Without overplaying the engagement ring purchase too much, it does represent one of the most significant items you will ever buy, as well as being one of the most romantic.  The engagement ring is a symbol of love and devotion, but can also make a unique fashion statement. There is no bride that will deny that the day her husband got down on one knee and slipped the engagement ring onto that left ring finger was one of the happiest days of her life.

Fashion is constantly evolving and engagement ring styles are no different. The traditional classic ring is making way for settings with a more unique appearance. With that being said, today’s designers are not moving away from the classic ‘Tiffany’ style solitaire ring too much, they are just creating a bolder, more ornate style that produces a little more sparkle.

For brides looking to move towards more modern ring styles, many love the halo setting.  Halo rings both highlight the beauty of the center stone and make the center diamond look larger.  These settings can work with round, cushion, princess, and many other diamond shapes.  Halo settings can also be paired with a thin, pave diamond band, a traditional metal band, or with a split-shank style.  Whatever the band, halo settings make a bold, beautiful statement.

Another hot trend is vintage looking engagement rings.  Whether these rings are authentically vintage or new rings designed to look older, many brides opt for a vintage style ring.  Vintage rings have intricate details, and often utilize brightly colored centered stones.  Many brides looking for a one-of-a-kind ring choose a vintage style.

Many modern brides are also turning to eternity rings as their engagement ring of choice.  Eternity rings are understated, refined jewelry that can be worn alone or stacked with other rings.  Brides that have busy lifestyles often like eternity rings as they can be worn during athletic or other physical activities.

Whatever engagement ring she chooses, every bride hopes that her engagement ring will bring a lifetime of happiness.

We had to bring this to your attention, although the movie is not necessarily purely about 'bling', it sure is entering!

In Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, a crew of L.A. high-schoolers embark on a burglary spree in the Hollywood Hills. They target the homes of, among others, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Megan Fox, and Rachel Bilson. They thrill at their proximity to the celebs (yet bizarrely discard a love letter found chez Orlando Bloom). Their haul in designer loot is enough to make law-abiding fashionistas in the audience salivate.

Check out the trailer: http://movies.yahoo.com/video/bling-ring-trailer-2-211239808.html

There is no denying that getting married can be one of the most important times of your life. However, when it comes to planning the wedding, cost can become a huge factor.

As all brides and grooms can attest, weddings can be expensive. In 2012 alone, the average cost of a wedding was $26,989. If you have been thinking about getting married in the most cost-friendly way, here are a few tips to consider. 

1) Coupons, Coupons, Coupons! 

One of the best ways to save is through coupons. If you are having a wedding, coupons for certain items will help you to save a lot of money. 

In fact, if you can manage to be crafty on your own, you can make your own centerpieces for the wedding by using coupons for craft stores and receiving almost half off of expensive glass vases. You could also use coupons for stationary, which can become a bit pricey.

Also check out sites like Groupon and Living Social to score photographers, invitations, and other wedding vendors at a discount.

2) Consider a Used Engagement Rings

You would be surprised at how used engagement rings still hold exceptional quality and value for your future spouse. 

If a used engagement ring was good enough for Kate Middleton, then why not you?

Many people opt to purchase a pre-owned engagement ring and to have the diamond (the most expensive part of the ring) re-set into a new setting.  This allows you to have the perfect ring at a deep discount.   

3) Consider Buying a Used Wedding Dress

Buying a used wedding dress could save you thousands of dollars.

It is more than likely that the dress that you are looking at in the boutique is available online, pre-owned, but only worn once.

Get it cleaned, get it altered, and you have the fairytale wedding dress for a fraction of the price. You could even re-sell it after use and get all your money back.

There are a number of notable websites that offer this service, but the most popular and respected is Oncewed.com. Check out their great selection.

4) Create a Wedding Priority List

Do you create a shopping list when you go to the supermarket? Personally I don't, but my fridge regularly contains 12 red onions, 15 green peppers and a cucumber ( I don't even like cucumbers ). 

Creating a wedding priority list will help you think rationally about what is really important to you and your future spouse, and where the budget should be allocated.

If your mom really wants you to spend a fifth of the budget on flowers, then perhaps suggest a contribution. I know my guests definitely preferred food and drinks over elaborate table center pieces and flowers in the restroom.

What is actually important to you and your spouse? Creating a simple list can do wonders to your planning.

5) Utilize Your Resources 

Who can you trust to do a good job? Maybe one of your best friends is an incredible photographer and you can ask her to take pictures, or maybe your uncle can whip up a delicious cake. 

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to pick people that you can trust. Everybody has a friend who likes one too many drinks and has a history of going M.I.A. Yup, that guy. It maybe in your best interest to steer well clear of him. Ask for help, but choose your helpers wisely.

These are only five tips on how to save for your big wedding day. If you are getting married, these ideas will help you on your quest to budget your finances for the occasion.

You might be head over heels in love and have been ready to get married for a while now. Maybe you’ve thought it over for years and you’re officially prepared to propose. If you are thinking of proposing, finding the perfect ring can be a challenge.  There are many important factors to consider, such as clarity, color, cut, and carat weight. Most importantly, you will want to make sure that the ring you chose is highly personalized.

If finding the perfect engagement ring has you frustrated, the following tips might help. 

1) Take notice of her style. What kind of rings or jewelry does she tend to wear? Does she like simpler jewelry, or does she tend to wear chunkier, more flamboyant jewelry? Also, take notice of what colors she likes to wear. This can help you to make a decision easily.

2) Ask her friends or family. Although you might know her extremely well, her friends or family can offer a bit of insight as to what kind of ring she would like to wear for the rest of her life. You could always sit down with a friend or family member to discuss your thoughts on her perfect ring.  

3) If cost is getting you down, consider previously owned engagement rings.  Purchasing used engagement rings allows you to buy a nicer ring for the same price.  Discount diamonds are also an intelligent choice. With discount diamonds, you can find the same certified diamonds that your local jeweler sells, but at a fraction of the cost.  

These are only three small steps you can take when it comes to finding the perfect engagement ring. Your future wife will appreciate the time, effort, and research that you put into finding her the ring of her dreams. Of course, if all else fails, you can ask her what she wants—but the key is to keep her surprised!

The old British saying goes, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe." For the past three weeks, simply bridal have brought their readers ideas on how to incorporate the old, the new, and the borrowed into your weddings plans. Since "a sixpence in your shoe" is pretty straight forward, last but not least, they have brought  you "something blue"! 

Did you know, that the color blue is associated with purity and fidelity? It also used to be worn in order to ward off the “evil eye” that would make new brides infertile. Nowadays though, this may be one of the easiest of the four "somethings" to incorporate. There are endless options of blue wedding products in the market. Many brides choose to incorporate a shade of blue into their color palate, using either blue bridesmaid dresses or decorations at the reception. 

For those brides who aren't keen on having blue as visible on the big day, here are some of our favorite alternatives. While some of these may be hidden under your skirts, others are small enough that they can have meaning for you without taking over your color scheme. Either way, these items will ensure you have all that traditional good luck!

“Something blue” may be one of the easiest to incorporate, with endless options of things to color blue!  For those who aren't keen on having blue bridesmaid dresses or decorations, the simply bridal infographic contains favorite alternatives, including jewelry, ribbons and bouquets!  

SimplyBridal.com is an online retailer for quality wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and wedding accessories. In addition to providing quality bridal products, we also create bridal resources such as infographics and downloadables.