bridal-jewelry-tiaras

Got Wedding Stress? Baths to Help You Relax

2008-07-05T05:06:00.000-07:00

A bath is a quick and easy way to unwind. Ten to twenty minutes in the tub is a proven way to reduce tension, rejuvenate the body, and clear your head. Adding a fragrant oil or a sprinkling of salts can make for an even more peaceful environment. Here are some tips.

Calming Scents
Some aromas have particularly soothing effects. The best ones for overall relaxation are basil, grapefruit, pine, lavender, tangerine, rose geranium, chamomile, lemongrass, and orange. Use them in the form of essential oils or scented bath products.

The ideal water temperature for a tranquil soak should be between 90 and 104 degrees. Use these ingredients for added benefits: Bath salts (most of which are made from either sea or Epsom salts) can help to draw soreness out of muscles and joints. Pour in two to three cups of warm milk (basic powdered milk is fine, too); the lactic acid gently exfoliates dry skin. Treat yourself to a tub full of frothy bubbles, or toss in effervescent bath tablets -- they perfume the water while releasing skin-softening oils. For hydrating and smoothing the skin, use a few drops of oil or a bar of moisturizing soap that has a calming fragrance.

Sparkling Bridal Tiaras and Weddings Hair Accessories

2008-07-05T04:42:00.000-07:00

Every bride should shine on her wedding day. You can do so, quite literally, by adding a sparkling GlamForLess.com's bridal tiara, hair barrette, or other wedding hair accessory to your ensemble. Let the style of your dress guide your choice. A dazzling crystal bridal tiara can be the perfect complement to a traditional gown, for example, whereas a more subtle GlamForLess.com's bridal hairpin or GlamForLess.com's wedding comb may be just the thing for a modern sheath.

Give some thought as well to how you will style your hair at your wedding and the veil you have chosen, if any, before making your decision. Knowing whether you want a piece that will become an heirloom or one that will just survive the day can help you determine what to look for and how much to spend.

How to Select Wedding Gloves

2008-07-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sheath
Sleeveless or Spaghetti Straps
A long wedding glove, either elbow- or opera-length, lends itself to a slim, bare dress. For a less formal look, perhaps for an outdoor summer wedding, shorties or classic-length gloves can be worn.

Long Sleeves
With a covered arm, wrist-length wedding gloves are an option, although you may find that bare hands look better. If the sleeves have bead embroidery or wide cuffs, omit the gloves; they will only detract from the dress.

Be Consistent
To give the wedding party a unified look, your bridesmaids should all wear wedding gloves of the same length, but they needn't match yours. If you choose opera-length gloves, your attendants should wear elbow-length ones or a shorter style, depending on the length of the dress sleeve.

Ball Gown
Off-the-Shoulder or Strapless
Long wedding gloves give an elegant, formal look to a ball gown and draw attention to your arms, especially with bare shoulders. For a more subtle effect, wear shorties, as Jacqueline Kennedy did at her outdoor wedding in Newport, Rhode Island.

Long-Illusion Sleeves
It's better to keep hands bare than to weigh down sheer sleeves with wedding gloves.

Mix Modes
If your gown is elaborately detailed with beads or embroidery, stick to simple kid wedding gloves. If it's a pure froth of tulle or satin, you can wear more elaborate gloves, perhaps in lace or with a bit of decoration, such as a silk flower or a crystal trim.

Empire
Sleeveless or Small Puffed Sleeves
This classic high-waisted style, introduced by Empress Josephine in the early nineteenth century, looks elegant with elbow- or opera-length weddding gloves. For a formal winter wedding, opera-length gloves provide warmth and flair. For a summer garden wedding, shorties are fresh and light, and will give an empire gown a daintier, less formal look.

Take Ideas From Film
Period films like "Emma" and "Sense and Sensibility" offer ideas for pairing empire gowns with gloves. Sarah Bernhardt and Lillian Russell, who greatly influenced fashion during the 1880s, were among the famous glove wearers of their day.

A-Line
Sleeveless
If the dress is short and the wedding is informal, classic six-button wedding gloves or shorties are appropriate. For a longer, more formal dress, elbow-length gloves can be worn. A fashion-forward bride can pair her gown with a colored glove, perhaps an ice-blue or a lilac that coordinates with her bridesmaids' dresses.

Three-Quarter Sleeves
Wear a wrist-length glove or leave your hands bare to avoid detracting from the sleeve.

Flatter Your Arms
If you have short arms but love the look of a long glove, choose an elbow-length pair rather than opera-length. If you have heavy arms, gloves will call attention to them, rather than camouflage them. Stay away from gloves that cut your upper arm at its heaviest point.

Suit Jacket with Skirt
Gloves should be classic and simple. Forget wide cuffs and embellished trim.

Long Sleeves
Either shorties or classic-length gloves are appropriate. If your suit is long and tailored, gloves make the ensemble more formal. If the suit is short and the wedding is informal, a pair of short white kid gloves looks lovely. Or you can skip gloves entirely.

Three-Quarter Sleeves and Shorter
Classic-length wedding gloves look best.

Color Counts
If you are wearing wedding gloves, match them to your suit or choose a complementary color. If you are wearing a white suit and white kid gloves, it isn't necessary for them to match, but they should harmonize. Leather can be worn year-round, but save velvet gloves for winter.

Paying for Your Wedding

2008-07-05T04:09:00.000-07:00

Tradition calls for the bride's family to pay for most of the wedding, but lately this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Now that more couples are waiting until their mid-20s and 30s to marry, they're also likely to pay for part or all of the wedding themselves, even if it means having a longer engagement or a less elaborate affair.

To be sure, a wedding is no minor financial undertaking. According to the Association for Wedding Professionals International, the average wedding costs $28,000. This figure varies depending on where you live, when you get married, and in what fashion you celebrate. In large metropolitan areas, the average is closer to $30,000. With numbers like these at stake, the first step in planning a wedding is creating a budget and, likely, a savings plan, too.

Some engaged couples look at how much money they have and how much they can save before the wedding, and then they try to plan an event that works within that budget. Others first decide what type of wedding they want and then save and set a date accordingly.

For many couples, the process of weighing wedding plans against their finances is more nuanced. One of the first things you and your fiance will probably want to do is brainstorm a bit about what style of wedding you would like to have, when you might get married, and how many people you hope to invite. Around the same time, you'll also want to sit down and talk about how much money each of you has available and how much, if any, your families plan to contribute.

If the amount of money you have on hand is not enough to create the wedding you want, you'll need to save more. First look at what each of you earns every month and determine where that money goes. Then decide what you can cut back on, such as travel or dinners out. Also discuss how much of your paychecks you'll each be able to contribute.

Next, open a joint account to pool your savings for the wedding and set up an automatic savings plan. (With these plans, you specify a set amount to be transferred regularly from your checking or savings account to the joint account automatically.) Keep your savings in a low-risk interest-bearing account -- not in the stock market. Because a lot of wedding expenses will need to be paid long before the big day, you'll want easy access to the money. Your best bet is likely a high-yield money-market account at a bank or credit union. Deposits are insured by the government and earn between 1 percent and 3 percent interest.

Avoid making up the difference with credit cards or a loan from your 401(k) plan. You could ask family members for a no- or low-interest loan, but such arrangements can be tricky to set up, and don't be surprised if your relative voices her own opinions about the style of your wedding and whom you should invite. If you must borrow, consider a home-equity loan (assuming you own your home) or a personal loan from a credit union, where rates are typically lower than at banks. Just keep in mind that if you borrow to pay for your wedding, you may have to delay other important plans, such as buying a house or having children.

Just because you shouldn't borrow with credit cards doesn't mean you should not use them at all. In fact, it's a good idea to pay as many wedding costs as possible with your card. Not only can you earn frequent flyer miles (perhaps to use toward your honeymoon), but if you have the right type of card, you may also protect yourself from vendors who don't deliver. (Check your card issuer's policy.) Just make sure you have the money to pay your credit-card balance in full every month.

Despite your best efforts, you may still not be able to afford to have a lavish cake and eat caviar, too, so take time to think about what's really important to you. Ask yourselves how important it is to have your wedding in a specific month, on a particular day of the week, or at a certain time of day. Is a fabulous location more important than inviting everyone you know? By compromising in some areas, you can afford to splurge on the things that you truly value. And remember, your guests will never see what you did not include.

First, consider the most expensive part of the wedding: the reception. This category, which includes location fees, food, alcohol, and rental equipment, is likely to account for at least 50 percent of your budget, depending on the site and the number of guests. Have a good idea of the size of your guest list when shopping around for locations. Some venues charge extra to accommodate a larger-than-usual guest list. Others may offer deals for groups of a specific size.

While you're working out the details of your reception, you'll need to think about the other aspects of your wedding as well. In general, you can expect to spend about 10 percent of your budget on each of the other major categories -- attire, bridal jewelry, flowers, music, photography, and miscellaneous costs, such as invitations, favors, transportation, and any unexpected expenses that might arise. Adjust these percentages as you go; when you spend more on certain items, make up the difference by spending less somewhere else.

Get estimates in writing so you can account for every expense when you make your comparisons. To avoid going over your budget, keep detailed notes and a running tally of your total bill.

Any time you notice your estimates approaching your budget limit, remind yourself of your priorities, both for the wedding day and for life happily ever after. Certain details that might seem indispensable at first may never be missed in the end. Moreover, there's something to be said for beginning your lives together without the burden of added debt -- or even with cash to spare.

Selecting Bridal Wedding Tiaras and Hair Combs

2008-07-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

Every bride wants to feel like a princess, but you don't need a large bridal wedding tiara to do so. Bridal wedding hair combs and the new forms of bridal wedding tiaras are small and light so they won't weigh you down. Consider the style of your dress. An ornate bridal wedding tiara is best with a simple gown; delicate bridal wedding hair combs go well with other beading or lace.

Bridal Hairpins & Wedding Headbands

2008-07-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

Even the bride who initially resolves to wear nothing in her hair may enjoy the subdued look of crystal-studded bridal hairpins; they look striking in a loosely gathered bun.

Crystal bridal hair pins can be worn a number of ways: across the head as a headband, circling a tight bun, or wrapped around a ponytail. It comes with silver plated bobby pins to hold it in place.

The slender crystal and rhinestone bridal and wedding headband by GlamForLess.com is delicate and pretty. The crystal and pearl design of GlamForLess's bridal headband resembles a piece of glamorous jewelry.

GlamForLess.com's bridal hairpins provide just the barest hint of sparkle; whether you wear one or several, they work well in many hairstyles.

Find Bridal & Wedding Jewelry

2008-07-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

It's a wonderfully disarming moment, the first time you see yourself in bridal & wedding jewelry. But shopping for your jewelry can also be intimidating and overwhelming. After all, it is probably the most important -- and most photographed -- jewelry you'll ever own. It helps to know how to begin and what to expect.

Before You Shop For Bridal & Wedding Jewelry
Don't start trying on jewelry until you've selected your wedding dress. This will keep you from buying a jewelry that won't feel right on your wedding day. But don't wait too long to begin shopping. It can take up to six months to find the right bridal & wedding jewelry. If you start shopping four to six months in advance, you won't feel rushed -- or encounter rush charges.

Setting a Budget For Bridal & Wedding Jewelry
With the price of traditional bridal & wedding jewelry starting around $100, it is also important to establish your budget before setting foot in a store. Without a price range in mind, you risk overspending or falling in love with something you can't afford.

Most brides buy their bridal & wedding jewelry at a bridal boutique, whether an intimate shop or a bridal emporium, part of a department store, or a store owned by and featuring one designer. But if you envision something other than a traditional jewelry or if your budget is restricted, take a creative approach to shopping and consider online discount bridal stores like GlamForLess.com. Consider bridesmaids' jewelry and evening jewelry, which are less expensive and formal but can still be appropriate.

Classic and Modern Bridal Jewelry & Accessories for Any Wedding Style

2008-07-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

As with any wedding ensemble, bridal jewelry can build on a style or steer the look in another direction.

Bold jewelry, like a triple strand of oversize pearls or long drop earrings, high-heeled sandals, a bouquet of garden flowers, an airy flyaway veil, or a simple trail of tulle attached without a headpiece will give a contemporary spin to a traditional gown. Making a modern gown more romantic may be as simple as wearing a delicate strand of pearls or an heirloom necklace, small diamond studs, classic pumps, a waterfall bouquet, or a long, lace-edged veil.

Which is just as it should be. After all, whether a bride is modern or traditional, informal or rather formal, on her wedding day she should be at her most comfortable and her most beautiful.

Bridal Jewelry Sets & Bridesmaid Jewelry Sets

2008-07-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, when it comes to your big day, the moment you are waiting for is when you first appear and walk down the isle. Being beautiful isn't an option, it is what you have envisioned for your very special occasion. Living up to be the glamorous bride is what you've dreamed and it is what you should get. Selecting your bridal jewelry, as it is the accent and accessory to your dress, hair and entire look and feel.

When choosing your bridal jewelry, purchasing your selections in bridal sets will help bring your look for the day together. Depending upon the ceremony and celebration you are hosting for your guests, you will want to choose your bridal jewelry sets accordingly.

Beach or Summer Weddings
For a beach or summer wedding, pastels and bright colors are at their best. Many times you will, upon browsing your various options, find beautiful shell jewelry that can fit a beach wedding wonderfully. If the beach is not for you, but you love the idea of a summer wedding, try browsing the many color options of glass pearls and swarovski crystals. Glass pearls are now available in so many shades, you will have no problem matching your wedding colors with your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry.

