The Broke-Ass Bride

Wrapped around my finger

Growing up, and well into my relationship with Mr. Meatball, I always dreamed of a ring like this:

(image source)

My mother inherited a ring very similar to the above several years ago. I love it a lot – and thought it would be a meaningful solution to our “can’t spring for bling” on a starving artist budget issue. So I politely (read: whiningly) suggested it. She refused. Wouldn’t budge an inch. You see, when my parents got engaged it went something like this:

Dad: So… you wanna get married?
Mom: yes!
Dad: You want a ring? Or should we use the money for new furniture for the apartment?
Mom: well, furniture, I guess. That seems more practical.

Yeah….. so she regrets that choice now. Later, she inherited the ring from her mother. It seemed that if I were to be married, my husband would buy me the ring she never got from hers. Her diamond was the only one she had, and she was hanging onto it!

I totally get that now. Sorry for the nagging, mom.

So, I’d drag Mr. Meaty into jewelry stores and he’d patiently play an innocent game of “Let’s look at rings” together… but it quickly became not so innocent. I’d get attached to rings on the spot and take pictures and then get excited. Then, a few days later, I’d sadly realize I had completely jumped the gun, and what had started out as a game was becoming less innocent and more real for once of us. But not the other.

Or so I thought.

Turns out that while I thought I wanted an antique, he was creating me a brand new ring unlike any other. He worked with a local jeweler called Liza Shtromberg who had a funky, organic design style, to create a style that would reflect our love – unique, organic, and priceless. When he proposed, I was floored. It was absolutely perfect.

(click to enlarge – sorry for the fuzzy photo)

He says the 2 circles represent each of us, and the diamond is our love (and/or the child we will one day have). Le sigh. How sweet is that?! I also love that it resembles the sun eclipsing the moon, or a precious gem enclosed in the protection of sturdy constant. It may be hard to see in the picture, but the white gold around it is unpolished. The (ultra sparkly) diamond is ideal cut, and I love how having it bezel-set allows it to lay flush on my finger and not be a protrusion which I’d surely catch on all my clothes. I love it for being a one-of-a-kind reflection of his love for me, and for being a sweep-me-off-my-feet surprise.

He really enjoyed working with Liza and would highly recommend her services. Best of all: it didn’t cost an arm and a leg either! Many of the rings we looked at beforehand were much more expensive and much less personal. Broke-ass commandment no. 1: Don’t ever rule something out because it sounds too pricey. You might just be pleasantly surprised!

I’ve finally dabbled over at Polyvore. If you haven’t checked it out and made yourself a collage yet, you’re missing out! So fun and easy, its dangerous. Prepare yourselves for more collage fun to come. But for now, I present to you my first collage – some of Liza’s beautiful pieces. You may wish to grab a tissue to absorb your drool.

(image sources)