisdom alone is bound to be worth a few moments of your time and can lead to a lifetime of future happiness.

Getting Sweeter with Age

Herbert Fisher is 104 and Zelmyra is 102. It seems this couple will continue to enjoy their lives, learn, and give back to the community for as long as they keep breathing. They have a great desire to share what they’ve learned with those younger than them, and what better way than through some of the technological inventions of this decade? Twitter and Facebook, are two of the biggest socials networking sites that provide a ready audience for millions of people in the younger generation.

Questions Abound

So far, questions posted ask about their views on online dating and monogamous relationships. Only a few questions will actually be answered, but at least you’ll know you’re not alone in your struggle to get the perfect relationship. Almost everyone has a question they’d like the answer to, and what better opportunity than to get the scoop from a couple that obviously know what they’re talking about. After Valentine’s Day, anyone can hop online to see the responses on Twitter and Facebook at @longestmarried and America’s Tweethearts Facebook page. Want To Know the Secret of a Long Marriage?

Every winter sees some traditional events – New Year’s Eve celebrations, Super Bowl Sunday, the President’s Day holiday and of course Valentine’s Day. If you, like so many others, wait until the last minute to pick out a card and a gift for your sweetheart you may find yourself grumbling about the task. This is unfortunate because of all the “holidays” celebrated each year, Valentine’s Day is one that can be a lot of fun and allows for some serious creativity. Continue reading »