Swarovski Crystals
Swarovski crystals also come in every color imaginable that matching to your wedding gown or bridesmaid dresses is never a problem. Swarovski crystals are perfect for any time of year as they add a great deal of sparkle and come in shades perfect for winter, fall, summer and spring.

Winter and Fall Weddings
Winter and fall weddings are great for rich and deep colors. Your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry will really pop with color depending upon what you choose. Glass pearls again, are now available in these rich burgundies, raspberries, yellows, browns and oranges.

Find Matching Sets
Whether your wedding is in the winter, summer, fall or spring, selecting your wedding colors and matching them to your bridal and bridesmaid accessories is key to a thematic and chromatic look. To narrow down your bridal and bridesmaid accessory selection, look for bridal and bridesmaid jewelry sets. This will make it a lot easier to find matching accessories.

Whether you are looking for bridal bracelets, necklaces, chokers, earrings, tiaras or for your bridesmaids, mom or flower girls, it will be much easier to find matches in sets. Many times by purchasing in sets, you will reduce your costs, this can be a good way to save, every bride has a budget remember.

Finding bridal jewelry sets and bridesmaid jewelry sets is becoming easier as online retailers are realizing that brides and maids alike are looking for a complete and beautiful look. By offering what they need all in one packaged price, they are offering you less of a headache. Planning your wedding can take days, dollars and headaches, finding the right bridal and bridesmaid jewelry should not add to all of that stress. Keep you job simple and fun, look for those bridal and bridesmaid jewelry sets, save your self some time and maybe a few dollars along the way!

Bridesmaid Jewelry Trends & Style

2008-07-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

Not all bridesmaids have the same look and styles, and brides this year are reflecting their unique personalities in their bridesmaid jewelry. There are many different ways to incorporate your various bridesmaids styles into their bridesmaids jewelry.

You may have a bridesmaid that is used to wearing big hoop earrings or bold necklaces and another that wears very tiny earrings or barely any jewelry at all. This is where selecting custom bridesmaids jewelry to match your bridesmaids personalities, style and sizes is key.

Decide on one color palate that makes sense for the color of gown your bridesmaids will be wearing. Once you have determined what color palate will work best for your wedding style, the rest is easy. Browse through the various styles of earrings, bracelets and necklaces to find exactly what each individual bridesmaid would look appropriate and comfortable in. You can choose the same necklaces for each maid and then a different pair of earrings, or select different pieces of jewelry all together for each bridesmaid. Whatever you decide, sticking with the same color palate throughout is a wonderful way to diversify while still coordinating together.

A popular trend this season is brides selecting the same style necklace for each bridesmaid and then choosing different earrings for each bridesmaids personality. This is a great gift idea to allow your bridesmaids to show their own uniqueness. Another popular trend is brides allowing bridesmaids to select their own dress styles, but keep all of the dresses the exact same color. When a bride opts to do this, the neckline styles can all be different, which is a great time to select different necklaces for each bridesmaid that compliments their own personal gown. By doing this, you are still coordinating your colors and style into the wedding, but allowing each bridesmaid to be different.

No matter what you decide to do when accessorizing your bridesmaids for your wedding, have fun with it. Your bridesmaids have been excited and planning right along with you, a gift of jewelry that compliments both their styles and personalities will be noticed and appreciated.

Selecting Bridal Jewelry for Your Bridesmaids

2008-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

Spring and summer are the most popular times of year for weddings. That being said, early spring to early summer are the most popular times for brides to select their own bridal jewelry and their bridesmaids bridal jewelry.

The bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses have been already ordered months ago and are now arriving for final fittings, shoe selections, accessories and that all important final touch--bridal and bridesmaid jewelry selections.

Because the selection of your bridesmaids' jewelry is an important one, here are a few items to take into consideration when making these selections. Firstly, what style of wedding are you having? Will it be at a grand ballroom or historical site? Or is your style in a garden in the afternoon? The style of bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry you select should coordinate with the style of your wedding.

If your wedding is very formal, maybe a chunky Swarovski crystal choker would be appropriate. If your wedding is more casual or garden style, maybe a drop style necklace and simple earrings are more appropriate. So, depending upon what your wedding style is, your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry should flow with that style.

The second factor to consider is your wedding theme and color. Sometimes, just the wedding color is enough to make the selection, but themed weddings are very popular and if you look, you will find bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry that coordinates with that theme.

For instance, if you were planning on having a casual but still very elegant style of wedding on a beach, there are many styles of beach bridal jewelry and beach bridesmaid jewelry that are beautiful and elegant at the same time. From shell necklaces adorned with crystals, to mother of pearl earrings, necklaces and bracelets that match, there are many selections available online and at specialty bridal boutiques.

For another example, if you were going to get married in or at a vineyard, grapes may be a theme for your wedding. If you search on the Internet for bridesmaid and bridal jewelry, you will find that there are tiaras, necklaces and earrings that have beautiful purple Swarovski crystal pearls that are designed to look like tiny grapes. Although these may not be typical ideas for wedding jewelry , they are examples of how to elegantly bring your theme into your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry.

The color of your wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses is an obvious and great way to assist you in selecting your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry. Whether you have a color combination or one color theme for your wedding, you can find bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry that can be customized to suit your specific needs. With so many Swarovski pearl and crystal color combinations available, and new colors being created all of the time, you can select your pearl and crystal colors custom at many bridal jewelry stores online.

The third method of selecting your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry would be the style of gown you and your bridesmaids are wearing. In particular you want to pay attention to the neckline and any embellishments that are included on the bridal gowns and attendants dresses.

If there are pearls or crystals or rhinestones on your gown or your bridesmaids gowns, use that to choose your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry. If there are only pearls on your bridal gown, you probably want to stick with pearls, likewise with crystals. If you have combination pearl and crystal, finding bridal jewelry to match would be ideal--having the crystals and pearls incorporated into your bridal jewelry.

The neckline of your gown can also help determine the style of necklace you wear for your wedding day. If you have a plunging neckline, a long drop style necklace would work nicely in accenting the gown. If you have a halter top the best necklace selections are drop necklaces, pendant necklaces and lariats. If you have a scoop neck or strapless top gown, a choker necklace looks stunning, y-drop necklaces are also popular with style, as well as lariats and back dangle necklaces. Use your gowns as methods of judging what style of bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry you will wear.

Whether you select your bridal and bridesmaid jewelry based on the style of wedding you have or the color of your wedding, select bridal jewelry that makes you feel beautiful. Listen to your inner bride's style to find the bridal jewelry that makes you feel like the princess for the day. You have been dreaming of your wedding day for so long, use your own style and heart to select your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry your closest friends will wear. Have a wonderful day and Congratulations!

How to Select Bridal Jewelry for the Wedding Day

2008-07-04T08:19:00.001-07:00

Selecting the most beautiful bridal jewelry to match your dream wedding gown is so important to finishing off your bridal look. Most brides wear their bridal jewelry for the wedding day only and then store it in a jewelry box or chest, never to be worn again.

Wedding Jewelry Tips And Ideas

2008-07-04T08:16:00.000-07:00

Many girls spend days dreaming about their wedding day. They want to look their best. Beauty is incomplete without jewelry. Especially when it comes to a wedding, you can’t imagine a bride without jewelry. Your wedding day is one of the happiest days in your life and you don’t want to look outdated. A girl will do anything to look her best. However, as the wedding day approaches you become a little unsure as to what kind of jewelry can add the extra spark to your attire.

Here are a few tips that can help you choose the bridal jewelry.

1. First, you need to keep in mind that you have to choose jewelry that will not only suit you but also your dress. One has to keep in mind the ‘mood’ of the wedding.. The time of the wedding should be considered, whether it’s going to be in the daytime or in the evening, as this will help you select bridal jewelry accordingly. Don’t just go by what you like, but see to it that the bridal jewelry compliments your wedding gown. Before you get down to your bridal jewelry shopping conduct research on the latest fashion and the various types of designs available on the market.

If you plan a glamorous wedding, bridal jewelry with bold designs and glaze will be just perfect to give you a glamorous look. If you are going for a simple wedding, you can select jewelry that has a classy look. Antique jewelry with pearls will help you with the elegant look.

If you have organized your wedding at the seaside, you need to choose simple, but outstanding jewelry. As beach wedding means having loads of fun while dancing and jumping around. You don’t want the heavy jewelry to stop you. So to avoid this, you need to select lighter jewelry. If you plan for a cultural wedding, you can choose jewelry that suits your customs. Many times it happens that you want to wear colorful jewelry but the white gown stops you. It’s a myth that colorful jewelry doesn’t suit the white gown. Instead you can match your jewelry with the wedding theme.

There is variety of jewelry on the market, but if you are a perfectionist you can even ask the jeweler to design the jewelry as per your needs. Most of the bridal jewelry is made with the Swarovski crystal. These crystals are known for their beauty and the wide range of colors. These crystals can be used to make bracelets, necklaces and earrings. These crystals will help you compliment the dress.

Pearls are an all time favorite. Pearls are known for their classy and traditional look. A strand of pearls combined with pearl earrings will surely add to your charm. You can combine the pearls with diamonds to add that extra shine.

Diamonds are a woman’s best friend. Most of the engagement rings are made with diamonds. The markets are flooded with a wide range of bridal jewelry. With a little knowledge and care you can sport the best look ever.

Budget Bride: Bridal & Wedding Jewerly For Less

2008-07-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

GlamforLess.com offers affordable bridesmaids, bridal & wedding jewelry sets to wear again and again – from the wedding day to so many other important occasions.

Celebrity Wedding: DeGeneres and De Rossi Wedding

2008-07-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Talk show queen Ellen DeGeneres will marry her actress girlfriend Portia De Rossi in a lavish ceremony in Palm Springs, California later this year, according to reports.

Since California lifted its ban on gay weddings last month, the pair has been busy planning the celebration, which will take place at the Riviera Resort and Spa in Palm Springs, according to the New York Post.

A source tells the newspaper, "They didn't sign the contract yet, but they're working out the final details and security. The hotel is doing $70 million in renovations that will be done in October. They said they wanted to have the ceremony in the tropical gardens, by the pool and the reception in the grand ballroom. They will also close a significant portion of the hotel."

DeGeneres has already promised to air a "tiny bit" of her wedding on her talk show.

Salma Hayek Wedding Day

2008-07-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Actress Salma Hayek is reportedly planning to splash out a whopping 3.5 million dollars on a dream 'Cinderella' wedding when she says 'I Do' to fiance Francois-Henri Pinault. Hayek's French businessman fiance was willing to spend as much moolah as it took to make sure his bride has the wedding she's always dreamt of when they wed in France next spring.

It took Francois over a year to get Salma to agree to marry him, and he doesn't want to spare any expense. Francois basically gave her the key to the vault and said, 'Go wild.' Salma has dreamed her whole life about a Cinderella wedding," the source told the mag. The actress is believed to have ordered a 500,000 dollar customised wedding gown created by Nicolas Ghesquiere, the man who also designed Nicole Kidman's wedding dress and 1,000,000 dollar for her bridal jewelry. Not to be left behind in the style stakes will be the couple's daughter Valentina, who will be dressed in a handmade 50,000 dollar gown.

As for the other arrangement, well Pinault and Hayek reportedly plan to fly in 400 guests on private jets to a chateau near St. Tropez where they are planning celebrations that will last five days. The couple are certainly going the extra mile, arranging for Beluga caviar, fresh lobster and Kobe beef from Japan for their guests to dine on, and the finest French and Italian wines and champagne to sip.

The ceremony and the reception will be off the charts. The flower budget alone is almost a million dollars. Guests will eat Beluga caviar, fresh lobster and Kobe beef from Japan. They will enjoy the finest French and Italian wines and champagne. The total food budget for food and alcohol is more than $1 million. Another thing that the guests can look forward to is some sumptuous wedding cake, for Pinault and Hayek have reportedly put in the order for a seven-tier wedding cake costing around 100,000dollars.

Budget Bride: Bridal Hair Accessories

2008-07-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

For bridal hair accessories such as bridal combs or bridal hair pins, consider widening your search beyond wedding boutiques and consider online bridal stores like GlamForLess.com. In addition to bridal jewelry, GlamForLess offers wedding hair accessorize for less.

Budget bride: Affordable Bridal Tiaras

2008-07-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bridal tiaras come in a vast range of prices. One main factor in the price of a piece is its components, says Lisa Bloom of GlamForLess.com. The price of a bridal tiara embellished with real seed pearls will be higher than one with artificial pearls. If you fall in love with a pricey headpiece, ask to see something comparable but less expensive. Online bridal jewerly and accessories store like GlamForLess.com carrys a wide selection of affordable bridal tiaras for less.

Bridal Jewelry

2008-07-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

prom bridesmaid bridesmaids bridal & wedding jewelry sets

Celebrity News!: Eva Longoria Desperate For A Huge Wedding - into GOSSIP.

2007-12-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

Celebrity News!: Eva Longoria's Wedding Ring.

Bride decked in diamonds

2006-09-26T05:39:00.001-07:00

In keeping with the bridal custom, Madonna made sure she had something borrowed for her wedding-a 19-carat diamond French filigree bracelet worth $73,500.

She picked out the cuff bracelet with Stella McCartney, daughter of Paul, in a family-run jewelry shop.

