Jewelry

How to Select Jewelry for Your Wedding

The bride's jewelry, along with her other accessories, as a general rule should reflect the formality of the wedding celebration. A small, informal wedding calls for simple jewelry, while a large, formal wedding calls for more elaborate jewelry.

The style of the bridal gown also plays a major roll in the selection of jewelry. Many of today's most popular gowns are strapless or have low necklines. This is a perfect style to showcase a wonderful necklace and earrings. Gowns with high necklines may be better of to forgo the necklace and concentrate on the perfect earrings.

As a general rule to more glitter and detailing on the gown the simpler the jewelry, while a more plain gown can support more decorative selections.

Necklace Length

The various lengths of necklaces include the, choker, the collar, princess, matinee, and opera lengths. In general you may want to follow these guidelines in selection of the necklace length to best flatter your gowns neckline:

The Choker: One to three strands worn close around the neck is the most classic version and works well with a jewel or bateau neckline. If too much skin is showing it may get lost.

The Collar: Made up of three or more strands that fit securely around the middle neck. This Victorian style looks lovely with a plunging or strapless neckline.

The Princess: Perfect for strapless gowns, this length falls below the hollow of the neck in front -- perfect support for a pendant. This style is most often 16" looks great with almost every bridal gown neckline, except a high neckline.

The Matinee: Longer than the Princess but shorter than the Opera, this style hits the top of the bust and looks great with a bateau, jewel, or a lower neckline with sheer fabric covering the décolletage area. It shouldn't hit the top of the dress because then the necklace and the dress are fighting for attention.

The Opera: This long single strand falls below the bust and looks classic with a very high neckline. Not often a good choice for bridal gowns or bridesmaid dresses.

Other things to consider:

• Keep your earrings simple if your necklace is large or grand.
• Bracelets can be worn with sleeveless, short-sleeve, and three-quarter sleeve gowns. It is possible to combine a bracelet with gloves as a dramatic accessory worn over tight-fitted gloves, but not many feel comfortable with this look.
• A watch can be worn if it is an unusual antique or family heirloom, but most watches are not appropriate wedding jewelry for the bride or the bridesmaids.

Choice of Earring

Keep this in mind when selecting earring styles:

• A button earring accentuates a round face.
• A dangle earring widens a narrow face.
• A squared earring adds interest to a long face.
• If you are wearing a Tiara you may not want to wear earrings.
• If you are not wearing a necklace you may want your earrings to be larger. It is all a matter of balance.

Wearing a Tiara

Want to feel like a princess?! Spend your special day crowned by a glittering tiara. But consider keeping the other jewelry simple, small pearl earrings and a simple necklace or let your tiara be the point of focus and leave off any extra jewelry.

Appropriate Jewelry for Bridesmaids
Most bridesmaid ensembles can be enhanced with earrings and perhaps a necklace or bracelet. All bridesmaids should wear jewelry that is the same color and style. It can match or contrast with the color of the dress. We recommend that you keep the bridal party jewelry simple, yet elegant. Jewelry is a great gift for the bride to consider giving her bridesmaid, and maid of honor and by doing so you can control the total look the day of the wedding.

The Type of Jewelry Most Often Selected For Weddings
Brides have worn pearls for centuries as a symbol of purity and perfection. In ancient Rome, the pearl was the ultimate symbol of wealth and social standing, while the ancient Greeks associated the pearl with love, marriage, and unrivaled beauty. The Greeks also believed the pearl would promote marital harmony.

Today's modern brides often includes rhinestones, diamonds faux diamonds, sometimes called CZ's, crystals, gemstones and or a combination of them all in their wedding jewelry. It's really a matter of personal style and budget.

The important thing is to make sure your jewelry does not over power the dress and that the color works with the gown. For example a white bridal gown looks best with white pearls and silver. An ivory gown looks better with ivory pearls and gold. A pale pink or beige tone gown looks best with ivory and gold accents or faux gemstones that match or are slightly lighter. Rhinestones, crystals, diamonds, or faux diamonds (CZs) can work with all gown colors but it is best to use a silver setting with white and a gold setting with other gown colors. Of course, all rules are made to be broken so what makes you feel the most special.

By Kathy Reid
www.weddingandbridaljewelry.com
service@weddingandbridaljewelry.com

Buying Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings and Wedding Bands Online

Ritual symbolism abounds in everything we do; this is particularly the case when an individual commits their love and devotion to another and offers a promise of marriage. The custom of offering and exchanging engagement rings and wedding bands is a time honored tradition rich in symbolism and meaning that has been carried on for centuries.

As time has changed so have consumer traditions and buying patterns. The rich tradition of exchanging vows as a symbol of love and devotion is still a traditional time honored ritual practiced in many cultures. Certain aspects of engagement and marriage have changed with time however. Whereas in times of old a couple might take several outings together in search of the perfect engagement rings or wedding bands, in modern times more and more couples are buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online. Thanks to the internet and the resulting access to a global marketplace, couples are realizing they have more options available to them all from the comforts of their living room. Some couples are even going to the extreme, not only buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online, but also purchasing wedding gowns, flowers and even participating in virtual marriages.

How have these changes come about? What can today's modern couple expect when planning a walk down the aisle?

