Prepare Your Wedding Jewelry for the Big Day

On your wedding day, everyone will want to admire your diamond ring. Every bride should have her engagement ring professionally cleaned a day or two before her ceremony so that it shines brilliantly.  Nothing will cut the shine of a diamond worse than hand lotion, so if you get a manicure after the cleaning, remove your ring. And when you go to put it back on, avoid touching the gem with your fingers, which will make it smudgy.

If you are wearing fabulous crystal and silver bridal jewelry, you will want to make sure that shines to its best advantage as well. Gently wipe your crystal wedding jewelry with a soft damp cloth to remove any dust or fingerprints. Then run a special polishing cloth over the sterling silver parts to give them a beautiful gleam. Wedding jewelry which is made of sterling silver without any gems can be dipped in a special silver cleaner if it has tarnished. Silver dip can ruin many gems, especially pearls, so use it only for jewelry which is all silver.

Pearls are the ultimate symbol of bridal elegance; they are also fairly fragile, so be sure to baby them. They can be wiped with a soft dry cloth if need be, but that is about it. The best way to make sure that your pearls are in tip-top shape for your wedding is to keep them from getting dirty in the first place. Always put on pearl wedding jewelry after your hair and makeup are done. Hairspray is the sworn enemy of pearls, as it will dull their luster. Spritz on perfume before donning your wedding pearls for the same reason. Never get the silk thread of a pearl strand wet, as it may be prone to stretching and breaking.

If your groom is planning to wear any wedding jewelry, take care to make sure that his accessories look as good as yours. Silver cufflinks can be polished with a silver polishing cloth to restore them to a brand new luster. If they are pure sterling silver and in need of major shining up, cufflinks can also be dipped in a silver cleaner. The chances are that his wedding band is in perfect condition, but inspect it to see if it might benefit from a fresh polish by the jeweler. If your groom has expressed interest in a matte finish ring instead of the traditional high polish, ask the jeweler to brush it on the wheel to make it matte. It takes just a minute to do and will give the band a modern look.

How to Propose So That She Says Yes

Thinking of proposing this holiday season or perhaps in the New Year? There is more to a great proposal than just picking out an engagement ring. Learn how to propose so that she says yes.

The most important thing is that your proposal is sincere and from the heart. That is what will show your girlfriend that you really want to marry her, and that it would be a wise decision for her to accept your proposal. So how does a man show his sincerity when he pops the question? Actually, the most important thing may be knowing when not to propose. Never ask your girlfriend to marry you while you are fighting. It can come across like you were just saying it to end the argument, which is dreadfully unromantic. Wait until a happier moment. Also be sensitive about timing if you decide to pop the question to your girlfriend if you have just discovered she is pregnant or very ill. It may look like you are offering to marry her out of obligation or pity, rather than because you genuinely want to be her husband.

Planning something special is a wonderful way to show your sincerity to your girlfriend. Grand gestures are exciting, of course, but what really counts is that the gesture is from the heart, not that it was expensive. I knew one man who took his girlfriend to their favorite casual Italian restaurant for dinner one night, as he had on many occasions. His girlfriend did not suspect that anything was different about that night, until the waiter brought the dessert menus; her boyfriend had arranged for the regular menus to be replaced with ones which said, “Hannah, will you marry me?”. Her answer was a resounding yes and they are happily married today.

Putting forth effort helps to show your intended that you think she is worth the extra effort. This is why it is so much better to propose over a romantic dinner than during a commercial break while watching television. If you do not usually cook, try your hand at making her a special dinner, complete with candles on the table and a nice bottle of wine. Your girlfriend is sure to be touched at the trouble you went through to make your proposal a romantic and memorable evening. By the time you drop to one knee and pull the diamond ring out of the wedding jewelry box, how can her answer be anything but yes?

Wedding Planning for “Anti-Brides”

There is an assumption that when a woman becomes engaged, she will be very excited to plan her wedding. While that is certainly true for many brides, there are also a lot of women out there who care about getting married, but not the wedding part. It can be challenging to organize an event as large as a wedding when planning parties simply does not interest you. These are some wedding planning tips for “anti-brides” to help you get through the process.

A woman that I know recently confessed that when she got married, she sat down with a friend and made up all the details for the wedding announcement her family was putting in the newspaper. The truth was that she did not know what type of flowers were in her bouquet, who designed her wedding jewelry, or what fabric her dress was made from – and nor did she care. All the bride knew was that the dress was white, the flowers were white, and her wedding jewelry was made from pearls; she simply did not find the specific details all that interesting, nor could she understand why anyone else would. This is a perfect example of an anti-bride.