McCartney, who was seen arriving at the singer's home in Kensington, London, carrying yards of fine cream silk, was smitten with the bracelet because it went with the Gothic image she was after.

The bracelet dates from 1910 and wraps around the wrist in segments, fastening at the back.

Wedding bouquets, white or bright

2006-09-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

So many colors, so many flowers, such an important decision. Where should a bride begin?

One of the best people to ask about the latest trends in wedding flowers is Michael Leventhal, president of Ronsley Inc. on West Huron Street.

He and his cadre of talented workers produce approximately 300 weddings every year--and have been doing so for more than 35 years.

In his career as a major wedding and event planner with commissions all over the country, Leventhal has seen styles, trends and colors come and go.

He has presided over an all-red wedding, a white-and-black wedding, an orange wedding, a purple wedding and other wild ideas requested by brides of all ages, shapes and sizes.

But, things are changing once again.

"The bridal bouquet is smaller and more delicate this year," Leventhal said, "much like the jewelry brides are wearing on their wedding day. The bride and her gown are beautiful enough, and the flowers she carries should not dominate."

He goes on to say there shouldn't be any color to distract from the bride and her dress. "Small, delicate flowers, such as stephanotis blossoms, would be lovely. And only one type of flower should be used versus several varieties," he said.

For a pure, simple bouquet, he suggests white phalaenopsis orchids. "They don't need a thing--no foliage, nothing," he said.

Ronsley designer Steven Esquivel created several stunning bouquets as examples of what the season's most elegant brides are choosing to carry on the most important day of their lives. His designs, left, from top to bottom:

A nosegay made of 50 stems of sweet peas.

A few white peonies with white lizianthus and some tiny sprays of jasmine and ivy.

A "European clutch" of white calla lilies with loops of grasses.

White tulips with a collar of green viburnum and a wrapped stem.

A few Casablanca lilies detailed with ranunculus and French organza ribbon.

For bridesmaids, Leventhal says, the whole picture changes.

"They go the other way," he said. "There really aren't any rules, and you can use vivid, bold colors and a variety of flowers with different textures." One example he suggests is a bouquet of amaryllis, several different roses and lilies, yellow ranunculus, and purple lizianthus (top right).

Centerpieces for the tables at the reception are changing as well.

"The bride today wants something different," Leventhal says. "They demand creativity."

He says pale lavender is a popular color being used this year. "We've used pale purple cloths, white and purple lilacs, frosted branches and lots of clear glass," he said. You won't be seeing a lot of gold accents, though. Look for silver and beautiful glass, just as you would use when entertaining in your own home.

Tall, crystal vases with white calla lilies would be another stunning centerpiece (below, far right), and once again Leventhal says to use this arrangement with lots of crystal and silver.

The Asian look is another that is gaining in popularity with modern brides who prefer the contemporary look. In the photo (below, center), notice the deep red colors, and the use of mango calla lilies, "Kiss" roses with fresh cranberries, tiny Lady apples, persimmons and antique pink hydrangea.

For one mom who wanted the most beautiful centerpieces for her daughter, Ronsley created different "wedding cakes" for each table. Each cake was made out of the petals of different flowers, mostly pale roses.

If your budget has its limitations, there is still minimalist chic, says Ronsley. An example appears above.

"A big bunch of tulips with sprays of lilac at the bottom of the vase set on top of a brightly patterned cloth would be just right for a spring or summer wedding," he said.

Another treatment would be a round glass bowl with two or three gardenias floating on 3 or 4 inches of water," he said. "Surround the bowl with low votives and you're in business."

Make sure your bridesmaids aren't blue

2006-09-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone tells brides, "It's your day," and it's true. Your wedding day is your time to shine, to be the star. But that's no excuse for ignoring your bridesmaids' needs.

Just as you finesse your relationships with vendors, beauty consultants and demanding future in-laws, don't forget about maintaining a positive, working friendship with your bridesmaids. Here's how.

Body beautiful

Choosing the right dress to flatter a variety of figures is one of the most difficult tasks in the wedding-planning process. Everyone has issues with her curves, or lack thereof, so choose a style that will flatter the bridesmaid with the most difficult figure and then work backward. If everyone in the wedding party is a size 6 except your cousin Sue, who wears a size 18, choose a style that Sue will be comfortable in, even though it may not be the body-hugging, bias-cut silk dress you'd always imagined. Or allow each maid to choose a different style in the same fabric and color. Another alternative is to choose a two-piece ensemble that offers different options for the top and bottom. Ultimately, you don't want to run the risk of making one of your favorite people feel uncomfortable or anxious about how she looks.

Dumb duties?

There are lots of things you will need your bridesmaids' help with, so choose their tasks wisely. These are busy women with lives of their own, and while they will offer to help with just about anything, be careful to not take advantage of their assistance.

A good rule of thumb: Don't ask them to do anything that you wouldn't gladly do for them. That means they probably don't want to spend Friday night licking the seals on your wedding invites. Would you? Before you ask your best-friend-for-life to guard the guest book, place votives by each place setting or help the band find the electrical outlets, stop and think if that task wouldn't be better handled by your wedding coordinator or a cousin. This isn't Victorian England, and they aren't your ladies-in-waiting.

Giving and getting

There are lots of instances during the wedding-planning process when you will have the opportunity to either be gracious or a grouch. Can you guess which one we recommend? If the bridal shower or bachelorette party your bridesmaids planned is not the party you had hoped for, remember to be gracious. They've picked karaoke and beer at the neighborhood pub and you were thinking jazz and champagne at the finest hotel in town? Oh well, time to bone up on the lyrics to "Love Shack."

As for the giving part, it can be difficult to choose a single gift that all your bridesmaids will love. And buying them an item to wear at your wedding can be tricky. You want them to have matching earrings, but is that really a gift for you or for them? Unless all your girls are on the same stylistic page, go individual. You can still choose a gift of earrings--just select them to fit each girl's personal style. Perhaps you can present them in jewelry boxes that are identical.

Playing favorites

Let's face it: Everyone has a list of people in this world with whom they just can't get along. But if any of your bridesmaids end up on that list, keep it a secret. You may feel you have had to include your fiance's sister--the one who refused to address you by name for two years. Just remember that your wedding is nothing if not a wonderful opportunity to build bonds with your beau's family and perhaps patch up any uncomfortable rifts within your own. If you can't go that far, be gracious enough to offer inclusion.

Friends and finances

Money may not be the root of all evil, but it is certainly one of the greatest tension builders between bridesmaids and brides. Before you fall in love with the perfect dress for them--a hot little $350 Vera Wang number--take stock of your friends' finances. Are they just out of college or still waiting for their big break? Or are they financially stable, with plenty of fun money? If you have a mixture of both, always consider your lowest common denominator and choose a dress everyone can afford. Be sure to factor in the added expense of alterations, shoes and accessories. And unless you're treating, don't demand that they have their wedding hair and makeup done at the same high-end salon that you're going to. Don't worry if the girls don't end up looking like the perfect mirror images of you. A truly joyful smile in your photographs is always more appealing than a bitter, teeth-clenching grin.

Also keep in mind that your financially strapped gals already will be spending lots of cash--shower gifts, travel expenses, the bachelorette party (your apple martinis aren't cheap!) and wedding gifts--so it's considerate to make sure they know you don't expect fancy presents, if any at all. Treat them where you can, perhaps to a night in the hotel or at least drinks at the bachelorette party.

Have wedding, will travel

Weddings rarely take place in a town where all the guests and wedding party live, so make the journey and visit as easy as possible for your out-of-town bridesmaids. Help them search for cheap airline flights and, if your budget doesn't allow for their hotel rooms, ask family and friends if they're willing to board your fine, young, upstanding bridesmaids.

Have a gift of goodies waiting in their rooms to make them comfortable, since chances are you won't be able to entertain them the day before your wedding. Skip the standard fruit and nuts and go for something truly individual: Fill a small basket with their favorite snack foods, some foot lotion for their aching feet and aspirin for the impending hangovers. This small gesture will mean a lot, and doesn't have to add up to a bundle of time or money.

Keep in mind that during this process, most bridesmaids want nothing more than to make things as smooth and pleasant for you as possible, so consider doing the same for them. Although you may be stressed, tired and anxious, don't forget to engage in conversations that are not about your wedding. Your bridesmaids probably know about every fight you've had with the caterer, but do you know how their jobs are going? Or how their dates went last weekend?

Planning a wedding can feel like an overwhelming task, fraught with emotions, battles for control and a loosening grip on sanity. But give yourself a break once in a while. Focusing on the people around you can actually relieve stress and keep you from losing your mind. Your bridesmaids are there to be your friends, so be sure you are the same for them.

Wedding dress: The quest for dress success

2006-09-26T05:33:00.001-07:00

A wedding gown is arguably the most important dress a woman will ever wear. Although it is worn for just a few hours, the dress hangs in the memory banks years after the big day.

This season brides-to-be can say "I do" to interpretations steeped in tradition or sleek gowns with a hint of sex appeal.

"The majority of them still want to fulfill that dream of being a prin-cess bride," said Martha Carrington at Wedding Wonderland in West Knoxville, Tenn. "That's why the ball gown styles are very popular."

Tulle, once the fabric of choice for the full skirts of these formal gowns, has been deflated a bit by the emergence of luxurious satins in silky and matte finishes. Designers have made the sumptuous fabric even more elegant with addition of fabulous folded details.

"I've seen a lot of asymmetrical draping, said Ronnie Whitmer, a spokesman for Maggie Sottero Couture Bridal, which is based in Salt Lake City. "It has a slimming effect."
David's Bridal is a fan of that technique. In addition to the gathers, designers at the national company incorporate angular inverted pleats to skirts of their gowns.

"Satin gowns with split fronts and asymmetrical draping with lace embellishments creates a dramatic element," said Penny Primavera, bridal vice president and divisional merchandise manager at David's.

In addition to satin, organza and chiffon are popular fabrics for dresses. "Brides are looking for fabrics that flow and generate movement," Primavera said.

These softer gowns are at the forefront of a shift toward more relaxed gowns.

"People are getting away from the traditional and doing something different," said Chelsea Hutchison, manager at White Lace and Promises, a bridal boutique in West Knoxville. "A lot of the people are doing the more informal gown ... picking out something more simple with tasteful beading."

An evening feel is woven into the alternative looks, which include form-fitting sheaths and emerging A-line designs.

Badgley Mischka employed its eveningwear trademarks into the label's spring bridal collection. Full-skirted pieces shared the runway with slinky yet elegant numbers with boned, lace-up, corset- style bodices. Their Andrea gown took flight with feathers and crystal and pearl beading.

Hutchison noted that because of the non-traditional styling, "It's something you can wear again, if you have the train cut off. Usually with a wedding dress, you have it preserved and boxed."

With these and more traditional gowns, showing a little skin is apparently in.

"Strapless is definitely the most popular right now," Whitmer said.

Spaghetti-strapped and off-the-shoulder looks are also in demand, as are halter styles and high necklines. But no matter the style, white is still tops. Wedding dress diva Vera Wang's spring collection featured eight shades of white.

Not everyone has been snowed by the traditional hue. More brides are opting for color.

"There's a lot going on with color," Whitmer said. "It's the hottest thing in the market right now."

Pink, forecasted to be one of important colors for spring ready- to-wear, is making more than a few brides blush. Pale blue is another bright spot in the palette. These and other pastels are also in the floral embroidery and beading that decorate many gowns.

At the other end of the color spectrum, Maggie Sottero incorporates rich mocha and champagne, intoxicating wine and other unique shades.

Prices for the gowns average from about $500 to about $2,000. A custom design by Wang can reach $25,000.

Accessories for the dresses include classic trains, stoles and capes, dainty purses and gloves, both wrist and elbow length. Tiaras have become must-haves.

Jewelry ranges from ladyike pearls to flashy crystal pieces that match the beading on the gown.

Bargain nuptials can sparkle

2006-09-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

Join Linda Laird as she tries to help you throw the perfect wedding on a budget.

More ways to cut costs

- The rings --- Shop in a funky jewelry shop for silver bands. If you have money left over, consider engraving. You can choose virtually any type of ring as your band --- even a set from a gumball machine. The best point is that they may have sentimental value. You can have the diamond later. Cost: Less than $10.

- Limo --- Borrow a relative's fancy car and ask a loved one to serve as your chauffeur for the day. For dramatic entrances and exits, rent a tandem bike. Cost: Less than $3.

- Attendant gifts --- Give your maids nail polish or lipsticks, costume jewelry, scented candles or mini bottles of body lotion. The groomsmen will appreciate movie ticket certificates, even lottery tickets. Cost: about $5.

- Favors --- Jordan almonds or Hershey's kisses wrapped in tulle and tied with pretty ribbon. Brightly colored packets of seeds or personalized fortune cookies and fun and cheap, too.

With financial times as they are, many couples marrying on a strict budget.

We are going to offer some ideas on how a couple might tie the knot on a shoestring.

We have planned for a wedding with about 50 guests on a budget of about $500. Because many couples take care of their rings before setting the wedding date, the ring won't be included.

On a real tight budget, the legalities of marriage --- the marriage license --- might seem like a huge item. This is included in the budget.

Those getting married in Topeka need to go to the Shawnee County Courthouse, Room 209, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays with their driver's license, Social Security number, full name, place of birth and current address. The couple must wait three days before having the wedding and pay a $75 fee. The license is valid for six months and can be used anywhere in the state. Cost: $75.

