The Knot

According to the Knot Annual Wedding Survey, budgets for weddings last year fell 5 percent, but the engagement ring budget held strong. The average cost of an engagement ring in 2009 was $5,487.

“Approximately one third of brides who had a wedding in 2009 said that the economy had impacted their overall wedding plans.” Carley Roney, editor in chief of The Knot Inc. commented. But despite brides carefully cutting costs, one cost remains the same.

Although the importance and pomp that surrounds a wedding is still a priority, most couples need to make sacrifices. It makes complete sense that one area no one would touch would be the element that is supposed to last the longest, (besides the actual marriage of course), the engagement ring.

As the ring is the symbol for the lifelong vow couples make to each other, it will always be the most important factor in a wedding budget. I think brides everywhere will agree.