4 Reasons Why You Should Custom Make Your Engagement Ring

Creating a custom made ring is an exciting and very rewarding experience, one that takes some consideration but is worth it in the long run. Before you decide to go down this path, it is important to understand why you would want to. Here are four reasons why you should choose to custom make your engagement ring.

1. Uniqueness

Designing your very own ring gives you a chance to show off your unique personality and individual characteristics. Shopping from a traditional vendor offers limited opportunities for ring customization. However, when designing a bespoke ring from sketch to finished product with a jeweller, you decide upon every element. You get to choose the diamond or gemstone shape, diamond clarity and size, style of band and other intricate detailing according to the specifications you give the jeweller. A custom-made ring gives you complete creative control over all the details, so you can tell the story of your unique partnership. 

2. Budget

Another very attractive reason to custom make your very own engagement ring is you can utilise your budget more effectively when compared to buying a ready made ring. You will be able to select exactly what features you do and do not want to be included in your ring and your jeweller will be able to guide you on where you can afford to make sensible budget decisions that won’t compromise the overall looks/feel of the ring.

3. Expert Advice and Guidance

Through direct interaction with your chosen jeweller, you can communicate exactly what your engagement ring needs are and, if chosen carefully, the jeweller will provide sound advice on quality, designs and features to select with your specific budget. The jeweller will pay attention to your preferences and provide insight into other potential options before creating your perfect custom made ring.

4. Couple Bonding Opportunity

An engagement ring should be a unique expression of your partnership and symbolize the beginning of a life-long partnership in a meaningful way. Getting engaged is a huge moment in any couple’s lives and the ring symbolises and captures this moment in time forever. Going about the process together to decide exactly what elements are to be included in the ring design is an intimate and bonding experience for both partners.

If you’re in two minds about whether to custom make your engagement ring or not, consider the aforementioned reasons. Speak to your partner about what's important to them and take your time. Choosing the right jeweller to take you along the customisation journey is key to producing the perfect end result. Make sure they are a reputable, trusted name in the industry and easily adapt the brief to your needs.

Author Bio:

Discover the wider collection of diamond jewellery and watches at J Farren-Price Sydney. In 2017 Farren-Price celebrated 75 years of offering exquisite products to discerning clientele. Established in 1942 by John Farren-Price the business today is still family run by his wife Krysten and son Julian. For over three quarters of a century the company has developed an outstanding international collection of finest watch brands including Patek Philippe, Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, Greubel Forsey, Jaeger LeCoultre, Panerai Hublot, IWC, Chopard, Longines, Tudor. In fact they are the longest standing representative of Patek Philippe and Rolex in Australia.

Must-Read Steps to Planning an Amazing Bridal Shower

 Must-Read Steps to Planning an Amazing Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is a great excuse to get everyone close to the bride together and celebrate her future status as a married woman. The duty of hosting usually falls upon the maid of honor, but it’s not uncommon for all the bridesmaids to plan together or even for the bride to do it herself. But just knowing that you have to plan a bridal shower isn’t enough. You have to think of a lot of little details to make sure this night stands out and that everyone has a good time. And here are some steps that you should never skip:

 Compile the guest list

This is the part where knowing the bride (and the people close to her) well comes in really handy. Who would the bride like to be there? Who would feel offended if they got left out, and are there any people who should be invited, but don’t get along? Make a guest list as soon as possible and send out invitations. By this point, you might already have a venue in mind, but you won’t be able to choose an exact venue nor set the budget until everyone replies and confirms they’re coming. And you can feel free to let go of the archaic rules of only women being invited: the bride certainly has close friends and family who are male, and they should be more than welcome to join in, because bridal showers are no longer about women exchanging advice on how to keep the house clean and make the perfect meatloaf.

                 

Choose a theme

No, a “bridal shower” isn’t a good enough theme; it’s simply the reason for the get-together. A theme will make the party more fun and it will help you a lot with setting up the décor and food choices. It can be inspired by a certain country, a movie or decade the bride loves, or simply her favorite colors. Whatever it may be, think in advance and plan around the theme, venue and food to make it all come together.

Get help

You don’t get sick leave off work just because you’re planning a party, and planning it really is a lot of work. So at the very least, you need to learn to delegate. Even if you do all the planning, you don’t have to be the one physically picking up the food or the flower arrangements. Set up a crew of the bride’s close friends (who are all invited) and have them help you out. And if you are not able to stay on top of the planning process, it’s a great idea to hire an event planner to help you out and make sure everything is running smoothly. Check in with them about how things are going, but also trust them that they know how to do their job well.

Think of activities

Sure, a night in with cocktails and discussing the things you normally would at a get-together can be fun, but this is a bridal shower and we need to step up your game. Before you start planning, be aware that not everyone will like to participate, and that you shouldn’t force any of the guests to play along. Plan games where everyone gets to say something nice about the bride, or simply prepare word cards and play charades. Or, you can just go old school and hang up a piñata or play Twister.