Once the wedding date has been set, the place for the ceremony and reception must be selected.

Church members often are able to wed there for free with a small donation to the congregation. Check out free public sites, like parks, gardens, the beach or city hall. You probably can use the chapel at your alma mater for little or no money. Don't rule out your grandmother's --- or a friend's --- back yard. Cost: $5.

Once the place has been determined, get the invitations ready. A box of quality stationery and matching envelopes will serve well for the invitations. Write or print the wording on the computer, and take it to a copy center. Include an R.S.V.P. phone number instead of response cards to save on postage (not included). Cost: $7.50.

Gather all the pretty notecards and postcards you have collected (you knew they would come in handy) to use as thank-you notes and/or announcement cards. Use your money to buy some extras. Remember, with postcards, you will save on postage. Cost: $2.50.

Ask your family's longtime priest, minister or rabbi to marry you - -- he or she likely will do the honors for free. Don't have a specific person in mind? Some priests and rabbis let you pay what you can, so ask around. A list of judges who will perform marriage ceremonies is also available at the courthouse. Cost: $5.

Most houses of worship provide free candles, prayer books. Make your own ring pillow (or forego one), and use basic candles for the Unity ceremony. Use your money for birdseed or bubbles. Cost: $3.

Our budget is at $98.

Look for a free location for your reception that requires only a small permit fee, like scenic state parks or forest preserves, the beach or gorgeous gardens. Other options: Use the big old house you grew up in or party in your favorite restaurant --- you could get the room for free or at a discount. Plus, you will save the $300 you would pay to rent tables and chairs for 100 people. Cost: $45.

Order a few carving hams or turkeys, and enlist your nearest and dearest to prepare salads, breads and hors d'oeuvres for a memorable buffet. Or go ethnic --- Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Indian --- lots of fun food for a great price. Other options: cocktails (hors d'oeuvres only, from 5 to 7 p.m.) or a champagne brunch (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Or have a short-and-simple cake and punch affair after the ceremony. Cost: about $150.

Enlist a cake-baking friend or relative to create a sheet cake and decorate it with fresh flowers. A buffet of fresh fruit (inexpensive at a farmer's market), lemon tarts, brownies or cookies. Cost: $12.50.

Soft drinks can cut alcohol intake and satisfy nondrinkers for less cost than having a bar and bartender. A couple of American sparkling wines purchased in quantity at wholesale prices will take care of the toast. Cost: $40.

Our budget is at $345.50.

When it comes to the dress, your mother's or grandmother's wedding dress with a few alterations might suit the occasion. Find a once- worn gown or try renting a gown. Another option is to look for a white bridesmaid dress. Cost: $35.

The veil may be found at a secondhand shop, or consider using fresh flowers in your hair instead. This is a long-ago tradition that just may save a few dollars. Cost: $5.

For the bride's shoes, try some white slingbacks or pumps at a discount store or borrow a newlywed friend's once-worn shoes. Cost: $5.

A glamorous girlfriend can help do your hair and makeup. Buy makeup or hair essentials that you don't already have, like foundation, powder, the perfect lipstick or super-hold hairspray. Cost: $3.

Don't forget to pamper yourself before the wedding --- cucumber mask, nail polish, pumice stone and peppermint foot lotion --- and invite your best friend over for a prenuptial beauty night. Cost: $2.50.

The groom can wear a nice suit he already owns or borrow a tux from a friend. A secondhand store or costume shop might have one for next to nothing. If you rent a tux, look for one that comes with everything. Shop around to find the best bargain. Cost: $4.25.

Our budget is at $400.25.

In the spring, all kinds of flowers from the farmer's market may be found. A couple might consider silk flowers for a winter wedding to cut costs.

For the bridal bouquet, simple, seasonal blooms --- wildflowers, sunflowers, mums, carnations and daisies --- are the best bets. A flower market may be visited on wedding morning for the freshest bunch. Consider a single, gorgeous rose, lily or orchid.

For a personal touch, create a simple bouquet of flowers from your back yard or garden. For the bridesmaids, think about using elegant, single wrapped roses or a bunch of wildflowers picked from a friend's garden. For the men, clip a few roses from the bush in the back yard, and pin them to those lapels. Carnations from the local market work, too.

Try having the flower girl sprinkle the fresh petals from a basket (that you already have) as she walks down the aisle. The same flowers may be used for the mothers and for boutonnieres for the dads. Cost: $16.

For the reception, wildflowers from a farmer's market may be put in vases on the tables or bud vases with a single flower in each. Votive candles and flower petals floating in water-filled bowls make inexpensive centerpieces. Reuse floral arrangements from the wedding ceremony for the head table. Cost: $14.

Our budget is at $430.25.

White votive candles or tiny white Christmas lights can be strung around the area where vows will be exchanged. Many churches are decorated with candles and flowers, so you can benefit. Cost: $3.

Ask talented friends or relatives to perform music as their gift to you. You also could buy compact discs or tapes. Friends may be willing to play during the reception. A friend might be willing to be in charge of the on-site stereo system. If a friend or relative can spin tunes expertly, they may do you the honor as your wedding gift. Cost: $41.

Ask a photographer friend to take photos and give you the film. Buy a lot of disposable cameras, and ask everyone at the reception to take photos during the after-wedding celebration, then retrieve the cameras afterwards. Cost: $40.

Ask a family friend or two to mind the camcorder, providing plenty of tapes. Cost: $12.50.

Our total comes to 526.75 --- just above the $500 we had hoped to spend.

A easy way to figure your budget might be to go to www.theknot.com, and check out calculating a budget.

denmans.com, Inc.'s Jewelry Website Named `Best Of The Web' By Forbes Magazine

2006-09-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

denmans.com, Inc. (the "Company") (OTCBB:DNMN), the revolutionary online jeweler, is pleased to announce that its jewelry website at http://www.denmans.com has earned a "Best of the Web" designation by Forbes Magazine.

The Editors of the "Best of the Web" Edition crawled the Internet for the most useful sites. They explored 45 different categories, ranging from venture investing and corporate training to jewelry and alternative medicine. The "Best of the Web" Editors sorted through thousands of Web pages to come up with their fall list of the top 300 Websites. Their selection of the "Best of the Web" in each category had to meet a strict set of 5 criteria: content, design, navigation, speed and customization. In the jewelry category, the Editors also noted that the best sites offer detailed photos, plenty of educational content and airtight return policies. By meeting the exceedingly high standards of such a prestigious magazine, denmans.com is pleased to be a recipient of the coveted Forbes' "Best of the Web" designation. A review of the Company's Website and the corresponding designation as "Best of the Web" is featured in Forbes Magazine's "Best of the Web" Fall 2000 Edition, and on their website at http://www.Forbesbest.com.

The Forbes review highlighted the uniqueness of the Company's business model noting that denmans.com is "...(t)he only Web site of the bunch that doesn't have its own inventory. Location and good supply agreements (it's situated in the heart of the Los Angeles jewelry district) mean quick access to more than 5,000 jewelry manufacturers--and lower price points for (the consumer)." The Editors were equally impressed with the Company's Luxury for Less section which offers comparable and affordable replicas of trend setting, designer jewelry pieces. The review also remarked about the Website's "...large selection of loose diamonds, bridal sets and estate jewelry," noting that "(t)he men's sections have a smart array of rings, bracelets, chains, cuff links and accessories."

"We are extremely proud to have been chosen Best of the Web by Forbes Magazine," declared Mr. Kurt Dohlen, President of denmans.com. "While many of our peer Websites did not receive the coveted designation, we are pleased to be ranked in the same category as Tiffany & Co., Mondera.com and Miadora.com. Meeting the high standards of the Forbes' Editors is a testament to the hard work and dedication we have put in to creating and refining our site. Being ranked as Best of the Web for our content, design, navigation, speed and customization along with our exceptional selection of jewelry, brand name watches and gemstones is an outstanding achievement for denmans.com."

denmans.com is establishing itself as the industry-leading online jeweler. The Company sources jewelry product on an order-by-order basis directly from jewelry designers and suppliers. By employing just-in-time supply, denmans.com does not incur any costs associated with carrying inventory. This low overhead structure enables denmans.com to offer the most advantageous prices on an unparalleled selection of fine jewelry, brand name watches and gemstones. denmans.com is strategically positioned at the intersection of the growing worldwide demand for quality jewelry and the rapid expansion of Internet retailing. Web users have placed online jewelry sales in the top ten categories of net shopping. Online jewelry sales are expected to grow to $1 billion by 2003. Combining the advantages of online commerce, with superior customer focus, compelling selection and advantageous pricing, denmans.com intends to be the definitive source for the highest quality, authentic jewelry and jewelry related products (http://www.denmans.com).

Budget brides

2006-09-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

Christina Hendrix had her dream wedding: a ceremony, reception and honeymoon that cost less than $12,000, total.

Her aunt made her dress. A friend of a friend of a friend took photos. Her father officiated, after being ordained online. She bought card stock at Office Depot Inc. and printed invitations on her cousin's printer. She ordered three cakes from her favorite restaurant without mentioning they were for a wedding.

"If you asked the guests, not a single one of them knew or would know that we cut corners," said Hendrix, a 29-year old Atlanta lawyer who has been married for a year. She and her then-fiance planned the wedding knowing they didn't want to add any more debt to their loans for graduate school.

Bargain-hunting brides are buying dresses on eBay Inc., baking white-frosted cupcakes instead of a lavish wedding cake, shrinking guest lists and handcrafting their centerpieces. As the cost of the average wedding tops $20,000, some couples are working hard to keep their nuptials simple -- and inexpensive.

"At the end of the day, it's about being with the person you want to spend your life with; it's not about impressing your guests," said Jenn Mattie, 27, who is watching costs as she plans her summer wedding.

Mattie, a fashion merchandising student in New York, took a jewelry design class and made her fiance's wedding band using $3 worth of material. She and her fiance will get married under a wedding canopy made from tree branches and a $36 duvet cover, which they'll sleep under after the wedding. She may buy her dress online from J. Crew's Web site, where wedding dresses run from $220 to $550, much cheaper than the five-figure dresses at high-end boutiques.

The couple is making their centerpieces themselves, and the bridesmaids will carry $3 parasols from New York's Chinatown.

"Money doesn't buy chic class," Mattie said. "I've been to some pretty expensive weddings that were tacky."

Frugal brides such as Hendrix and Mattie are bucking a trend. Before World War I, the average wedding was one-third of a family's median annual income, but cost as a percent of income has been rising ever since, said Alan Fields, co-author of "Bridal Bargains."

At the high end, a videographer can cost $5,000 and a pair of silk bridal shoes from designer Peter Fox can cost $415.

Low-budget brides refuse to pay.

Kelly Hamilton, owner of a consignment shop called I Do Bridal in Chicago, said some brides come to her with "sticker shock."

"They realize they're only in that dress for 12 hours, and $5,000 later, they've got a dress that's sitting in a box," said Hamilton, who sells dresses that start at $100. "They would rather spend the money on a honeymoon or furniture."

Sarah Gray Miller and her husband, Tony Stamolis, were married in 2003 at New York's City Hall with four friends in attendance. She carried a bouquet from the grocery store and wore the dress her mother had worn to her own engagement party.

Miller, who is editor in chief of Budget Living magazine, has no trouble thinking of ways a bride can cut costs. For instance, a bride wearing a floor-length dress doesn't have to pay a fortune for shoes, because no one is going to see them, she said.

"It's ridiculous," she said. "It's not like you're investing in a pair of brown suede knee-high boots you're going to wear all winter! They're not even leather."

Rachel Paxton's Web site, at www.creativehomemaking.com, outlines tips for $100 receptions. Her West Richland, Wash., wedding reception was pot luck, with extra food bought at the Costco deli department, and was held in a park. Her sister's was held near Thanksgiving, so relatives brought side dishes and the family made turkey and baked ham.

She made centerpieces for her sister's wedding by filling $1 Pyrex cereal bowls with green marbles, water and a flower-shaped candle.

She hears frequently from couples planning frugal weddings who feel guilty about it.

"For people on a budget, there is nothing wrong with borrowing a wedding dress, making your own simple decorations and having your family help out with the food," she said. "The more you can make it a family affair, the more memorable it will be."

Joni Rendon, 32, had a destination wedding in Jamaica for less than $11,000 in 1997. She and her husband rented a villa for their 23 guests and planned the whole thing on the spot. She wore a dress from a bridal store's sample rack.

"The day of my wedding, I think I was in the pool until 2 p.m.," she said.

By contrast, she attended a wedding she calls "a society page wedding" on the top floor of New York's Waldorf-Astoria last year. The bride redesigned her custom gown three times.

"Everything was so expensive; it just kept getting ratcheted up a notch every week," Rendon said.

The couple is now divorced.

Elaborate affairs, she said, may cause problems besides debt later: "How can real life match this huge fairy tale that you worked a year and a half to build up?"

Compare that to Mattie's sister, who served fried chicken from her favorite take-out joint at her wedding.

"They're still married," Mattie said. "They have a kid. It didn't affect their marriage at all."

WHITE WEDDING

2006-09-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

White is hot for weddings -- and we're not talking bridal gowns. It's what fashionable fingers -- third finger, left hand -- are wearing.

Jewelers say platinum and white gold continue to cut into sales of traditional yellow-gold engagement and wedding rings.

