Tips and tricks for finding affordable and quality unique wedding jewelry
Right from the moment you decide you want to spend your life together until long after the big day, wedding jewelry will play a big role, both as a symbol of eternal love and as an expression of your personal style, so you'll definitely want to make sure you buy the right quality pieces that will stand the test of time. Between the engagement ring and choosing his 'n' her wedding bands, you may also want to purchase jewelry and accessories to add some sparkle to your wedding day look, so there's a lot to consider, especially if you're working with a budget. With that in mind, here are some ideas to help you shop for unique wedding jewelry without breaking the bank.
Engagement rings: Did you know?
The traditional first step towards marriage is selecting an engagement ring as the indication of your pledge to each other. Typically in American culture and in Canada and the United Kingdom, the groom-to-be picks out the ring for his intended and only the woman wears the engagement ring on the fourth finger of her left hand.
However, the diamond engagement ring is just one of many ways that people around the world use to say "I'm taken!" Here are some fun facts about the engagement ring and other engagement gifts from yesterday and today!
The diamond engagement ring only became the standard in the late 1930s and 1940s after the De Beers diamond company's famous "A Diamond Is Forever" marketing campaign, and engagement rings themselves only became popular in the late 19th century! Before that, some women received sewing thimbles as engagement gifts instead!
According the same De Beers campaign, the groom to be was supposed to spend two months' salary on a ring for his bride to be (which today would probably run around $5,000 on average!)
Why are both the engagement ring and wedding band placed on the fourth finger of the left hand? This stems from a Greek belief that a certain vein in that finger, the vena amoris, runs directly to the heart and so a ring would bind the wearer's promises to their heart.
In countries such as Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Brazil, both women and men wear engagement rings on their right hand and then move the ring to their left hand after the wedding.
Unique engagement ring styles - something old, something new?
While the solitaire diamond is still a popular option, with all the trend shifts throughout history for engagement rings and bridal gifts, there's no reason not to have a ring that reflects your personal style if you're looking for something a little more unusual AND that fits your budget.
Gemstone engagement rings can be a funky alternative to the typical diamond ring, and many of them are less expensive - sapphires, rubies, emeralds, topazes and opals are all gorgeous choices as either the primary gemstone in your ring or as a colorful accent to your diamond.
For the vintage queens out there, an antique style engagement ring is a great option. Check out the selection at My Jewelry Box, for example.
If you have a little time to perfect your engagement ring, one way to save today is to buy loose diamonds and create your own ring setting design. Start with a retailer that specializes in wedding jewelry, like Wedding Rings Depot or Sea of Diamonds, to get ideas for setting styles and to compare prices.
Tips for designing your own engagement or wedding ring
If you've decided to create a personalized setting for your beloved, here are a couple of pointers to get you started:
Romancing the stone: What sort of stone will form the centrepiece of your ring? You may want to pick a gem that has special significance for your intended, such as her birthstone. Or take her favorite color into consideration - if she's a fiery lady who loves red, she might like a ruby or garnet, or look for turquoise or aquamarine if your loved one really enjoys the ocean.
Get in shape: Determine the shape, size and cut of the primary stone - do you want the popular round solitaire, a square princess cut, or a romantic heart shape? And keep in mind that bigger is not always better! Try to talk to your fiancée to get an idea of whether she would like a huge, impressive stone that she can proudly show off, or if she would prefer a small, quality gem.
Battle of the bands: Do you want a gold band, or something more trendy like titanium, tungsten or platinum? And even if you choose gold, you may want to consider whether your lady would like white gold, yellow gold or rose gold, or a combination.
What about men's wedding jewelry trends?
Although the bride is usually the main focus on the big day, the groom ought to look great for his wedding too! But as it may sometimes be difficult to inject too much of your personal style into the man's formal wear since you want to avoid clashing with the bride and bridesmaids, the best and most subtle way to dress up the groom's look might be with groom's accessories.
Even the most conservative groom will probably benefit from a tasteful piece of men's wedding jewelry to add a unique touch to what is usually a fairly somber outfit.
So what are some key pieces to consider? Here are a few ideas!
Cufflinks
One of the easiest ways for the groom to accessorize is with that quintessential piece of men's jewelry, the cufflink. Because of the cufflinks' small size, they can be as bold as you like without you having to worry about being too loud, and there are plenty of classic styles as well that will add a subtle decorative touch.
First popularized during the time of Louis XIV, cufflinks are meant to keep the extra fabric of your shirt's wrists from showing too much under the hem of your blazer or suit jacket. They have since become an elegant men's accessory associated with formal wear. Besides the double-length "French" cufflinks, for shirts that have a longer cuff that's meant to be folded back on itself, and the single-length cufflinks, there are two different types of cufflinks:
"Kissing" cuffs: The most popular way to wear cufflinks, especially for formal occasions such as weddings, the "kissing" style fastens your cuffs so the flap ends just meet and are pinched together.
Barrel cuffs: Where the cuffs overlap each other.
Today, there are tons of different cufflink options to suit every style, whether you're into fashion, sports or even comic books. For a more sophisticated look, how about trying some Swarovski crystal cufflinks from Forzieri? Or if you'd like something more fun and casual, there's a wide variety of sports-themed cufflinks at SportsMemorabilia.com.
Pocket watches
This vintage timepiece style is back en vogue! Pocket watches are a classy way to keep track for the groom and his groomsmen to keep track of the schedule on the wedding day, as well as making for a terrific bridal party gift.
It's also a neat piece of wedding jewelry to add a touch of old-world charm to the groom's ensemble, as the watch fob can be quite decorative and the watch itself can be specially engraved. But don't worry about looking too old-fashioned as there as there are some cool modern updates to the pocket watch available, like with the Relic Men's Pocket Watch from Sears.com, which has a unique blue-green dial.
For more ideas and tips on what to buy for the big day, check out the eBillme wedding page!
Krystle Chow is a writer for eBillme - the safest way to pay in cash online! She loves food, fashion and beauty, film and TV, technology and shopping. A graduate of Carleton University's Journalism program, Krystle has been reporting and blogging on technology for more than three years. You'll often find her either on the lookout for hot deals and new trends, busy keeping up with the latest and hottest shows on the big and small screens, or indulging her love of Broadway musicals. You can follow Krystle @krystlechow.
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