Traditionally, wedding bands were designed in classic yellow gold and commonly featured a single solitaire round cut colorless diamond mounted onto a standard four prong setting. Nowadays, wedding rings come in a rich array of styles and designs, from the traditional solitaire prong or bezel set diamond wedding ring to more modern wedding bands featuring a multitude of diamonds and/or other precious gemstones arranged in complex and intriguing patterns and designs.

Since there is now an abundance of wedding ring designs and styles available to the everyday consumer, choosing the ideal diamond ring can get a little daunting. As such, designing your very own wedding ring will allow you to sift through the confusion and to quickly and easily produce your perfect ring.

Designing your own wedding band has its advantages. For example, you may find that it is easier to stick to your budget when designing your own wedding band as you can control and manipulate the band’s various characteristics which directly influence the band’s value and price, characteristics such as the ring’s overall aesthetic, the quality and amount of diamonds and/or other precious gemstones which may be incorporated into the wedding band’s design, the precious metals used in making the band, etc. Another advantage of designing your own wedding band is having it perfectly fit in with your aesthetics and, most importantly, ensuring that the wedding band perfectly matches your engagement ring. Customers who prefer to buy their wedding band and engagement ring separately and who would rather avoid wedding sets altogether, may discover that designing their own wedding band is an ideal way in which to make absolutely sure that the band fits the engagement ring.
Designing your very own wedding band can be done with the aid of a local licensed jeweler or jewelry designer or can be accomplished by going online and looking for a jewelry site with a Design Your Own Wedding Band feature. Initially, the consumer would be asked to choose the band’s setting before he or she can select a center stone. Starting with a stetting is customary as the setting you choose for your wedding band will help limit the choice of center stone as you will find that different ring settings specifically match differing center stone sizes and shapes, and that certain band settings will be unable to accommodate certain shape and size center stones. For instance, a tension setting is designed with a specific center stone in mind and will not be able to house unusually cut gemstones. After you’ve selected your ring setting, you will be asked to select the center stone of your choice. Be sure to keep your budget and the ring’s overall aesthetic design in mind when choosing your band’s center stone. With a few quick, simple steps you will have succeeded in designing your very own, ideal wedding band, imbued with sentiment and meaning.

In the current day and age, where families are expected to throw an elaborate, fancy wedding, this can be even more of a problem. Thus, here are some ideas as to how you should divide wedding expensive between the two families or even between the bride and groom. Obviously, the rules are made to be broken, but the families should made a budget and plan accordingly, with each family paying their fair share, according to what they can afford.

The bride’s family is generally expected to cover the costs of renting the hall or place of worship and her clothing. Other expenses, if applicable include the wedding photos, video (if applicable), wedding invitations and the groom’s ring. The groom’s family generally covers his clothing, the bouquets and corsages, honeymoon and both of the bride’s rings, including engagement ring, engagement ring setting and diamond, unless he inherited an heirloom ring in which case he should cover any upkeep or resetting expenses. In addition, the groom’s family should pay for the marriage license.

Neither family is expected to pay for any of the groomsmen or bridesmaid’s clothing. If there are multiple pre-wedding parties, each family should pay for some of the costs. In general, the bride’s family pays for the first engagement party and the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner. Obviously, if these numerous parties are too much, the families should not feel obligated to hold them or pay for them. In addition, if the friends of the couple want to throw a party, they cannot expect anyone to pay for the party other than themselves.

In engraving of text into wedding rings dates back to the 16th and 17th Centuries, particularly in England and France, where poetry was engraved into rings known as “Poesy Rings”. These rings were sometimes set with uncut diamonds which the lovers would often use to engrave all sorts of love notes in any surface available, be it wood, glass and sometimes metal. In the modern day, this is not possible because of legal consequences, but you can still have texts engraved in your wedding. Here are some interesting ideas bound to make your ring unique.
Use a short romantic text. It is no secret that some of the most meaningful statements are said in the fewest words. This could be a single line from a poem that has sentimental value to yourself and your groom or even a simple statement of love. Find the text you want to use, decide on a font and bring it to a jeweler, who will be able to engrave your ring in no time.

Use a long text that will fit all over the ring and stone. This option, which could be a problem in the future if you would like to upgrade your diamond, is a great way to express your feelings for your beloved. Rather than using one sentence from a poem, engrave the whole thing in the ring and have the remainder engraved in the stone. In addition to having sentimental value, the stone will unmistakably be yours and will serve as a kind of insurance policy as your ring will be easy to identify.

Engrave your names. This option is great if you cannot decide on a text but still want to engrave something in your ring. You may also engrave the wedding date or some other sentimental information in addition to the names.

The Perfect Hairstyle to Go With Your Wedding Jewelry

Without a doubt one of the most important things to a bride on her wedding day is her appearance, especially her gown, rings and even hair. There are numerous hairstyles available to a bride, but it is best to be cautious because whatever you choose will be immortalized for eternity in photographs that everyone will see, including your children and grandchildren. Thus, here are some tips as to hope you should go about selecting a hair style.