Avi Lerer, co-owner of Wabash Diamond Co., 2 N. Wabash, sees no slowing of the trend of the past few years. He estimates 99 percent of his customers want white gold and platinum. Other jewelers say that yellow gold was once 80 percent or 90 percent of sales, and has slipped to 50 percent or 60 percent in some areas of the country.

"White metal is in general much more popular," Lerer says. "Depending upon a person's budget, they will stretch it a little bit to [pay up for] platinum."

Platinum costs more than white gold. Although market prices vary, an ounce of platinum costs generally twice as much as an ounce of gold -- roughly $850 to $900, compared with around $425. Once the platinum is fabricated into a ring, the price can be three to five times more expensive than gold, says jeweler Jeff Hoffman.

Platinum is more labor-intensive to work with than gold, explains Hoffman, owner of Diamond Designs by Hoffman in Toledo.

He says couples who want the look of platinum without the hefty price tag will go to white gold, which tends to be just a little more expensive than yellow gold: $5 to $10 more on a $200 item, for example.

The average person wouldn't be able to tell the difference with just a glance, Hoffman says. "The biggest difference you would notice is the weight. Platinum is so much heavier. It's more dense," he said.

Adds Lerer: "Platinum is a naturally white metal. You don't need to do anything to it, to the color of the whiteness, whereas white gold in its true form is a little yellowish... in order to get white gold as white-looking as platinum there is a process called rhodium plating... over time that will scratch off.

"With a [white gold] ring there's a lot of wear and tear. You grab on to things and get scratched quite a bit, a lot of women don't take their rings off to wash dishes, take a bath, whatever, oils, things like that will affect it."

Years ago, sales of white metals were hampered by a perception that they were cheap-looking, says Greg Barrow, a co-owner of Barrow's Jewelers & Horologists in Toledo.

The popularity of two-tone jewelry about a decade ago helped women make the transition in thinking, he says. Also, younger women - - what he calls "the under-30 club" -- began buying white gold and platinum, and older women took notice.

But the primary force was, and is, the influence of celebrities, he says. "Everything is based on what the stars are doing. They dictate what's going on in the industry."

White metals are now much more popular in all jewelry, not just wedding and engagement rings, Barrow adds.

Also driving the trend: A more knowledgeable customer, jewelers say. Engagement and wedding ring buyers at Diamonds on Wabash often have done research on diamonds on the Internet, Lerer says, and they want a white metal band to compliment that nice high-quality diamond they've picked out, he says.

David Cameron, owner of Broer-Freeman in Toledo, says thanks to Internet research, one customer even brought his laptop into his store, set it up on the counter and showed Cameron the exact wedding set he wanted for his fiancee.

On the national level, a survey by www.WeddingChannel.com found that 29 percent of brides choose platinum settings and 48 percent go with white gold. "I would imagine that's because it's the look of platinum but the price of gold," says Rosanna McCollough, www.WeddingChannel.com editor in chief. Yellow gold was the choice of just 15 percent of the brides who responded to the survey.

Other survey results include:

*59 percent of brides "either picked the exact ring that they wanted, or they gave (the groom) ideas of what they wanted, and that's a lot different from years past when they were surprised," McCollough said. The guys are welcoming the idea, she added.

*13 percent of grooms are proposing without a ring. "It's not about the ring. It's about the commitment to the other person that begins with the proposal," McCollough said.

*The average cost of the engagement ring is just shy of $5,000 ($4,976) and the average size of the diamond is 1.4 carats.

*The most popular diamond shape is round (43 percent), with the princess cut (square) second at 31 percent.

Other trends in engagement and wedding rings, she continued, include designs with a vintage, heirloom-quality look for the bride, and a move away from matching rings for bride and groom. More men are choosing the design and metal they like, and it need not match the bride's, McCollough said.

Wedding dresses get colorized: "White really isn't selling anymore.

2006-09-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

To paraphrase Billy Idol, it's a nice day for a mocha wedding.

The coffee obsession that has spilled from Seattle to the rest of the country seems to have influenced wedding gowns.

Though cream and champagne tones dominated, many gowns at the National Bridal Market show came in cappuccino and cafe au lait. Even the flower-girl dresses looked like a frothy cup of cafe con leche.

"White really isn't selling anymore," said Alyssa LaPrise, sales representative for the Casablanca Bridal label. "They love champagne, blush, warm gold tones."

The nation's largest show, at the Merchandise Mart through Tuesday, offers a preview of what buyers will bring to bridal stores this fall.

The shift to golden gowns isn't surprising, said Jim Hjelm, designer for the James Clifford label and former designer for the venerable Priscilla of Boston line.

"Not everyone looks good in white. Pale girls, it washes them out," said Hjelm, who worked on the weddings of President Nixon's daughters Julie and Tricia and President's Johnson's daughter Lucy.

'IT IS THEIR OSCAR MOMENT'

Some other trends at the show:

- Color, color and more color. Designers aren't just showing coffee. Many gowns have sage-green sashes, robin's egg-blue seams or mauve underlayers. Some attribute this to the pink-streaked dress Gwen Stefani wore to marry Gavin Rossdale.

- Ruby and claret bridal gowns. "In the U.K., golds, reds, color, is not something that they fear," said Nancy Torres, a rep for the Justin Alexander line.

- Red carpet looks. Brides want couture-inspired details like those on gowns worn by Halle Berry and Charlize Theron, including hand beading and embroidery.

"Brides want to make the aisle into their own personal red carpet -- it is their Oscar moment," said Henry Roth, the judge on the Style Network's "Design Court" show and a designer of the $65,000 gown worn by Shaunie O'Neal, wife of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal.

- Bell-shaped silhouettes: Strapless corseted bodices with voluminous gathered skirts. "There was a time a bride would not go out of the showroom without a sleeve. Now you can't put a sleeve on them," said designer Hjelm.

- Much-improved bridesmaid and mother-of-the-bride dresses. Bronze and pewter-toned gowns look like cocktail dresses that can be worn again, instead of the lilac explosions of the past.

- Destination wedding gowns for brides who marry in Jamaica, Hawaii or the Virgin Islands. They want unstructured dresses that can be packed in a suitcase. Think Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's gown.

- Bling. "Brides are looking for a lot more bling these days, a lot of sparkle" on their dresses, said Casablanca's Alyssa LaPrise. The bling extends to the top of the wedding cake. Bel Aire Veils showed cake jewelry, instead of the old bride-and-groom figurines.

- More color for quinceanera dresses, too. Traditionally, they were pale pink.

"Now they're looking at yellow, turquoise, orange," said Cristina Macias, buyer for Quinceanera of Waukegan.

It's believed no buyer came farther than Amani Abdulwassie, owner of A&A Bridal of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

"We are interested in the big ballgowns," Abdulwassie said. "Not simple dresses."

She has attended multimillion-dollar Saudi royal weddings, where money was no object.

"Like Oscar [night]," she said, "Only maybe better."

Platinum jewelry usage rising in North America

2006-09-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

Demand for platinum jewelry in North America accounts only for a small percentage of the world market, but it is on the rise.

North America accounts for approximately 3 percent of the world's platinum jewelry demand, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Mines and Johnson Mattey Inc., and only about 1 to 2 percent of domestic platinum consumption is in the jewelry sector.

But sales of platinum jewelry last year increased 22.2 percent to 45,000 troy ounces from the previous year, largely due to promotional efforts, according to Carl Deny, manager of the jewelry division of Valley Forge, Pa.,-based Johnson Matthey. Many manufacturers have attributed the rising interest in platinum to the marketing and publicity efforts of Platinum Guild International USA in Newport Beach, Calif.

"American use of platinum for jewelry manufacturing has increased more than 100 percent in the past three years," said Laurie Hudson, president of Platinum Guild International, noting that the primary growth has been in the bridal sector.

The guild has developed a full range of promotional and educational programs to support manufacturers, designers and retailers, as well as reach consumers. And various conventions like JCK Jewelry, held annually in Las Vegas, and the Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths of America exposition, have further boosted platinum's growth in the jewelry sector.

On the consumer side, the guild plans to launch a major advertising campaign in a variety of domestic publications early next month. "Retailers have been saying that they have to have it (platinum jewelry) in their stores or they'll lose the customer. It's happening all over the country--the customer is asking for platinum," said a domestic manufacturing source.

The expanding market also has encouraged imports of platinum jewelry from Europe and South East Asia, according to a Johnson Matthey source

Jewelry shopping remains a search for prestige, luxury

2006-09-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

For centuries, jewelry has symbolized a certain degree of prestige, luxury and ceremonialism. Egyptian pharaohs were entombed with gold trinkets. Debutantes were, and are, given strands of pearls as part of their rite of passage. Couples exchange rings along with wedding vows at the altar. Men who find themselves in the doghouse present gifts of diamonds and gold to their better halves.

When buying jewelry most people compare quality to price. Jewels, regardless of how modest or grandiose, are checked for flaws and imperfections. And most shoppers want to know whether a purchase will stand the test of time.

No matter where people are buying, the motivations tend to be the same. International retail giant Wal-Mart has been leading jewelry sales for several years, said Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing. Today it's one percent of their sales, she said. There's a propensity of people buying jewelry at Wal-Mart, and they're buying pieces for under $100. Unity Marketing, founded in 1992, is a marketing consulting firm.

But not all jewelry sold at Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Clubs falls into the lower-end category. Those who have not perused the jewelry counters or Web sites of Wal-Mart or Sam's Club may be in for a surprise. Wal-Mart stores carry diamonds certified by the International Gemological Institute. The institute is an independent appraisal and gem grading entity.

Here's jewelry, the epitome of luxury, at a discount retailer, said Danziger, who is the author of Why People Buy Things They Don't Need and Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses.

Although Wal-Mart and Sam's Club are discount retailers, both offer a number of pricey items. A diamond necklace weighing in at 56 carats is for sale at www.samsclub.com for $300,000. And www.walmart.com features wedding rings starting from $198 to $5,488. They're hitting very heavily into bridal, Danziger said.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman did not respond to telephone calls or e- mails seeking information about the company's jewelry business.

Because weddings and engagements are scheduled throughout the year, a change for the one-time traditional June dates, stability has been provided to the jewelry industry, said Marvin Beasley, CEO of Helzberg Diamonds. The holiday season, however, typically provides a big boost to jewelry retailers across the country. It's not unusual for a business to do 40 percent of its business in the last quarter, Beasley said.

Robin Johannes, a gemologist at Johannes Hunter Jewelers in Colorado Springs, agreed. We see our holiday business in the last 10 days (before Christmas), she said. We're not on roller skates here until the last 10 days.

Johannes Hunter carries sapphires, tourmalines, tanzanite, emeralds and colored diamonds to name a few. Jewelry at Johannes Hunter starts at about $44, Johannes said. One of the stores most notable sales was a tourmaline from the Brazilian state of Paraiba, a stone that sold for $250,000. The mine is tiny, it's only the size of a football field, she said. We have extraordinarily rare gemstones in our store that no one has ever heard of.

Helzberg and Zerbe Jewelers Inc. in Colorado Springs also employ certified gemologists. There are diamondtologists at every Helzberg store, Beasley said, and the company has a fair number of gemologists. What you hear at the counter should be 100 percent completely accurate, Beasley said. Training is very important to our business.

Charles Zerbe, a certified gemologist appraiser, graduate gemologist and registered jeweler for Zerbe Jewelers, said there are six certified gemologists on staff at the store. Diamond rings seem to be the most popular selling items at Zerbe, he said, although the store does carry a variety of gemstones, watches and bracelets.

And the customer base is quite diverse. We've got construction workers and we have developers, Zerbe said. It tends to be more of the women shopping and men doing the buying. The men really want to please their ladies. They really work hard and sweat their purchases.

To help those folks who are timid about jewelry shopping, Zerbe offers hint cards that can be filled out by a shopper, taken home and left somewhere in plain view of a significant other. While Christmastime is the busiest for Zerbe, the store also sees a great deal of business for Valentine's Day. Sometimes we're busy and we don't do great business, or we're not busy and business is good. Zerbe said it is not unusual for repeat customers to visit the store to make the occasional $10,000 purchase.

Younger shoppers and window shoppers also come in from time to time. We've got a bunch of young people come in and look at watches, Zerbe said. A lot are dreamers, some are planners.

No matter if they're young or old, higher or lower-income, most people want something impressive to call their own, Danziger said. All income levels feel entitled to a level of luxury in their lives, she said. Most baby boomers have reached influence and most younger people have not.

People buying jewelry, whether it is from a discount retailer or a high-end specialty shop, buy their diamonds and pearls for very similar reasons, Beasley said. I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder, he said. Beasley said Helzberg sales teams are all taught that someone spending $100 may be purchasing an item they see as a luxury. It doesn't matter if the price is $99 or $9,999 - the motivation for buying is usually the same. This business is so driven by love and romance.

Are diamonds from Wal-Mart any less remarkable than those sold at specialty retailers? There may not be a definite answer as to what qualifies as luxury, Danziger said. Luxury is all smoke and mirrors, she said. Wal-Mart provides certificates of authenticity for all certified diamonds, but they don't package their jewelry in a signature, world-renowned box.

Tiffany has created their box, their presentation, Danziger said. My Tiffany ring is better than my Wal-Mart ring - whether that is true or not, I don't know.

Where can I find the hair accessories Jessica Simpson used on wedding day?

2006-09-19T15:29:00.000-07:00

To get Jessica Simpsons wedding hair, http://www.glamforless.com/celebrity%20wedding%20hair.htm.

