How to Plan a Wedding When You Don't Believe in Having One

                                                                  

1. Forget rings. A promise is enough.

If you're going to found your marriage on trust, do it. Do you really need an extra piece of expensive bling? Get a ring only if you truly believe it symbolizes your love and commitment.

I told my fiancée I didn't want a ring, and then jokingly said I'd rather have a Prada bag. All kidding aside, he understood that we trusted each other enough that we didn't need a diamond ring, or even wedding bands, to show that we're "taken."

2. Divide and conquer to avoid family politics.

To satisfy you and your fiancée's needs and your parents' wishes (especially if they're culturally traditional), separate the parties. Make the often-overlooked engagement party your main event and leave the wedding guest list up to your parents.

I realized I could make the engagement party our ideal wedding -- a small intimate gathering with friends -- and leave the formal wedding day for our parents to plan.

3. Stop wasting time on Pinterest.

A wedding need not be over-the-top Pinterest and wedding blog-worthy to be meaningful. Realize that modeling your wedding after Pinterest is like trying to measure your body up to Barbie's proportions.

I briefly browsed through Pinterest to uncover some creative and low cost decor. A single balloon as part of the centerpiece decor can also communicate the table number. Form and function on a budget!

4. "Wedding" services are for suckers.

Avoid wedding photographers, wedding makeup artists, and even wedding dresses if you can help it. It's a known fact that there are exorbitant markups on anything qualified as a wedding activity.

When we went to New York, we used Flytographer, a photography service that connects you with local photographers. We ended up paying a fraction of the price for engagement photos taken in one of our favorite cities.

5. Know you also have the power to propose.

Why do women wait around for the men to pop the question? If relationships involve two people, the solidification of them shouldn't be left to the devices of our male counterparts.

Even though my fiancé popped the question, I felt it wasn't equal footing, so I asked him too. In my mind, there was no doubt that I too had the power to propose.