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Unique Commitment: Embracing Engagement Rings Beyond the Diamond Sparkle!

engagement ring

Aren’t diamonds the first thing that come to mind, when we think of engagement rings? It seems like diamonds have always been the obvious choice for an engagement ring, and the bigger and brighter it is, the more lucky you are thought to be, to flaunt it on your finger.

An interesting fact, however, is that although we have always been led to believe so, diamonds weren’t the traditional choice. In fact, these stones were available to the public, only after mining operations for this stone were successful in the late 1800’s. It was then popularized by smart advertising campaigns and ingrained into the minds of the common man, that it finally became synonymous with engagements. Remember that our ancestors were all getting engaged and married, long before this happened.

Now that you know the story behind diamonds, you should realize that diamonds needn’t be your only choice for an engagement ring. Plus, if the price of a stunning solitaire is delaying your engagement, welcome the alternative. Do it in style with a different, but equally befitting and colorful choice.

A word of advice here; rather than fix a particular stone, you should choose the colour that your lady loves and look at the various options in that color to find the best ring available. Depending on your choice, you may even be able to afford a bigger stone this way, than you would if you were going for a diamond. Another benefit of choosing a colored stone is that you have the option to have it all by itself, or even set with other smaller stones for a stunning effect.

Let us now take a look at the various other options you have.

via Pixabay

Romantic Red: The color that symbolizes love itself, it is noble and signifies friendship, loyalty and devotion. Choose garnet for an earthy, rustic stone, or ruby which is considered the King of Gems to strengthen your bond of love and eternal friendship.

Blissfully Blue: The color of nobility and youth, you have a variety of choices in blue, depending on the hue you like the most. The deepest blue is for saphire, and the stone is rich and lustrous too. For a lighter shade, choose topaz or aquamarine.

Glamorous Green: Green gems represent the power and beauty of nature itself. Emeralds are the perfect symbol of love, believed to bless the wearer with faithfulness, fertility and fortune. For an individual twist, you can also opt for peridot or tourmaline to add a vibrant pop of color to the ring finger.

Pretty pink and Purple: For that perfectly feminine touch, try pink or purple with stones like quartz, tourmaline or amethyst. These stones have a rugged natural finish, representing new love like yours, that will mature over the years.

Glitzy Gold and Stunning Silver: If you aren’t really keen on stones, you can even choose to have a gold or silver band with a significant icon such as the love knot on it. Choose a matching pair of ear studs and you have the perfect engagement set, that will form an excellent jewelry set for all occasions in your married life and a wonderful heirloom.

For more wedding tips and advice, visit us at Best for Bride.

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5 Things to remember when signing Vendor contracts for your wedding

You will have to work with a number of people for your wedding– your photographer, venue agent, caterers, florist, dressmakers, band or DJ etc. Therefore, it is necessary that you back up your arrangement with all these vendors with a solid contract outlining their services’ details.

The benefits of having a written contract are many, the most crucial being that

  • a contract controls your expectations on what you get
  • it allows you to take legal action should the products or services not be delivered as per the description

Remember the following 5 points when signing your vendor contracts, and you can avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Write it all down

The easiest way to avoid or solve any dispute is to have every relevant thing written and signed. Never settle for a verbal understanding; have it written into your contract, and you can enforce it. Also, if there are changes to the plan after you have signed the initial contract, make sure these are also incorporated into the contract, so there is no confusion later.

Spare no detail

Rather than just signing a contract that outlines the arrangement, make sure that you put all the specific details in writing. This will clearly let both parties know what exactly was agreed upon, and you will not have to entertain any mix-ups.

For example, if you want your band to be formed of the specific musicians you heard on the tape, make sure it is included in the contract. Likewise, if your floral centerpieces are to be designed in a specific manner, write that down in your contract. Then, should there be an issue at a later point, an outsider who looks at your contract should clearly understand why you weren’t satisfied?

Take time to read and understand every word

Make sure that you clearly understand your vendor contract. So, please read it thoroughly. Go through the clauses on emergency situations, cancellations and additional fees in detail. If you do not understand anything, ASK!

Don’t assume that a vendor’s contract is standard—if their terms are not acceptable, you can always negotiate. However, if they refuse to make changes or add the precise terms of your agreement to the form, you may have to reconsider whether you want to work with that vendor.

Specify the payment schedule and details

Ensure the contract contains details on when the amount will be settled and by whom. If the amount is paid in parts, make sure this is specified in the contract, and you are aware of it. If your parents or your in-laws are bearing the expenses, make sure the contract is drawn up in their name, and they sign it.

Get a contract copy and obtain receipts for everything

For your contract to be valid, you need to have a copy with you. Make sure you save a copy of every contract you sign and that your vendor counter-signs every additional change you make. Also, obtain receipts for any deposit you make on the final amount or any payment you complete.

