Fashion Friday: Wedding Rings Guide

We're delighted to bring you a special jewellery Fashion Friday focus this week: wedding bands! They may be the smallest accessories on your wedding list, but you'll be wearing them for a very long  and happy time - and they carry an enormous sentimental value - so careful consideration is needed. The precious metal bands symbolise a union of commitment and love between two people; wearing them acts as a reminder of the promises of love and devotion the bride and groom have made for each other on their wedding day. 

To guide you on your planning journey, we talked to diamond expert Vashi Dominguez, owner of www.Vashi.com - here are the four main things you need to know before hitting the shops: 

Style

Style is down to individual taste and there is no right or  wrong way to encapsulate this in your wedding ring. With that in mind, consider a style that you’ll love for a very long time – your taste is likely to evolve and change, just like you. In tone with tradition, plain wedding bands and diamond encrusted rings are a much better choice than the latest trends with over-the-top embellishments. That doesn’t mean you can’t have bespoke design that matches your engagement ring.    

Shape

Choosing the shape of your wedding band can often leave you spoilt for choice as there are various things to consider i.e. the band width (thick or thin), curved or straight, mixing metals and having a tiered, paved or plain setting. Fancy designed shapes (tiered and paved settings) are a perfect choice for a glitzier styled ring. These settings are ideal for diamond encrusted or gemstone wedding rings. For a more sleek and elegant wedding ring, I would strongly recommend a slim and/or twisted wedding band. It’s important to try on a few different styles to decide which shape suits you best.

Budget
Like every other detail of your wedding, you decide how much you want to spend – it has to feel right for you and fit within your budget. Plain wedding bands tend to be cheaper than fancy styled rings i.e. diamond encrusted or gemstone rings. Another point to consider is your wedding band setting. Wedding bands range from white gold and platinum, to yellow gold and silver. Gold, whether white or yellow, is the most popular and enduring choice. Platinum is the strongest jewelry metal, resistant to damage and tarnishing, making it a great choice if you can afford it. Prices tend to be cheaper for online purchases compared to retail stores – just make sure you buy from a recognised brand, as they can offer additional services for the future.

Matching rings

If opting for matching designs, you must be able to combine both of the partners' style and personal taste. There are many ways to do this: his and her sets, engraving or choosing the same metals. Should you prefer to have individual bands but still like the idea of coupling your rings, why not choose a bespoke service, which allows you to create a ring that combines matching ideas? 

For more information about the rings featured above and a list of prices, visit the website. You should also check out our article about grooms rocking the ring and those who prefer to give it a miss in our summer issue of West Weddings. If our guide got you thinking, come on over to our Twitter and Facebook pages and show us your engagement and wedding ring pictures! 

Fashion Friday: Favourite Etsy Finds!

Today for Fashion Friday we went to one of our favourite repositories of handmade and vintage items - Etsy! There we found several pieces that we just had to share with our readers - specifically those of you looking for something a little different or more special to be part of your wedding day.

Fashion Friday: Favourite Etsy Finds! by westweddings featuring a lace gown

1. Felt Flower Bouquet by Beaubuttons

We absolutely adore this non-traditional bouquet from London-based Beaubuttons. Not only will it add a creative touch to your big day, but it can be kept as an heirloom - something those of us who had traditional bouquets can only revisit through photos.

2. Couture Swarovski Headpiece by Millinery by Carrie

For a unique, handmade element to add to your bridal ensemble, we recommend this gorgeous piece from Millinery by Carrie. It features 500 Swarovski beads and can be customised in colour to suit your theme. The only thing that makes us like this even more is that it was made nearby in Bath!

3. Gold Skinny Wedding Bands by Fiona Earlam Jewellery

These solid gold hammered wedding bands are a great choice for their simplicity, elegance, and timeless design. They're also made nearby in Bristol, so you'll have the satisfaction of supporting a local business.

4. Lace & Chiffon Wedding Gown by Lianimal

This is our only choice that comes from outside the UK - but don't worry, they do ship here! This fantastic handmade gown is listed on Etsy by a New York-based designer. It layers delicate lace upon delicate lace, with a lightweight chiffon skirt. Fashionable and handmade - we don't think it gets much better than this.

Miscellaneous Monday: Welcome December!

Welcome to Monday (and December, for that matter). I absolutely love this season for its festiveness and colours, and I can’t imagine a better way to encapsulate those things than through a wedding. As usual, today I’ll be sharing my wedding-inspired findings from across the web, which will hopefully help those of you planning weddings in the upcoming winter months! And as always, if you would like to share any of your favourite findings with us, tweet us (@WestWeddings) or email us (westweddingsbristol@gmail.com).

Today I am loving chunky bridal jewellery (yes, it can be done!), cookie favours (featuring Pretty Amazing Cakes), a gorgeous triangle-neck dress found on Etsy!