The most important thing to do in regards to deciding on a hairstyle is to speak to a hairdresser to find out which styles suit your face and gown and will complete whatever look you are going for. By now you know whether your hair can be straightened or curled and what its consistency is, so be sure to tell this to a hairdresser as well. The hairdresser will also tell you whether you should wear headpieces like a tiara or crown. Tiaras and crowns are quite popular these days, so hairdressers will be prepared to work with this in mind.
Another thing to keep in mind is the type of wedding you are having. Obviously it makes little sense to dress formally with a fancy hairdo if you are having a casual wedding on a beach. If your wedding is formal, pin your hair up and definitely use the tiara or crown. If it is casual, you can simply wear your hair down and maybe string some flowers or some other ornamentation through it to create an elegant but casual look.
If you have been growing your hair for your wedding, you may wish to go for a semi-formal bun at your neck. This hairdo shows off your longer strands of hair and you can net it up with flowers, jewels or some other form of ornamentation. In addition, don’t forget your jewelry – earrings, necklace and the tiara or crown if you use it – will have to be put on over your newly styled hair, because a complicated hairdo might create difficulties in putting your jewelry on. If you have a hairstyle rehearsal, make sure you have whatever jewelry you plan to wear around your neck at that time, this way you don’t have to start over because the jewelry is complicated to put on. This would be a huge waste of your time and money.
One final thing to keep in mind is your age. Don’t pick a hairstyle that belongs to a different era, unless your hairstylist recommends it. In short, speak to your hairstylist, trust her and stay rational and you will be a definite head-turner on your special occasion.

Thus, here are some ideas that can save you money on your wedding.

Make a budget. You should set aside a specific amount of money for flowers, since they can be expensive. If you do this, your florist will be able to fit your bill. Otherwise, you’ll be paying more than you expected to.

Reuse the flowers. A wedding ceremony lasts between thirty minutes to an hour. There are a huge number of flowers that are present at a ceremony. One cost saving technique is to use those same flowers in the wedding party décor, since they can easily be put into vases or in some other creative fashion and thus minimize the need for additional flowers.

Book your florist in advance. Many florists will testify that it is quite difficult to give a bargain or even a reasonable price to a couple soon to be married if they only give a few weeks’ notice. Thus, it is highly recommended that you speak to florists soon are your engagement as your florist will be able to find a better deal with more time to do research.

Be flexible. You love those roses. However, those roses may be quite difficult to obtain, especially if your wedding is close to Valentine’s Day.Let your florist do his or her job and instead give them an idea of what you would like. They’ll come through and have several different options, all of which will look beautiful. That is what you are paying for, after all.

Use more than one color. Fashionistas claim that the colors of the flowers should not be the same as that of anyone’s clothing other than the men’s ties since it makes for great contrast. Florists agree and suggest that there be more than one color.

In the west, where Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are the most common religious traditions, the ring is worn on the left hand. This includes countries such as France, Ireland, the UK, Mexico, Italy and the US, to name a few. The reason for the use of the left hand is because it was assumed by ancient civilizations that there was a vein that ran from the third finger of the left hand directly to the heart and by wearing the ring there you were showing your affection in the most overt manner possible. However, in the Eastern Orthodox Church and other countries, even some in the west, the ring is worn on the right hand, such as in India, Russia, Poland, Greece and Germany.
Some interesting deviations from the most common traditions are the Indian tradition of using a toe ring called a bichiya and the bangle used in West Bengal in lieu of a wedding ring. Other cultures, such as the Japanese, traditionally did not have a diamond ring involved in any ceremony, although this has become quite popular over the last 50-60 years.
In terms of the proper etiquette at a wedding ceremony, the best man traditionally keeps the wedding rings, although he may hand them to a ring bearer in a fancier ceremony, who carries them on a large pillow or cushion. During the wedding ceremony and afterwards, the engagement ring is worn on the right hand and the wedding ring remains on the left hand. Some people may combine their engagement ring settings with their wedding rings, although this is usually at a later point in time.

The most important part of a wedding party is obviously the ceremony. And even more important than the ceremony is the actual ring exchange. Consequently, a lot of focus is put into searching for the right wedding ring, especially since it will be worn for the rest of your life. If you think rationally, you can pick out the perfect ring, without having any major headaches or potentially being ripped off by an unscrupulous jeweler.

By now, you probably have a style that you like. That is good because it means you have an engagement ring and engagement ring setting or some sort of piece of jewelry that you can use as a template for your wedding band. If you are able, the best thing to is search online, although it may be a good idea to look in your local jewelry stores so you have an idea of what wedding bands look like and what suits you.
Once you’ve done that, look online at one of the numerous stores available. It is likely that the ring you were interested in at the local jewelry store has an identical counterpart online and probably for a better price. Obviously, it is important to keep the price in mind, since rings that have genuine gemstones or even diamonds in them will cost more than those that have artificially created or fake gemstones. Another good idea that is also responsible is to be in contact with someone at the store you are ordering from, this way you can ask whatever questions you have and received the answers you need as quickly as possible.
For those who would like fashion advice as to what is popular or not, the best thing to do is to look online. Jewelry store have a top 10 list. Generally they will include rings that are simple as well as those which are ornate, with different engravings, patterns and gemstones set in them. Some of the most popular ones are Celtic knot rings and those with multiple stones in them.
If you can keep these things in mind, you’ll have an easy and even fun time looking for that perfect ring.

