It’s no secret that weddings generate a huge amount of waste. With the pressure to have the perfect picturesque day comes the impulse to buy lots of items to make your wedding more beautiful. If you care about our planet, then here are just a few things you can do to cut down on waste during your wedding day.

We at Catalyst love all of the jewelers in our Vendor Directory, and here are just a few of their rings that will change how you think about the traditional engagement ring, with some starting at just $420.

We are huge fans of Aide-mémoire Jewelry, and owner Aran Galligan is the designer behind this all-inclusive, queer woman-owned studio in Seattle, Washington, and her pieces never cease to amaze us. Continuing to “wow” us is her new Sculpted collection, which offers a softer and more subtle departure from her more geometric designs.

Are you looking to breathe new life into a family heirloom piece or a vintage ring? We know just the place for you! Bario Neal is an amazing jeweler, not to mention they are an ethical company run by WOMEN. We have profiled their gorgeous, creative, inspiring jewelry before, and we have talked to them extensively about using white sapphires as an ethical diamond alternative. What always amazes us is that many of their rings are one-off pieces created for a special individual, often recycling family pieces.

Six weeks ago, my fiancé Nathan and I were in Park Slope with a jewelry saleswoman encouraging me to try on a $19,000 vintage ring from early 19th-century Europe. That’s right: $19,000.

Seeing that rock, my stomach sank — not because the ring was way out of price range, which it was, but because I didn’t know how to express my diamond ambivalence to the clerk without being rude. After all, her hands were bedazzled with five diamond rings of her own. With the price tag, it should have been easy for me and Nathan to tell her we were going to pass. But as we explained our preferences, I started to feel like my value was under the spotlight — as though the worth of the ring was a reflection of my worth.