Whats the differance between a real diamond and a simulated diamond??

2006-09-19T13:24:00.002-07:00

Simulated diamonds or "fake" diamonds may be shiny and bright, but they are nothing like the real thing. A simulated diamond is something that looks similar to a diamond but does not have the same properties (weight, specific gravity, refractive index, hardness, etc.).

Nature's diamonds are made of only one element--carbon. Billions of years ago, suffocating heat and extreme pressure deep with in Earth forced atoms of carbon into diamond crystals. The resulting gemstone is the hardest natural material ever discovered.

The only guaranteed way to be certain that a diamond is real is to take it to an expert who is trained and certified in the science of gemology. A gemologist can look at the stone under magnification and perform tests to know for sure. The easiest way to ensure you are purchasing a real, natural diamond is to buy one that has a certification from the AGS, GIA or EGL grading laboratories.

Simulated diamonds are made of glass, minerals or synthetic and in recent years there has been an increase in the number of simulated diamonds marketed under a variety of different names.

What is the difference between a diamond and a diamond solitaire?

2006-09-19T13:24:00.001-07:00

Diamonds are made of only one element--carbon. Billions of years ago, suffocating heat and extreme pressure deep with in Earth forced atoms of carbon into diamond crystals. The resulting gemstone is the hardest natural material ever discovered.

White Sapphire, along with its sister the Ruby, is of the mineral corundum. While colored sapphires owe their colors to varying chemical combinations, white sapphires are pure corundum and therefore colorless. With a hardness of 9 (corundum is the hardest mineral known next to diamond), white sapphires are very durable, making them an excellent choice for any jewelry piece.

In the 1980s the technique for infusing blue (and more recently red) color into the surface of the sapphire was perfected. This process is known as diffusion treatment. The chemicals that cause the blue color in the sapphire (iron oxide and titanium oxide), are induced into the surface layer of the sapphire by heating the stone almost to its melting point (about 1800 C).

Natural white sapphire has become very scarce in the marketplace since companies that color treat sapphire have consistently outbid gem dealers for the larger sapphire rough. Synthetic white sapphire is available in greater supply.

The sapphire, September's birthstone, is one of the oldest known stones in written history. The ancients credited the sapphire to be endowed with the power to influence spirits, to be a charm against unfaithfulness and capable of making peace between foes.

Is a simulated diamond the samething as cubic zirconia?

2006-09-19T13:23:00.001-07:00

Simulated diamonds or "fake" diamonds may be shiny and bright, but they are nothing like the real thing. A simulated diamond is something that looks similar to a diamond but does not have the same properties (weight, specific gravity, refractive index, hardness, etc.). Simulated diamonds are made of glass, minerals or synthetic and in recent years there has been an increase in the number of simulated diamonds marketed under a variety of different names.

Cubic Zirconia is a cubic form of zirconium oxide that is created in a laboratory, thus it is not a mineral. Because of its low cost, durability, and close visual likeness to diamond, synthetic cubic zirconia has remained an important diamond simulant since 1976. Cubic zirconia cannot be cut quite as sharply as a diamond can and tends to chip or turn yellowish over time.

I am looking to buy a diamond stud earring for my girl and don't want to get ripped off... any recommended places to start?

2006-09-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

For diamond earrings, try Glamforless.com. I got my earrings from them and love it.

What sunglasses are considered an attractive fashion accessory

2006-09-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

Oversized sunglasses like those worn by Jessica Simpson and Nichole Ritchie are the hottest trend today.

Where can I buy affordable bridal tiaras?

2006-09-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

For affordable bridal tiaras, try websites like Glamforless.com

What belts are trendy for the season?

2006-09-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Anything that glitters is in, esspecially rhinestone belts.

Do you have any ideas or suggestions for groomsmen gifts.

2006-09-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

How about cufflinks or moneyclips. I got them for my groomsmen and they loved it.

where can i get a good hairclips that actuallly stays in my hair ?

2006-09-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

I got my hair clips from http://www.glamforless.com/hairclips.htm... and love them.

where can I buy inexpensive bridesmaids jewelry.

2006-09-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

Try http://www.glamforless.com/bridesmaid-jewelry.htm

Trusted sources for headband, tiara, veils, hair pins?

2006-09-18T15:36:00.003-07:00

I got my hair barrettes from Glamforless.com. They were very cute.

Trusted sources for headband, tiara, veils, hair pins?

2006-09-18T15:36:00.002-07:00

I got my hair barrettes from http://www.glamforless.com/Barrettes.htm.
They were very cute.

Trusted sources for headband, tiara, veils, hair pins?

2006-09-18T15:36:00.001-07:00

Check out www.glamforless. They have great selection, very affordable and great service. I ordered few items and was more than happy. Good luck!

Pearl Jewelry - Pearls of Wisdom

2006-09-18T14:15:00.001-07:00

Natural, cultured, or freshwater -- pearls are always in style for brides. Read on for our complete guide to pearls.

Wrap a strand of shiny white pearls around your neck and you can't help but look fabulous -- they're cultured, yet innocent; lavish, yet refined. And they never go out of style. For everything you need to know about buying pearls -- plus tips on choosing the right style for your gown -- read on!

THE BIG THREE

There are basically three kinds of pearls: natural, cultured, and imitation. Natural pearls are formed when a foreign object (usually a grain of sand) enters the body of the oyster -- the oyster protects itself by secreting layers of a substance called nacre around the irritant for two or three years. When the right conditions are present, the result is a beautiful pearl. Cultured pearls are formed with the same process, but humans insert the foreign object into the oyster instead. The oyster does the rest. Imitation pearls are pretty much what the name suggests: artificial. Glass, plastic, and wax are often used to make fake pearls.

THE STYLES

The Choker: One strand worn around the collar is the most classic version and works well with a jewel or bateau neckline. But if too much skin is showing, a choker will get lost.

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

The Princess: This length falls below the hollow of the throat in front and is the perfect length for adding a pendant.

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 decolletage area. But it shouldn't hit the top of the dress or the fullest part of the bust.

The Opera: This long single strand falls below the bust and looks simply classic with a jewel or bateau neckline. The only drawback is that it will swing wildly when you dance.

The Rope: Hangs below the waist. (Negative dancing factor here too.)

THE ORIGIN

Akoya pearls (from Japan and China): Classic -- among the most luxurious.

South Sea cultured white pearls (from Australia and Indonesia): From semitropical oysters that range in size from 10 to 20 mm; sold for premium prices because of their clarity and large size.

South Sea black pearls (from French Malaysia): Command high prices because of their large size and unique color.

Freshwater pearls (from Japan, China, and U.S. bays and rivers): Cultivated from freshwater mollusks, many are less lustrous than cultured saltwater pearls. Relatively low-priced, these come in unique shapes and colors.

Mabe pearls (from Japan, Indonesia, and Australia): These spherical cultured pearls are grown against the inside of an oyster shell, not in its body. Best worn in earrings or rings, which conceal the flat backs.

Pearl Jewelry - Pearls of Wisdom

2006-09-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Finding the perfect jewelry

2006-09-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

If you thought finding the dress was fun, you're in for a real treat -- it's time to accessorize. Just remember the first rule in wedding jewelry: Don't overdo it. It's tempting to load up on baubles and bling, but you don't want all those precious metals to outshine you on the big day. Follow these four simple steps and you'll look like royalty without looking like you've raided the queen's closet.

1. Show Your True Colors
Knowing what type of metal will work with your gown's shade of white is a good way to begin choosing your jewelry.

White Gown: Gold embellishments may clash with this bright white hue. We suggest sticking to pearl and platinum.

Diamond-White Gown: This barely off-white color works with gold and silver (and rose gold, and pearl -- you get the idea).

Ivory Gown: This candlelight shade is a soft, light white, and some versions even have yellow undertones. Adorn yourself with gold jewelry to highlight the creamy tint of the fabric.

2. All About the Decolletage
Pairing your neckline style with the proper adornment can add character to a gown, or even highlight a unique feature.

Sweetheart/Strapless: For something a little different, skip the necklace, and focus on some great chandelier earrings instead. Wear clear crystal for a sleek look, or punch it up with a hint of color. Try using a meaningful gem like your birthstone, or pick a color from the flowers in your bouquet (but not from the embellishments on your gown -- you don't want to match too much). If you're going for a flirty, fresh look, include two or three small fresh or silk flowers in your hair to add a soft, organic feel. Vintage elegance more your style? Pay homage to the past with a great Art Deco-style bracelet or some Roaring Twenties-inspired feather barrettes.

Knot Note:If your dress already has vintage flair, you could create an interesting contrast by taking a more modern approach with your jewels.

V-neck: Whether you opt for a pendant or choker, this style begs for decolletage decoration. A thin chain with a simple pendant is an elegant way to accessorize, while pearls (single- or double-stranded) exude classic charm. If you're going for the dare-to-be-decadent look, a crystal choker with matching earrings could be the perfect combo.

Halter (or Reverse Halter): Whether you wear your hair in a sleek bun or loose ponytail, dressing up your tresses is a great way to accessorize a halter gown. Headbands are a great way to add panache to your updo. But if headbands aren't quite your style, try adding some sparkle to your hair with intricate crystal hairpins. If you've got a curly mane, five to seven hairpins is just right, while brides with thinner locks (or short hair) will get the same shine with two or three pins.

3. Foolproof Accessories
If deciding on your jewels is proving more difficult than finding the gown, there's one jewelry duo that's timeless: Pair some diamond (or CZ) drop-earrings with a sophisticated necklace, such as a strand of pearls or a diamond pendant choker (or a tennis bracelet for halter gowns).

4. Let's Get Personal
The most important thing about picking the perfect trinkets for your wedding day is that they are a reflection of you. If you're not comfy wearing big chandelier earrings, stick to studs. Love the way you look in a lariat necklace? Go for it! If you're comfortable in all your accessories, your wedding day ensemble is guaranteed to dazzle.

Bridal Hair Accessories

2006-09-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

The bridal hair accessories you choose for your walk down the aisle can change the entire mood of your gown. Play princess in a sparkling tiara, be bohemian in a flowery garland or go grown-up with a chic chapeau. The key to finding the right style for you is to try on as many different models as you can find. Bring along a swatch of fabric or a photo of your dress, the accessories you plan to wear, and even the bouquet you'd like to carry. That way, you'll get a sense of which headpiece will work best. Here's the lingo you'll need to know to get started:

Backpiece
A hair barrettes or hair combs that fastens to the back of the head, to which the veil is then attached. The backpiece is often decorated with flowers, beads, or bows.

Bunwrap
Fairly self-explanatory, the bunwrap is a circular band that encircles a bun or updo.

Comb
As the name implies, this type of headpiece is held to the head with comb teeth for extra security. Can either be attached to a veil and worn on top of the head, or adorned with flowers and beads and used to cap off an upswept hairstyle.

Crown
Different from a tiara, a crown is a full circular piece that sits atop the head and is adorned with stones, gems, or beads.

Half Crown:
Smaller than a crown, but greater in height than a tiara, the half crown is a half circle of jewels that sits atop the head.

Headband:
A headband of varying width that closely follows the shape of the head. Think Jackie O.

Juliet Cap:
A small round cap that fits snugly on top of the head, usually decorated with pearls or semi-precious stones.

Snood:
A knitted or openwork net that encases the hair at the back of the head.

Tapered Headband:
A half-circle band worn on top of the head, characterized by a wider middle and tapered ends.

Tiara:
A bridal tiara is a jeweled or beaded semi-circle worn on top of the head.

Wreath:
A romantic, organic look, the wreath -- also known as the "garland"-- features a full circle of flowers, twigs, foliage, and/or ribbon resting on the crown of the head.

15 Must-Read Gown Shopping Tips

2006-09-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

A list of tips, tricks and things to know for getting the gown of your dreams.

1. Calculate Costs
When calculating your dress budget, don't forget to factor in the cost of your bridal tiara or headpiece -- which can run from $50 to $500 -- as well as your shoes, lingerie, and jewelry. Also, keep in mind that almost all gowns need alterations, which will add to the bottom line.

2. Dress Codes
Many houses of worship consider bare shoulders disrespectful. Ask your officiant about specific body-coverage requirements before you start shopping. Or look into a wrap or shawl for the ceremony.

3. Play Hooky
We know you're busy, but if at all possible take time off during the week to begin your hunt -- you'll get more of the salesperson's time and attention than you would on a busy Saturday.

4. Ways to Save
Want to save? Avoid ornate, hand-done beading or lacework. Shop sample sales for floor models sold at discounts. Consider a bridesmaid dress in white. Wear your mom's dress. Choose a simple headpiece and veil. Or try browsing through a consignment shop.

5. Open Your Mind
When you're in the bridal salon, don't eliminate anything at first glance. Even though certain styles work best on certain body types, don't let the "rules" narrow your search too much. It helps to try on all different kinds of dresses, and then to decide which shape and style you look and feel best in. So if the salesperson brings you something she says you must try -- try it, even if you detest the way it looks on the hanger. Many a bride has ended up going ga-ga for a gown the salesperson had to persuade her to try on.

6. Shop Around
You didn't get engaged on your first date, right? Likewise, you shouldn't buy the first dress you try on. Give yourself all the options and the time to think by shopping more -- and elsewhere -- before you buy.

7. Sleep On It
Even after you think you've found your gown, take a day to be absolutely sure it's the one for you. Since bridal gowns are custom-made, most salons put a no-return policy in their contracts; if you can get any money back, it probably won't be any more than 50 percent of the cost.