Wedding Jewelry Colors – Make an Impact!

The choice of colors will reflect the type of wedding you wish to have. If you get it just right, the minute people get your invitations, they will know exactly that you have chosen a color scheme which reflects your personality and style. A great idea is to pick a color that goes with the season. If you are having a spring wedding, for example, then dark colors will not seem to be appropriate, so go with lighter pastel pinks, lilacs and blues. These will look fabulous in the wedding photos. For a fall or winter wedding, a rich burgundy or warm chocolate color will spice up your occasion and help your guests feel like they are attending a sumptuous event.

Although it may seem like a good idea at the time, having too much black will make people immediately think of a funeral. This is surely something you wish to avoid. So, even though you may love the color black, it may be best left to a highlight color.

Having chosen a main color, you may wish to have one or two accent colors which highlight or compliment your main color. Using an artist’s color wheel is a great way to choose highlight colors.

Why not go to a wedding boutique to help you to choose your colors? Go along with your bridesmaids and you can all decide the colors together along with their dresses. You will certainly be a very popular bride if you let your bridesmaids have a say in what they will wear.

The choice of wedding colors is a very important decision. It will set the tone for the day. If you have chosen upbeat, bright colors, then this will reflect in the mood of your guests too. Don’t forget that the color you choose will have to look good not just in the little color palette you design, but also in larger quantities in the bigger picture too. So choose wisely.

If you let your other half help you choose, perhaps you could pick your favorite team colors if you two are sports fans. There are a great variety of ways to choose a color which suits you both as a couple, and with some care and attention, you can choose one which will make a big splash on your big day.

The Perfect Beach Wedding

It is important in many ways to choose the right location. You should keep the expense prioritized if you are on a budget, the location figured out depending on how formal you want the wedding to be, your guest list, the menu for the reception and if you want it in the same place as the ceremony.

There are reality shows on television that depict weddings that turn into nightmare situations. You do not want to have your own happily ever after start off with one of the most common arguments in marriage – money issues. By deciding together what the budget will be, you can fulfill your dreams without bankrupting your parents or yourself, and your fiance if the two of you are paying for the wedding.

Deciding where to have the wedding based on the type of ceremony you want is important, too. Did you know you can have a perfectly lovely ceremony in the church parlor that could be quite cheaper than the sanctuary, yet fulfills your church wedding dream? Do you have a family member with a lovely ranch that can make your country wedding dream come true? What about that beach ceremony you have dreamed of since watching a favorite movie as a teen?

Having the wedding of your dreams can be done creatively with a little imagination. You can check with your city about popular tourist attractions such as a waterfall in the park or a historical monument. You can check out the bed and breakfast that has been all the rage and ties in with your own romantic thoughts of a theme. Whatever your desire, remember that this is your day and the only opinions that matter are those of yours and your future spouse. The location of your wedding should be based on your wants and dreams. It is a decision that is sure to bring happy memories to look back on for the rest of your lives.

Unique Wedding Jewelry Invitations

Your wedding is going to be every bit as beautiful and individual as you are so why not let your wedding invitations show that? There are many ways to come up with the perfect invitation for your particular event. Think about what you have planned for your big day and allow your wedding invitations to symbolize that.

Your wedding is sure to be a reflection of both you and your soon to be mate. Whatever theme you have chosen, traditional, spiritual, contemporary, even barefoot at the beach – why not let the wedding invitation reflect it as well? Have the design cater to the type of wedding you are having.

Some people may have, as part of their ceremony, a religious or family tradition that may not be known by some of their friends. If this is true in your case, you might want to make an invitation that includes information about that.

If you have dreamed of a beautiful wedding down on the shore or at the waterfall your hometown is famous for, you may want the design of the invitation to reflect that, perhaps having a waterfall or beach on the front as a lovely scenic background to the wording itself.

If you need to know how many guests will actually be attending, you will want to include a request for the guests to answer, known as an RSVP. You can include a self-addressed stamped envelope or go the way of technology and have them email or text you with an RSVP.

Whether you are having a big traditional wedding with a rehearsal and dinner the night before or a huge reception to follow the ceremony, make sure that all of the needed information is included in your wedding invitation. Knowing what to expect, how long the event will last and what the dinner courses, if any, are will save a lot of time and confusion so that you, your spouse and your friends and family can simply enjoy the wonderful celebration of your special day. By doing that, you will have an even greater chance of having wonderful memories that you can reflect upon for a lifetime.