While a bride-to-be may not be all that interested in the small details of her wedding, there are nonetheless a lot of details which must be attended to in order to pull the event together. For an anti-bride, the best way to handle this situation is usually ceding control to someone else. Hiring a wedding planner can be an excellent idea for a bride who does not want to spend her days looking over centerpiece designs or choosing tablecloth colors. If the bride has a willing mother or best friend, she might hand the reins over to that person to take the lead in organizing the wedding ceremony and reception.

For the anti-bride who will have to manage most of the wedding planning herself, the best advice is to streamline the process. Start by picking a wedding venue with a hands-on coordinator. If you choose a reception site like a hotel or country club which provides all of the things you will need, your job will be far easier than if you opt for a site like a tent or a loft which is a blank slate. Be upfront with your venue’s coordinator that you are going to put a lot of trust into her taste to plan a lovely wedding and that you do not need to be consulted on every little detail (except the ones which will cost you extra money!). Then give the florist, caterer, baker and the rest of your vendors a budget and general style, and let them handle the rest. An upside to that is that without being obsessed with perfection, you might actually be able to relax and enjoy your wedding day.

The Best and Worst Wedding Dates of the Year

Certain wedding dates are almost completely off-limits. Those include Christmas day, Thanksgiving, and Easter Sunday. Hold your wedding on any of those days, and you may well find that you and your groom are the only ones in attendance! If a holiday weekend is the only time that your whole family will be in one place, you might have to consider scheduling your nuptials within a couple of days of those taboo dates; just be aware that many people on your guest list will be unable to attend.

The next worst possible wedding date is Superbowl Sunday. About half the men on the guest list will flat out refuse to attend, and the other half will be resentful about having been dragged to your wedding while the big game is on. A lot of the women will feel the same way! When you walk down the aisle, all eyes should be upon you in your fabulous dress and wedding jewelry, but if you wed during the Superbowl, most of the guests will be checking out the game score on their mobile devices. Almost as bad is hosting a wedding during an NFL playoff game; just don’t do it!

Some dates are really fun for weddings. If you really want to ensure a great party atmosphere for your reception, host it on New Year’ Eve. That is one day of the year when everyone is in the mood to celebrate and have fun. You will also find that guests are especially eager to wear their most fabulous outfits and festive wedding jewelry on New Year’s Eve. It would be the perfect date for a black tie wedding.

Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends can also be ideal wedding dates. The majority of people will have a three day weekend, which makes travel much easier for out-of-towners. They are also not such family-oriented holidays that a lot of people will be unable to attend. Weather tends to be nice in late May and early September, which adds to the appeal of those dates. Really the only drawback to Memorial Day and Labor Day weddings is that they are popular dates. To score one of those coveted dates for your wedding, be prepared to plan far ahead.

Reception Seating Options for the Wedding Party

In previous generations, the reception seating for the bridal party was generally the traditional head table. Either a long rectangular table or a long U-shaped table are the standard formats for head tables. The bride and groom sit in the center and the wedding party flanks them on both sides. The chairs at the head table are all on the same side so that the bridal party faces out to the reception, allowing everyone to admire the bride in her fabulous gown and wedding jewelry, as well as to have a good view of the newlyweds during the toasts.

Problems can arise with the traditional head table when the bridesmaids and groomsmen have brought dates or spouses to the wedding. Traditionally, only the wedding party sat at the main table, leaving their significant others seated at different tables. These days, there is a trend away from breaking up couples that way, which leaves the option of trying to find space at the head table for all of the spouses and dates. That can just end up being way too many people to fit at one table. The traditional head table arrangement works best for contemporary weddings when the bridal party is small enough to fit their dates at the table, or when most of the bridesmaids and groomsmen are not married or seriously involved with someone.

The sweetheart table arose out of the problems with the head table. The idea is that the bride and groom will share a romantic first dinner alone at a little table just bid enough for two. While it sounds good on paper, the sweetheart table can present some problems of its own. For one thing, if the bride or groom should need to get up from the table for any reason, it leaves the other person sitting there all alone with no one to speak to. A lot of people would feel pretty uncomfortable in that position. In addition,the sweetheart table really sets the newlyweds apart from their guests who have come to celebrate with them.