The Engagement Ring

The practice of a groom offering his bride to be an engagement ring as a promise of love and affection began nearly 2 centuries ago in the United States; many associate the giving of engagement rings with a need to express implied commitment and understanding forever. The term "A Diamond is Forever" was in fact used as a means of reinforcing the notion that an engagement ring is a commitment from one fiancé to another to live a life together in marital harmony forever. The phrase is also a popular advertising catch phrase that reinforces the notion that love and devotion are part of everyday symbolisms that require an outlet for expression.

The use of engagement rings as a token of love and affection is a norm that instilled in the hearts and minds of most people, in part due to heavy marketing and advertising from diamond ring and other jewelry manufacturers, and in part based on the needs of mankind to project symbolism into everyday living.

Wedding Rings

Once a couple has decided to walk down the aisle together, the next step is often purchasing wedding rings together. Because there are so many different kinds to choose from, it helps to know what distinguishes one wedding band from another. There are several tips that you can follow to ensure that you purchase wedding bands that suit your individual preferences and budget.

First and foremost consumers should keep in mind that it certainly pays to do their homework. The best advice for wedding ring shoppers is patience. Couples should take the time to shop around and look at several different wedding bands, and have in mind an idea of what exactly they are looking for. Far too often customers compromise because they feel they can't find exactly what they are looking for; chances are you can find what you are looking for at a reasonable price, if you give yourself plenty of time to research wedding rings thoroughly before purchasing.

An article in Today's Summer Bride in Summer of 1989 suggested that consumers be patient and shop wisely, but also have faith that they will find what they are looking for. The article was referring to purchase of a wedding gown, but buying wedding rings follows the same logic. You probably didn't bump into your partner overnight, and likewise you should expect it to take some time to find the perfect wedding rings as symbols of your love and devotion to one another.

Marriage represents a commitment and shared love between two people. Wedding ceremonies are often shrouded in symbolism, among the most significant of which is the exchange of wedding rings between husband and wife.

Buying Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings and Wedding Bands Online

Society is ever changing, and with the advent of technology and access to a global marketplace, more and more consumers are buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online rather than shopping for these ritual symbols of devotion in a traditional store. Buying online affords consumers the luxury of perusing the widest selection of rings available from the convenience of their home.

Some people have infused the process of buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online with romanticism. New rituals and traditions are being built in the face of modern technology. In fact, some couples are planning entire wedding ceremonies through their computers. A virtual ceremony can be broadcast to friends and family members the world over!

What advice can we offer the couple interested in shopping for wedding accessories online? Here are some suggestions for a successful venture:

• Keep an open mind. Know what type of engagement rings (diamond, gemstone, bands) or wedding rings you are looking for, but consider looking at many different varieties. You may change your mind about what type of ring best symbolizes your relationship and love.
• Make shopping online romantic! Place some candles around the computer, turn on your song and have some wine! Buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online can be just as fun and exciting as buying them in person...and even more fun when you create a loving and warm atmosphere.
• Be prepared to spend a fair amount of time perusing different styles and makes. There are an incredible variety of engagement rings and wedding bands available: titanium, platinum, white gold, traditional gold, silver, gemstone, diamond...the list goes on and on. Once you have reviewed a fair number of styles be sure to compile a list of your favorites to narrow down your search.
• Know your size! Nothing is more obnoxious than having to have a ring re-sized before you wear it. There are several websites that offer jewelry sizing online. Typically women wear between a size 5-9 and men between sizes 8-12. The average for men: a 10; the average for women: a 7.

A Symbol of Your Love and Devotion

Ritual symbols such as the exchange of engagement rings and wedding rings are time honored traditions that will likely continue through the next two centuries. Though the manner in which people shop and commit themselves to one another is changing, the time honored tradition of exchanging vows and bands as a symbol of love and devotion will not likely change in the near future.

Take advantage of modern technology, and consider buying engagement rings, wedding rings and wedding bands online. You'd be surprised the variety available, and pleasantly surprised by how exciting it can be shopping from the comforts of your living room, office, or bedroom......

About The Author:
Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as wedding rings, engagement ring design, and diamond wedding rings.

Engraving Your Wedding Bands? New Technology Creates Romantic Possibilities.

What is more romantic than looking inside of your wedding band and seeing a personalized engraving with special meaning for the you and your spouse?

There are a few ways to accomplish this task that your jeweler will recommend and now some new processes available that increase the limits of the message that can be created.

Let us review the traditional methods most currently being used in the marketplace.

First, there is hand engraving done by an artisan engraver using a hand tool called a graver. It is not a perfect process and the results will depend on the quality and skill of the craftsman doing the work.

Also commonly used is machine engraving which is much more precise but usually limited to one row of words using up to 20 characters.

Now, a specialty process adapted to a not so new technology, called laser engraving, has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for wedding couples who are thinking of engraving their rings. Wedding bands are now being created with entire messages that are clearly readable and up to 225 character long. This allows the ability to write whole passages, even entire wedding vows, on the inside of the wedding bands. Currently , bridal couples are engraving civil vows, religious vows, love poetry, even Shakesperean sonnets.

This sentimental and romantic addition to your wedding bands can forever be a reminder of the commitments made, and add a special and unique touch to your wedding day.

Jerry Biern
Wedding Vow Rings