8. Trust Your Instincts
If you have to be reassured that the dress looks great on you, it's probably not the one. Is this how you pictured yourself looking as a bride? Can you really see yourself walking down the aisle swathed in this gown? If not, take it off and move on.

9. Take Proper Measures
When you're ready to order your gown, the store will take your measurements: bust, waist, hips. Each manufacturer has its own measurement chart, and this is what the store will use to determine your size. A knowledgeable store will know how a particular designer's gowns are supposed to fit. Ask to see the sizing chart so you can have a better understanding of the way it works. And make sure the correct size gets ordered, using your largest measurement as a guide. One thing to remember: bridal gowns run small, so don't be alarmed should your final size measurement jump up a number or two.

10. Focus on the Fit
Know, too, that every dress needs alterations to fit precisely to your frame. When your gown is altered correctly, you should be able to move comfortably with everything staying in place. Alterations can be as simple as taking in the waist and shortening the hem; in more complex alterations, the sleeves may be abbreviated, the bodice taken in, and lace or beads added.

11. Go Undercover
Bridal designers advise wearing undergarments in a tone close to your skin color. The more similar they are to your coloring the less likely you'll see them through your dress.

12. Fit In Fittings
You'll probably have at least two or three fittings, which you'll schedule with the store when you purchase your gown; more may be necessary, so leave ample time before the wedding. You should also ask for a written alterations estimate at the time of purchase, since this service is not always included in the cost of your gown. If the store doesn't do its own alterations, ask the salesperson you've been working with to recommend a trusted tailor or seamstress.

13. Prewedding Poses
If you're planning to sit for a bridal portrait, you'll also want to find out if the store will let you borrow your gown for pictures, then return it to them for pressing so it will look fresh for your wedding.

14. Cover the Bases
Find out exactly how long it will take for your dress to come in, and be sure to pay with a credit card. For such a big purchase, you'll want to be able to dispute a payment just in case something goes wrong.

15. Test Your Seamstress
Think you've found someone to create your wedding gown? Have her make you another dress -- a shift for work, maybe -- so you can see her work and how you work together before you entrust your wedding dress to her.

Wedding Rings: 4 Hot Trends

2006-09-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Looking for the right wedding ring? From vintage-inspired details to edgy colored stones, choose from these trendy but destined-to-be-classic styles.

Trend 1: Pavé Diamonds
In the elegant pavé setting, tiny, faceted, fully cut stones are set as close together as possible so you can't see the metal around them (see picture above). Think of it as if the metal band has been paved with diamonds. The pavé look offers bling without being outlandish. We're seeing pavé in metals from yellow gold to platinum.

Trend 2: The Vintage Look
What's old is decidedly new this season. The subtle and delicate look of vintage-inspired rings is in. Stones on these rings are recognizable for their Old European round center cut, but you'll also see gorgeous Asscher cuts and others too. The defining details: minimal scroll-like engraving, microset (tiny, half-point) diamonds, delicate milgrain work (raised beaded edges), and filigree.

Trend 3: Colored Stones
Canary yellow diamonds, blue and pink sapphires, even rare light pink diamonds are appearing on fourth fingers everywhere. Color can go modern (opt for a tension setting), classic (with a four-prong setting), or vintage (a filigreed setting). Whether you choose your favorite color or your birthstone, a colored stone is a great way to make a stylish statement.

Trend 4: Stacked Rings
Two, three, or more bands "stacked" together make a terrific statement. Eternity bands (stones all the way around) look great piled together. Whether your stones are channel set (flush with the metal) or pavé, or even if you just opt for metal bands -- the look is modern and flexible: Wear it with your engagement ring or without. The best part is that you can start with one and he’ll have anniversary gift possibilities for the next few years.

Easy Diamond Guide

2006-09-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Before you start diamond shopping, you want to have an understanding of what you're buying. This guide simplifies the four Cs of diamonds — cut, color, clarity, and carat weight, so you can select your diamond based on the same criteria jewelers use to grade them. After reading through this guide, you'll be ready to choose the diamond that's right for you.

Shape
It's fairly common to confuse a diamond's cut with its shape. The cut describes a diamond's light performance, dimensions and finish. Shape refers to the overall outline of the diamond when viewed from the top. Round is far and away the most popular diamond shape, followed by squared shapes such as princess, Asscher, and emerald.

Cut
The cut of a diamond has the most effect on its sparkle, or brilliance. Even if the diamond has perfect color and clarity, a poor cut can make a diamond look dull. Blue Nile carries only the highest grades of diamond cut, for the most sparkle. Learn how to choose the right diamond cut with the most brilliance for your budget.

Color
Diamonds with very little color are the most highly valued and are priced accordingly. A little color can diminish a diamond's brilliance. To help you choose the most brilliant diamond, Blue Nile offers diamonds with the highest grades of color. Learn how to choose a diamond with no color noticeable to the unaided eye.

Clarity
Diamonds with few flaws, or inclusions, are very rare and highly valued. Clarity is graded based on the number, location, size, and type of the inclusions found in a diamond. Blue Nile has some of the clearest diamonds available. Learn how to choose the right grade of clarity for your diamond.

Weight
The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. Since larger diamonds are more rare than smaller diamonds, diamond value tends to rise exponentially with carat weight. Read more about carat weight and learn how to balance diamond quality with the size of your diamond.

Certification
The most important step in choosing a diamond is reviewing the diamond certificate, referred to by diamond grading labs as a grading report. A grading report documents the characteristics of a diamond, like the four Cs. Before purchasing a diamond, review a copy of its grading report, as this is proof that it has undergone an unbiased, professional examination. Learn more about the diamond grading report.

Care
Many people think diamonds are indestructible, but they do require care. Read how to keep your diamond sparkling, and securely set in your ring.

Wedding Day Jewelry: Do's and Don'ts

2006-09-18T13:26:00.001-07:00

So Harry Winston isn’t lending you a diamond choker and chunky diamond earrings like he does the Oscar nominees. But you still want something to add a little sparkle, adorn your neck and ears, and complement your gown on wedding day. Check out our bride’s guide to wedding jewelry and you’ll know just how to dazzle ’em on your special day.

Family Heirlooms. If you happen to have an amazing piece of jewelry at your disposal, wear it. A bride friend of mine wore a three-strand pearl collar with an emerald in the middle that was drop-dead gorgeous. Don’t hesitate to ask family and friends to borrow jewelry that you admire. Does Mom have a pair of diamond studs that you’re dying to wear? Does your sister have hanging pearl earrings? Those who are close to you may feel honored to fulfill the “something borrowed” category for your wedding day. Borrowed jewels have sentimental value and wearing them adds emotional punch to your wedding. Jewelry that has been in your family for generations also has a special feel. Imagine wearing the same strand of pearls that your mother and her mother before her wore to their weddings (just make sure that they have recently been re-strung). Plus, vintage jewelry is hot right now and can lend an added dimension to your bridal look. Be sure to take care of your borrowed jewels and don’t lose them.

Fake It. If you don’t have access to the real stuff, look for some fabulous fakes. These days it’s hard to distinguish costume jewelry from authentic gems. Many bridal salons and department stores offer an array of faux pearl earrings and necklaces. Faux diamonds for bridal jewelry are wonderful as well, and many of the pieces available combine the costume pearl and diamonds together for a sparkly and classic look.

Pearl Primer. Pearls are a bride’s best friend. The lustrous white color is a beautiful complement to a white or off-white wedding gown. Although timeless, pearls are hot now and evoke fashion’s current fascination with feminine things. They have been worn by style mavens for ages; they were a favorite of the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy as well as Catherine the Great. Pearls are also extremely versatile. Choose the strand length that best enhances your gown’s neckline. A pearl collar, 12-13 inches, is usually made up of three or more strands and hugs the middle of the neck. It looks best with plunging or v-necks, boat necks or off-the-shoulder gowns and looks fab if you choose to wear your hair up. A choker, at 14-16 inches, is called the most classic and versatile necklace a woman can own. It goes with just about any gown neckline. Princess length is 17-19 inches and goes well with high and very low necklines. Brides should probably not go much longer than princess length to complement their gowns, although an opera length strand, 28-34 inches, can be doubled to make a lovely two-strand choker. A good size pearl runs from 5.5 mm to 7 mm.

Earrings. Although mere trifles, earrings really do complete a look. Do a trial earring run: try on various earrings and see which look best with your gown’s neckline and the hairstyle you plan to wear on wedding day. You want to make sure that your earrings show up. Drop pearls and pearls with some diamond (or fake diamond) sparkle are elegant wedding selections. The white of pearls can illuminate your face. You can also go for something more dramatic, such as hanging crystal earrings, but make sure they don’t overwhelm your dress. If your gown is heavily beaded and sparkly itself, you may want to wear subtle or smallish earrings.

Colorful. Gemstone jewelry is a great way to add color to your wedding day ensemble, if you dare. Sapphires, emeralds (or fakes) and semi-precious stones can add just a bit of punch to your necklace and earring choices. Colored pearls are all the craze now, and the hues range from gray to golden to pastel pink. Apricot pearls are among the trendiest selections. Be sure to keep colored jewelry choices subtle, though.

Dare to Be Bare. The options in jewelry can be overwhelming. How do you know which length necklace looks best with your wedding dress? Is your trendy four-strand pearl collar strung on wires a bit too trendy? One way to go is to keep it simple. As for necklaces, you might decide to skip them altogether. This allows you to show off your dress’ stunning neckline whether it’s strapless or high or in-between. And it allows you to show off your neck, which you might not want to show off in 30 years. You can also completely forego bracelets. Especially if you’re going to wear gloves, a bracelet can look funny and get in the way.

Time Flies. Another piece of jewelry that you can leave home when you walk down the aisle: your watch. Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun, so you won’t need a watch on your wedding day. You want to be caught up in the moment, not checking on the time. A watch can induce stress, especially if you’re trying to hit certain time targets for the cocktail hour, the first dance, etc. In addition, a clunky watch is not delicate enough for your wedding day look. Unless you have a slim and elegant watch encrusted with diamonds or pearls, or a special vintage bracelet-watch, it’s better not to tick tock on wedding day. The same goes for your bridesmaids. As for the men in your wedding party, watches are okay. Dress watches with leather or metallic bands are good choices. But tell your groom and his groomsmen to steer clear of sports watches and any watches that may beep inappropriately during your ceremony.

Bridesmaids. Give your bridesmaids some direction when it comes to jewelry. You can tell them all to wear pearls or no necklaces at all. You can let them show a little creativity and individuality by choosing their own earrings (you reserve veto power, however) or you can dictate the earrings you want them to wear. Some brides give earrings, necklaces or both that double as wedding day wear for their maids and wedding party gifts. It looks great if all of your bridesmaids wear the same jewelry; it’s also fine if you allow them to make their own choices as long as they are in keeping with the tone of your wedding.

Hair Jewelry. Another place for wedding day jewelry is in your hair. If you do plan to wear a tiara, which is super-hot right now as a headpiece selection, adding a necklace to your look may be sparkle overkill. Little bejeweled clips or pins strewn throughout your hair can add dazzle. If you opt for hair jewelry, tone down the rest of your jewelry selections.

Keep it Simple. Let your gown, not your accessories, stand out. Whether you go for classic jewelry or something a little funkier, make sure that your whole ensemble works together. Do some trial runs with your gown and hairstyle to see which jewels really complement them and enlist your bridesmaids for their input. Remember: proportion is the key. Jewelry is an important accent on your wedding day, but the best choices don’t take center stage.

Wedding Day Jewelry: Do's and Don'ts

2006-09-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

So Harry Winston isn’t lending you a diamond choker and chunky diamond earrings like he does the Oscar nominees. But you still want something to add a little sparkle, adorn your neck and ears, and complement your gown on wedding day. Check out our bride’s guide to wedding jewelry and you’ll know just how to dazzle ’em on your special day.

Family Heirlooms. If you happen to have an amazing piece of jewelry at your disposal, wear it. A bride friend of mine wore a three-strand pearl collar with an emerald in the middle that was drop-dead gorgeous. Don’t hesitate to ask family and friends to borrow jewelry that you admire. Does Mom have a pair of diamond studs that you’re dying to wear? Does your sister have hanging pearl earrings? Those who are close to you may feel honored to fulfill the “something borrowed” category for your wedding day. Borrowed jewels have sentimental value and wearing them adds emotional punch to your wedding. Jewelry that has been in your family for generations also has a special feel. Imagine wearing the same strand of pearls that your mother and her mother before her wore to their weddings (just make sure that they have recently been re-strung). Plus, vintage jewelry is hot right now and can lend an added dimension to your bridal look. Be sure to take care of your borrowed jewels and don’t lose them.

Fake It. If you don’t have access to the real stuff, look for some fabulous fakes. These days it’s hard to distinguish costume jewelry from authentic gems. Many bridal salons and department stores offer an array of faux pearl earrings and necklaces. Faux diamonds for bridal jewelry are wonderful as well, and many of the pieces available combine the costume pearl and diamonds together for a sparkly and classic look.