An approach to seating which has gained popularity in recent years is for the newlyweds to sit at a regular size table with both sets of parents, the maid of honor, the best man, and their spouses and dates. The rest of the wedding party can then be seated at nearby tables with their significant others. It ensures that the entire wedding party can sit with their mates, the bride and groom are not isolated, and it also takes the spotlight off of the newlyweds while they eat. In many ways, this is an excellent solution.

Meaningful Wedding Customs and Traditions

We have all heard the old saying “Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue”, but did you know that each part of the old custom has a special meaning? Something old is usually a family heirloom like wedding jewelry and it indicates that even as the bride begins a new phase in her life, her bonds with family and friends will remain important. Something new obviously refers to the new life which the bride and groom start when they get married.

Many people do not realize that the something borrowed should be lent to the bride by a happily married woman, all the better to “borrow” some of her good fortune in marriage. It could be a veil borrowed from a sister, a piece of Grandma’s wedding jewelry, or perhaps an aunt’s special rosary to carry with the bouquet. The something blue is often one of the most fun things to come up with. Blue has stood for fidelity since Biblical times, so its significance for a wedding is clear. The touch of blue often comes in the form of blue crystals in the wedding jewelry, a blue garter, blue sash on the bridal gown, or even blue shoes.

Another meaningful custom is the ringing of church bells at the end of the marriage ceremony. In ancient times it was believed that evil spirits were drawn to brides, so many steps were taken to ward them off. Ringing the church bells is not only a joyous way to mark the conclusion of the ceremony, but was believed to protect the bride from the evil spirits. By the way, this is the same reason for making noisy by tying tin cans to the back of the newlyweds’ car, ringing small hand bells, and any other wedding custom that involves making a lot of joyful noise. We may not believe the reason behind the customs anymore, but they are still fun to include in a wedding.

At the conclusion of the marriage ceremony, the officiant will usually invite the newlyweds to kiss. Did you know that the words “You may now kiss your bride” are about more than love and romance? Dating back to Roman times, a kiss was considered a seal that cemented a deal, much like in later times business deals could be sealed with a handshake. This is the origin of the kiss at the altar; not only do the bride and groom get the joy of sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, but they are officially sealing the deal. So be sure to pucker up at your wedding!

Beat the Wedding Day Rain Blues!

You can’t control the weather, not even for your wedding. That being the case, the best thing to do is to accept it, and make plans to work around it. They say that rain on your wedding day is good luck; use these handy tips to make sure that your rainy wedding day is as beautiful as it is lucky.

By the time the week of your wedding rolls around, you should have a pretty good idea of the weather forecast for your date. When rain threatens, take action! For a tented reception, have the rental company bring a floor to cover the inside of the tent. This is especially important if it will have been raining for a couple of days before your wedding, as the grass under the tent can become sodden and muddy. Renting a tent floor can be very expensive, so be sure to keep some spare funds set aside in case you need to bring one in at the last minute. Also speak to your tent rental company about getting a tent with sides, if your original plans did not include that.

The comfort of guests should be paramount at any wedding. When rain threatens, it is a great idea to round up a bunch of huge golf umbrellas and assign a group of men to escort guests into the ceremony. Your groomsmen will be busy with seating, so look to cousins, uncles, or other male guests without a specific assignment. Simple things like setting out umbrella stands and coat racks where guests can stash their rain gear will also be appreciated. That way, guests can quickly shrug off their rainy day attitude, reveal their lovely attire and wedding jewelry, and get into the spirit of the celebration.

Lastly, the bride can beat the rainy wedding day blues by keeping a sunny attitude. A radiant bride glowing in her fabulous gown and wedding jewelry will light up even the gloomiest day. Embrace the weather if you can by getting photographs taken with the misty atmosphere in the background or even by taking a romantic walk in the rain; they may well turn out to be some of the most striking photos of your entire wedding. With spirits high, no raindrops will be able to dampen the joy of your wedding day.

Who Do You Tip At Your Wedding?

Just as when you dine in a restaurant, it is customary to offer a gratuity to the waitstaff at your wedding reception. Different venues handle this in their own ways, so do not feel shy about speaking to the caterer or site manager about how tipping is usually done at their facility. The most common manner of delivery is to hand over an envelope to the caterer or site manager on the day of the wedding, with the contents to be equally divided among the servers, and possibly the bartender. Other reception staff who should be tipped include the coat check attendant and parking valets. Before you start spreading tips around the reception venue, carefully read your contract; some sites build in a service charge or gratuity to the standard contract.