Favourite accessory: chunky bridal jewellery

I’ve stolen this look from one of my favourite photographers, Tori Watson (Marvelous Things Photography), who recently blogged about the fashion she wore at her own wedding. Though her wedding may have been three years ago, I think this trend has only grown more popular since, and I think we could all use a dose of inspiration to go bold with our accessories! Tori paired this jewellery with a gorgeous vintage lace dress (passed down through her family) – proving that statement accessories don’t rule out vintage elegance!

Favourite food/favour: cookie favours

One of our favourite cake maestros in the Bristol area is Anne Gliddon at Pretty Amazing Cakes, and one of her specialties also happens to be one of our favourite wedding ideas: cookie favours! Anne provides custom cookie favours to suit your wedding and décor. What a lovely, and tasty, idea for thanking each of your guests for attending your special day.

Favourite wedding dress: triangle neck dress

Once again on my travels through the magical land of Etsy, I found a gem. Triangle anything is on-trend these days so I was delighted to find it incorporated into the collar of this dress. That’s not the only feature I love, however. The silhouette and fabric really captured my attention and I feel like this would be the ideal dress for a bride who doesn’t want to go casual with her look, but doesn’t want to be overly formal either.

Bristol's first ever gay wedding fair

If you're a gay couple in the south west planning your nuptials, then you'll be pleased to hear that Pink Partnerships, Britain's first ever gay wedding ring specialist, is hosting Bristol's first ever gay wedding fair this summer.

The Gay Wedding Show will be held at the The Council House in Bristol on Sunday 8^th July from 10.30am to 4pm. It is an exclusive wedding fair for gay couples with everything you'll need for the planning of your wedding under one roof, including wedding outfits, catering, rings and venue exhibitions. 

 

“We guarantee that everyone you meet on the day will be gay-friendly,” said Lisa Cullender who has organised the event with her assistant Kath Pratt. “This is about making sure gay couples are exposed to the very best wedding suppliers in the Bristol area.”

 

Lisa launched Pink Partnerships last year, after already setting up and running a successful jewellery business, Add 2 Attract. The idea behind Pink Partnerships is that it is aimed solely at gay couples choosing their engagement and wedding rings. “We didn't just want to add the words ‘civil partnership’ to our existing advertising material,” Lisa said. “We wanted our gay customers to know that we would go out of our way to make them feel welcome." As specialists in ring design, Pink Partnerships provides a bespoke service, in relaxed company and love to celebrate your engagement with you. The company believes that your rings should be as individual as you are and will design your perfect rings free of charge, to suit all budgets.

 

Pink Partnerships was launched at Bristol Pride, and Lisa was overwhelmed by the reception it received. “People were shaking our hands and thanking us for making this kind of service available to them.” The reaction, though, prompted Lisa and Kath to dig a little deeper, and what they found really surprised them. “From our research we were horrified to learn that many gay couples had experienced prejudice in the run-up to their special day. As far as we are concerned planning a wedding should be a wonderful and enjoyable experience, regardless of sexuality," said Lisa.

Lisa also knows from this research that a lot of gay couples don't feel comfortable attending traditional wedding fairs, which is where the idea for The Gay Wedding Show was born. Pink Partnerships wants to make the planning of your special day as much fun as the actual wedding day itself. You'll be greeted with a glass of bubbly, and a fabulous and exclusive range of exhibitors will delight in helping you to plan the wedding of your dreams. There is sure to be a fun and vibrant atmosphere…with a few surprises throughout the day! The aim is to make The Gay Wedding Show an annual event at this central, easily reached location.

 

For more information on the event and to purchase discounted tickets please visit Pink Partnership's website or call 0117 961 8107.

Twinkle, twinkle

We here at West Weddings are a bit like magpies. We love bright, sparkly, pretty things, which is why we love new specialist boutique Bridezillas.

For brides searching for the perfect accessories, Bridezillas is definitely set to become your new favourite shop. With tiaras, jewellery, shoes, gifts and more on offer, this bridal emporium is full to the brim of beautiful trimmings to make your day even more special.

Bridezillas is the brainchild of Amanda Davis-Harrison and came about after she was making arrangements for her own wedding. “I spent far too much time trekking around department stores, high street shops and searching the internet for the right accessories. It was then that my dream of Bridezillas was born. I want to give brides a wonderful experience and provide them with somewhere they can bring their maid of honour and bridesmaids to relax, have fun and take time to try on and choose their accessories,” says Amanda.  And Bridezillas provides just that. For the full special experience, brides can even book a VIP appointment and benefit from having the entire shop to themselves and the undivided attention of Amanda and her capable staff. We love the idea of having the time and privacy to browse to your heart's desire - a great way to ensure you end up with just the right accessories.

Bridezillas is found in Keynsham, ideally placed between Bath and Bristol. Stocking designers such as Amanda Wyatt, Ivory & Co and Fifi, you'll definitely find something to treat yourself with!