Pearl Primer. Pearls are a bride’s best friend. The lustrous white color is a beautiful complement to a white or off-white wedding gown. Although timeless, pearls are hot now and evoke fashion’s current fascination with feminine things. They have been worn by style mavens for ages; they were a favorite of the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy as well as Catherine the Great. Pearls are also extremely versatile. Choose the strand length that best enhances your gown’s neckline. A pearl collar, 12-13 inches, is usually made up of three or more strands and hugs the middle of the neck. It looks best with plunging or v-necks, boat necks or off-the-shoulder gowns and looks fab if you choose to wear your hair up. A choker, at 14-16 inches, is called the most classic and versatile necklace a woman can own. It goes with just about any gown neckline. Princess length is 17-19 inches and goes well with high and very low necklines. Brides should probably not go much longer than princess length to complement their gowns, although an opera length strand, 28-34 inches, can be doubled to make a lovely two-strand choker. A good size pearl runs from 5.5 mm to 7 mm.

Earrings. Although mere trifles, earrings really do complete a look. Do a trial earring run: try on various earrings and see which look best with your gown’s neckline and the hairstyle you plan to wear on wedding day. You want to make sure that your earrings show up. Drop pearls and pearls with some diamond (or fake diamond) sparkle are elegant wedding selections. The white of pearls can illuminate your face. You can also go for something more dramatic, such as hanging crystal earrings, but make sure they don’t overwhelm your dress. If your gown is heavily beaded and sparkly itself, you may want to wear subtle or smallish earrings.

Colorful. Gemstone jewelry is a great way to add color to your wedding day ensemble, if you dare. Sapphires, emeralds (or fakes) and semi-precious stones can add just a bit of punch to your necklace and earring choices. Colored pearls are all the craze now, and the hues range from gray to golden to pastel pink. Apricot pearls are among the trendiest selections. Be sure to keep colored jewelry choices subtle, though.

Dare to Be Bare. The options in jewelry can be overwhelming. How do you know which length necklace looks best with your wedding dress? Is your trendy four-strand pearl collar strung on wires a bit too trendy? One way to go is to keep it simple. As for necklaces, you might decide to skip them altogether. This allows you to show off your dress’ stunning neckline whether it’s strapless or high or in-between. And it allows you to show off your neck, which you might not want to show off in 30 years. You can also completely forego bracelets. Especially if you’re going to wear gloves, a bracelet can look funny and get in the way.

Time Flies. Another piece of jewelry that you can leave home when you walk down the aisle: your watch. Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun, so you won’t need a watch on your wedding day. You want to be caught up in the moment, not checking on the time. A watch can induce stress, especially if you’re trying to hit certain time targets for the cocktail hour, the first dance, etc. In addition, a clunky watch is not delicate enough for your wedding day look. Unless you have a slim and elegant watch encrusted with diamonds or pearls, or a special vintage bracelet-watch, it’s better not to tick tock on wedding day. The same goes for your bridesmaids. As for the men in your wedding party, watches are okay. Dress watches with leather or metallic bands are good choices. But tell your groom and his groomsmen to steer clear of sports watches and any watches that may beep inappropriately during your ceremony.

Bridesmaids Jewelry. Give your bridesmaids some direction when it comes to jewelry. You can tell them all to wear pearls or no necklaces at all. You can let them show a little creativity and individuality by choosing their own earrings (you reserve veto power, however) or you can dictate the earrings you want them to wear. Some brides give earrings, necklaces or both that double as wedding day wear for their maids and wedding party gifts. It looks great if all of your bridesmaids wear the same jewelry; it’s also fine if you allow them to make their own choices as long as they are in keeping with the tone of your wedding.

Hair Jewelry. Another place for wedding day jewelry is in your hair. If you do plan to wear a tiara, which is super-hot right now as a headpiece selection, adding a necklace to your look may be sparkle overkill. Little bejeweled clips or pins strewn throughout your hair can add dazzle. If you opt for hair jewelry, tone down the rest of your jewelry selections.

Keep it Simple. Let your gown, not your accessories, stand out. Whether you go for classic jewelry or something a little funkier, make sure that your whole ensemble works together. Do some trial runs with your gown and hairstyle to see which jewels really complement them and enlist your bridesmaids for their input. Remember: proportion is the key. Jewelry is an important accent on your wedding day, but the best choices don’t take center stage.

What's Hot: Affordable Engagement Rings

2006-09-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

What sparkles, glitters, cuts glass, and looks gorgeous on an engagement ring? A simulated diamond! We're not talking about rhinestones or common cz here - diamonds created in a lab are hand-cut, hand-polished stones that cuts glass and looks natural. You don't have to skimp on sparkle.

Trends in Wedding Bands

2006-09-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Now that you're flashing your dream engagement ring, it's time to think about that other symbol of your eternal love. Yes, the wedding band -- and this time, both you and your honey need a ring. Platinum or gold? Shiny or matte? We've got all the latest trends to help steer you and your man towards the very best.

Metals:
Traditionally, matching his and hers bands in yellow gold was the standard. However, the more recent trend is white metals, namely, white gold and platinum. In fact, jewelers are selling white metals almost two-to-one over yellow gold. Platinum is especially hot right now and is valued because of how rare, pure, and eternal it is. Should you choose white or yellow gold, you have the option of 14 or 18 karats, depending on your budget. And if you just can't make up your mind between white or yellow metal? There are a number of dual-metal bands that incorporate both colors. Yellow-gold bands can be outlined in platinum, or you can take a platinum ring and add yellow accents.

Diamonds:
Now that you've chosen you metal, it's time to consider diamonds! Yes, this is yet another opportunity to put even more bling on top of your engagement ring. The classic diamond wedding band is the eternity ring, composed of brilliant, round-cut diamonds in a channel or pavé setting. If you'd rather have something more creative, there are a countless number of settings and designs. For example, you can choose a three-tiered ring with five princess-cut diamonds, or indulge in an antique-inspired band covered with over 100 little diamonds. As if diamond choice weren't enough, the latest rage is adding colored stones to your ring. Pick your favorite gem and alternate it with diamonds to create a truly unique and personalized look.

For the Groom:
It's time for your man to flash some jewelry. You may think this would be an easier decision than yours, but the selection in men's bands is just as great! You can opt for the tradition of sporting matching rings, or get with the new trend of selecting bands that represent your individual styles. The word on men's bands is that they're getting bigger and more intricate. Instead of plain gold or platinum, the demand is for engraved patterns, such as scrollwork or filigree. Not only are men wanting more details, they're also scrambling for their share of diamonds! Yes, young trendy grooms are starting to incorporate those precious rocks into their rings. A popular choice is a platinum band scattered with burnished-set diamonds (stones are set flush with the band instead of raised).

Final Tips:
You'll want to enjoy your ring decades down the road, so make sure you select rings that will endure the test of time and not fade out with the fads. The most important factor in choosing a wedding band is finding one that best reflects your individual style. The selection is wide and the possibilities endless, so shop early, know your options, and use your imagination to create that perfect symbol of your love!

Wedding Jewelry Trends

2006-09-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

When most people think of wedding jewelry, visions of sparkling rings tend to dance through their heads. But while rings are certainly the most important aspect of wedding-day jewelry, a bride must also give consideration to the other pieces she'll be wearing. From gorgeous bands to beautiful bracelets, we've got the skinny on all the current jewelry trends.

Rings
What's old is new in engagement rings right now. Cushion- and Asscher-cut diamonds - all the rage in the 1920s - are currently gracing the hands of today's bride. The squarish, diamonds were created to reflect candlelight and draw the eye into the stone. Stunning alternatives to brilliant-cut gems, both cuts complement the pavé-set bands that are the hottest trend in settings. Featuring tapered holes that hold round gemstones to create a "paved" look, a pavé setting can also be designed to show off diamonds from three sides. Color decorates the season with two-toned bands dominating Novell Design Studio's bridal-jewelry line, and pink and yellow diamonds on display everywhere from your neighborhood jeweler to Harry Winston.

Bracelets
Thick cuffs of silver and gold sprinkled with gemstones are currently flashing on the runways of fashion. Tiny rhinestones or beads add an air of daintiness to chunky designs of semi-precious stones. The look is wide and antique, with brides walking down the aisle with family heirlooms on their wrists for an old-fashioned, sentimental air.

Earrings and Necklaces
The look in wedding jewelry now is bold, and the hottest trend in the spotlight is the chandelier earring. The dangling pieces of jewelry boast diamonds, pearls, or even glass beads, evoking a glamorous, Art-Deco look. Long, thin, shoulder-skimming lines are also showing up on brides, a sleek counterpart to the bold chandelier. Dramatic necklaces utilize the bigger-is-better theme as well, dripping gemstones and setting off demure necklines. Dramatic cascading pendants show-off two, three, or more linked-stones, and even classic chokers are emboldened with up to six strands of pearls.

The classic stand-bys of delicate pendants, classic diamond studs, and bare wrists are always in style, so don't despair if the bold look in wedding jewelry isn't your taste. But for the up-to-the-minute bride who wants to reflect the latest look, big is definitely beautiful.

Simulated Diamond Engagement Rings

2006-09-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

When you hear “simulated diamond,” visions of cz or rhinestones may start dancing through your head - suitable for everyday wear, but certainly not engagement ring material, right? Well, simulated diamonds have come a long way since the cubic zirconia age. Now you can get high-quality simulated gemstones that are hand cut like natural diamonds. They’re created the same way as natural diamonds – almost. They are born in a laboratory and possess the same facets and look of a mined diamond. They are so brilliant and beautiful that even “Hollywood” has been snapping them up. Today more and more couples are choosing to use them in their engagement rings and wedding jewelry.

The best part of the simulated diamond is that “you don’t have to sacrifice quality” in order to save money. You’ll get all the bling with enough cash leftover to splurge on a honeymoon or that Vera Wang dress you’ve had your eye on! How about furnishings for your new home? And speaking of the diamond look, the naked eye cannot distinguish a high-quality simulated diamond from a mined one. They are astounding and super affordable. In fact, extravagantly affordable, making them more friend than faux.

When shopping for your gemstone, you need to be careful because not all simulated diamonds are created equal. Research and shop around just like you would for a natural diamond. Here are some guidelines to get you started.

1. There are three primary grades of simulated diamonds – high, medium, and low. Low-quality replicas are the cubic zirconias you find in flimsy jewelry, while medium-quality simulants are the ones you see on television shopping channels. However, for engagement ring rocks, don’t settle on anything less than a simulated diamond of the highest quality. These come hand-cut and faceted like natural diamonds. The best stones can be found in designer rings and are set in solid gold or platinum.

2. When choosing a jeweler, one of the best places to start is online. You can get a feel for what kinds of cuts and shapes are available and see how simulated diamonds compare with natural diamonds. You also want to find a company with knowledgeable and skilled craftsmen. When you find a retailer you like, it’s important to do a background check with the Better Business Bureau before making any purchases. The reputable companies have a BBB link on their site where you can see how long they have been in business along with their track record.

3. Your high-quality simulated diamonds should have many of the same features of a natural diamond. Be on the lookout for these key characteristics:

· Hand-cut. By using this technique, you’ll get the same fire, brilliance, and luster that a mined diamond cut with ideal proportions has.
· Like a natural diamond they should have the ability to cut glass. High-quality simulated diamonds are that durable. Their hardness rating on a Mohe scale is just below a natural diamond (which is the hardest stone on the planet).
· Convincing eye appeal. The finest simulated sparklers look like genuine diamonds with a D-E color grade (white) and flawless clarity. Your friends shouldn’t be able to tell the difference and some jewelers may even be fooled!

4. Setting counts just as much as the diamond itself. You wouldn’t set a genuine diamond in just any old light-weight mounting, would you? Your dream / engagement ring should be treated the same way. Like placing a frame over a beautiful painting, your simulated diamond deserves to be displayed in a solid 14K, 18K or 22K gold or platinum setting. We have seen some gorgeous mountings set with very high quality simulated diamonds.

5. Make sure you get a lifetime-guarantee certificate. They should offer a lifetime warranty that your diamond will be free of any internal issues - such as color, fire, and luster- that can distract form the stones

6. Purchase simulated diamonds from a company that has natural diamond experience. They know what a diamond should look like. If your heart is set on a natural diamond, there’s no reason to postpone your engagement. Purchasing a simulated diamond from diamond folks gives you the opportunity to trade your simulated stone for a natural one. Some firms will offer you full credit on the original purchase too! Diamond folks usually possess first-hand jewelry knowledge and can assist you with your engagement and wedding ring selections.

Hand cut, stable and gorgeous, simulated diamonds give you all the beauty without burning a big hole in your wallet. So if you’re looking to put more cash toward a home, car, or other aspects of your wedding, consider a top-quality diamond simulant. Prepare to be amazed and complimented!

What’s you favorite store for bridal jewelry?

2006-09-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

For bridal jewelry, I love Glamforless.com

What is your favorite bridal jewelry?

2006-09-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

What do brides want for bridal jewelry, pearls, crystals, a combination of both? What did everyone wear to their wedding?

I'm using a combination of pearls and diamonds (crystals) because that is what is on my dress. I am getting my girls rubys and pearls since my colors are red and white. It is totally a personal preference though.

Blue color in bridal jewelry

2006-09-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

Just by chance I came across the most gorgeous dangle earings that have some blue (bright medium shade). I'm also thinking of buying the matching necklace.

Online Websites for Bridal Jewelry?

2006-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hi, I have bought bridal jewelry from Glamforless.com and was very pleased. I think they have a large selection at reasonable prices. Good luck to you!

Where can I find affordable wedding and bridal jewelry?

2006-09-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

I purchases my bridal jewerly and jewelry for my bridesmaids from http://www.glamforless.com/bridal-jewelry.htm and they loved it.