It is also expected that you will tip a limo driver, just as you would a cab driver. Simply have an envelope with a 15-20% cash tip prepared to hand over at the end of the evening. Musicians are frequently tipped as well, although not everyone tips d.j.s. Do be sure to offer a gratuity if they really got the crowd going or stayed longer. You would tip on your wedding beauty services such as manicure, hair styling, and massages just as you would on any other day. If the salon throws in a free service for the bride when the rest of her wedding party pays to have their hair and makeup done there, the bride should tip her stylist 20% based on the regular price of the free service they have given her.

Who does not normally get tipped for a wedding? Anyone in a regular retail store. The bridal consultant who helped you pick out your dress or the associate at the boutique where you found the perfect wedding jewelry do not expect cash tips. However, if they really went above and beyond with designing or creating your bridal gown or wedding jewelry, you could certainly offer a tip if you are moved to do so. It may be in the form of a gift, rather than cash.  All businesses really appreciate notes of thanks and pictures of you wearing their goods at your wedding that they can display in their shop or on their website.

Other vendors who are usually not tipped include the baker and the florist (although you may wish to offer a small gratuity for delivery of your cake and flowers, if not on the items themselves). A great way to show your appreciation for wedding vendors like bakers and florists is to provide them with high quality photographs of their work from your wedding that they can include in their design portfolios. Last but not least, another way to show your appreciation for your wedding vendors is to offer enthusiastic recommendations for their services to prospective future customers.

Engagement Rings On To Wedding Jewelry

This is for both the soon to be bride and groom. First, for the groom, engagement ring shopping can be a daunting task and overwhelming. Don’t go shopping for a ring without a bit of background information beforehand. Sometimes its easier for guys to know what they want before they enter a jewelry store. That is why surfing the internet for that perfect ring is a great idea. There isn’t any salesmen to pressure you into buying a particular ring that you don’t even like. Make sure you do a little research on the different types of diamonds, the different types of settings, and the different types of metals as well.

Wedding jewelry is very important for the wedding party to wear. Bridal and bridesmaid jewelry add a touch of beauty to a wedding that is indeed important. There has been a recent trend in a butterfly theme when brides select their bridesmaid jewelry. Swarovski crystal butterflies in particular are very affordable and elegant and will create a sparkle to your bridesmaid’s attire.

For more about different kinds of popular wedding jewelry and engagement rings, please visit:

• Selecting A Diamond Engagement Ring
• Summer Wedding Jewelry Trends
• Surprising Wedding Trends – Butterflies

Wedding Favors as Centerpieces

When looking for a way to trim the wedding decorating budget, it helps to find items that can do double-duty. One very clever idea is to arrange your wedding favors in a way that doubles as a centerpiece. There are many ways to do this, and the results can be as charming as they are thrifty.

Flowers are the most popular type of centerpiece, and a great option for wedding favors as well. The blossoms you select and form of display will depend on the style of your reception. Let’s say you were having an informal country celebration and wearing a very simple lace wedding dress and delicate jewelry – painted tin pails planted with sunny yellow daisies would be darling. Set an small wooden bushel basket (upended) in the center of the table and arrange the little pails of daisies around the basket. Cluster one group of three on top of the basket to add height to the centerpiece design.

Special vases with single stems can also work beautifully for favors that double as centerpieces. Choose a flower with a very large bloom, such as one full hydrangea stem or a lush garden rose in full bloom. Make it a unique favor by picking out vases with character, such as a mis-matched collection of white milk glass vases. Or opt for the clean look of chic narrow oval vases. Play up the modernity of the vase by using flowers in a vivid color like bright orange or fuchsia. Group the vases in the middle of the table to create the illusion of a large display of flowers.

Candles are always popular for both favors and centerpieces, so why not combine the two into one? The key is to display the candles in holders which are beautiful enough to be keepsakes. (After all, a half-melted candle in a plain glass votive holder is not much of a gift!) Tall etched glass candle holders will look beautiful with the flame flickering in them. When your guests see how pretty they look, they will be delighted to find out that they get to take them home! Or create an enchanted effect for an evening wedding by hanging small lanterns in jewel tones over the centers of each reception table. Put them on hooks which will make them easy for the guests to remove their lantern to take home at the end of the night. A unique favor and a unique centerpiece idea all rolled into one!