Contracts may seem like a massive headache, but they are a necessary evil. To keep your wedding going just as you planned, a simple contract is undoubtedly better than none at all.

Visit us at Best for Bride for more wedding tips and planning advice.

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Fun Games for Wedding Receptions

ringtoss
ringtoss

Couples are embracing the fun by including games at their wedding receptions. Games can break the ice and help guests relax. Wedding reception games are designed to get the group involved. Some fun games for wedding receptions can get the group laughing. If you’re looking for ways to make your wedding more fun, you may want to include a wedding reception game.

When should you play a game at a reception? One DJ recommends that there is a game early in the reception. Getting people to laugh towards the beginning of the reception helps to set the mood for the whole reception. It’s important to get guests to feel engaged and have a good time.

The shoe game is becoming a fast favorite among wedding reception activities. For the shoe game, two chairs are placed back to back on the dance floor or other area where they are visible to all the guests. The newlyweds sit on the chair and take off their shoes. They trade one shoe with their spouse so that they each have one shoe belonging to themselves and one of their spouse’s shoes.

A designated speaker or audience ask questions to the couple. It’s fun to see if the answers match of if there is some discrepancy. If you are having a designated speaker, you might want to ask the audience to write suggestions for questions first. The speaker also can have a set of questions ready.

Sample questions include:

Who is the better cook?

Who is smarter?

Who is the better kisser?

Who will be in control of the TV remote?

Another wedding game uses a large wheel that the guests spin. On the wheel, there are activities that the guest needs to do if the wheel stops on that space. The activities are usually silly actions. Musical chairs can be a fun wedding reception game.

Carnival games can be great activities for outdoor receptions. The couple can set up a squirt gun spraying game or ball toss.  Balloon darts can be easily set up by stapling the ends of partially blown up balloons to a white board. Croquet, bean bag tosses, and hola hoops are common outdoor wedding reception activities.

Wedding mad libs can be used at the reception or even before the reception starts. Some couples create RSVP cards that contain mad libs for their wedding invitations. One couple used mad libs for their guest book entries. As for the reception, the mad libs can be a fun activity, but often mad libs are done individually. These can be great for helping people fill in any lag in activities like waiting to be served.

For more ways to include more fun in your wedding reception, please browse the Best for Bride blog. There you will find many great tips including funny ideas for weddings.

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3 common wedding dress mistakes brides make and how to avoid it

Your wedding dress is one of the most important dresses you will ever wear in your life. So, making the right choice is a tough, but important task. Not all brides enjoy a fantastic experience choosing their wedding dress, and many have regretted their decision at a later time.

Let us look at 3 of the most common mistakes brides make when choosing their wedding dress, and how you can avoid it.

Buying your dress too early, before actually planning your wedding

via Best for Bride

You may be tempted to do wedding shopping the minute you are engaged. However, this isn’t wise. Many factors determine the right choice—the venue, theme of wedding, weather,budget, etc. Shopping without a definite idea of what would be practical based on the time and location of your wedding, could cause you to regret your choice later.

Remember, not all wedding dresses are equally suitable for all situations. So, purchasing a formal wedding gown for an indoor ceremony may be the wrong choice if you finally decide on an outdoor ceremony. Wait till the wedding details are more or less decided, before shopping. You should buy your wedding dress 6-9 months before your wedding, to allow sufficient time for alterations and changes.

Buying a wedding dress that’s in the wrong size

via Best for Bride

You have a whole year till your wedding, and you are determined to lose several pounds before it. So, you might as well get your wedding dress a size or two smaller than you currently measure, right? Wrong! Many brides make this mistake, and later struggle to fit into a dress that is too tight.

Remember that it is easier to take in a gown, than adding additional inches to it. If you live up to your weight-loss plans, you can always have your gown altered to fit your exact measurements at the time. If you can’t, you will be glad you chose a gown that actually fits you.

Not accounting for the extras when you buy your wedding gown

via Best for Bride

When you fix your wedding dress budget, always account for the extra money you will have to pay for fittings, accessories and customization. It is unlikely that you will find a dress off-the-rack, that will perfectly fit you. It may have to be adjusted to fit your measurements or the hemline may have to be moved up to be at the right length. In some cases, you may want to add sleeves or add accessories like a waistband to improve your look.

All these come at an additional cost. Apart from this, you will have to spend money on wedding accessories like jewelry, shoes, tiaras and veils. When all these are finally paid for, many brides find that they have gone over-budget.

When you create your wedding dress budget, divide it into the actual money you can spend on the dress, and the additional amount for the rest. Tell your bridal consultant the actual amount you can afford on the dress, which includes the charges for all the fixes, and she should help you find one that fits your budget, while meeting your other preferences.

Now that you are aware of the common mistakes, you are ready to find the dress of your dreams and be happy with your choice. For more wedding tips and advice, and to find the perfect wedding dress for your big day, visit Best for Bride.