A special something

You want every guest, including the bride, leaving with a memory of that day firmly ingrained. And this means having some sort of wow factor or a memorable gift for them to take home. Consider getting a statement cake that has all the bride’s personality traits displayed on different tiers, or setting up a photo booth with accessories, so that everyone can get pictures to take home. You can also get some crafting supplies and have a party activity be making bead jewelry, which is then exchanged.

The bridal party shouldn’t be about you proving to the bride how much you love her and trying to outshine everyone else, it’s about coming together as a group of friends and celebrating. So put your party hats on and start having the night of your life!

Witten by Georgia Selih

Must-Have Wedding Photos You Don't Want To Miss

         Twenty, thirty, forty years down the line, you will sit with your wedding album in your lap and think back on that day – one of the happiest days of your life. And that’s really what it should be. But you won’t think about the late wedding invitations, the fondant on the cake that wasn’t the exact right shade of lilac or the forgotten speech; you will remember only the good moments with the help of your photographs. And you want to make sure that they capture all the moments, so even when your memory fades, you will have something to remind you.

                  The preparation

Whether it’s in your own home, in a hotel suite or at your best friend’s house, getting ready for the big day with all of your best friends and dearest family around you will create such a special atmosphere that you will definitely want to capture. The laughter as you are remembering old memories and talking about the embarrassing moments from childhood, the first look in the mirror with your hair and makeup done, the getting into the dress, the tears when you put on the veil will all be precious memories. Ideally, you will have more than one photographer, so that you can capture the preparations of both the groom and the bride.

                  The first look

Seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day is perhaps one of the most emotional moments of the day. Even if you don’t believe in the superstition of the “it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding”, the tradition is there for a reason, and you will cry when you see your significant other looking so beautiful. Make sure your photographer captures both the moments just before you see each other and the first look – ideally from multiple angles.

                  Out in nature

Even if your ceremony and after-party are taking place indoors, you still want to get some pictures outside. And the best photos will be at the best locations, which is why you want a photographer who knows the area well. If you are taking pictures in the Royal Botanical Gardens, you want to find the perfect Sydney wedding photographer who knows exactly where to take you. If it’s a colder season, make sure you have appropriate clothing that will match your wedding attire, and keep you warm enough. It’s also a great time to bring your friends and family and take some group photos.

                  Large group photos

It’s not always easy to coordinate a hundred (or a couple hundred) people for a group photo, but it’s not impossible. Use the moments like the ceremony, the speech or the first dance to your advantage, and get some aerial shots. If you want to take it up a notch, you can have all of your guests form a big heart or some other shape, or have everyone surround the couple and reach their hands out towards them. You will enjoy knowing that people who care about you were there to make the day magical.

                  Decoration

What makes a wedding so special are all the small touches that are given months of attention beforehand – from the perfect bouquet, the welcome bags and party favors, to the table décor and the flower petals tossed along the aisle. Make sure you also get pictures of the invitations before you send them out, the cake before it’s cut and the newlyweds’ table before anyone sits behind it. It is all of these details that will remind you of the overall atmosphere, and give you great references if you ever want to share some wedding ideas with someone else.

When choosing your photographer, make sure it’s someone you can easily communicate with and someone you trust. Keep in mind that every photographer has a different style, so if you look at their portfolio and love the pictures, but want a different style, you’ll be better off finding someone who specializes in that style. Book them well in advance to make sure they are available on the big day and talk them through all of the shots you want. It’s also a good idea to take them to see the venue before the event, so that they can create a plan for all the shots. Most importantly, you have to try and forget they’re there, and just smile from the heart.

Written by: Georgia Selih

Benefits of a Midweek Wedding

After getting engaged, one of the first things you’ll want to do is to decide on a wedding date and venue. Saturday is the most popular day of the week to get married, but have you ever thought of a midweek wedding – they’re certainly on the rise. But why exactly are people moving away from traditional weekend weddings in favour of other days of the week?

Cost

It’s no secret that weddings are costly affairs, so it makes sense to save money where you can. With brides and grooms looking to cut costs, they’re turning to handmade decorations and a more economic wedding menu, but a midweek wedding is one of the most obvious ways to save a bit of dosh.

People within the wedding business are constantly inundated with requests for Saturday weddings, so you can often find yourself struggling to book the services you truly want. However, requests for a midweek wedding are less frequent, so you’re more likely to be able to secure exactly who and what you want and can possibly compromise on price.

Because midweek weddings are less popular, it’s a simple case of supply and demand. Wedding venues and suppliers will have more negotiable rates on midweek weddings than they will for Saturday weddings. They’ll often offer lower prices and discounts in order to fill the gaps in the calendar, meaning that you can save on the cost of your big day.

By being more flexible with your wedding date, you can save up to a third on the cost of your wedding, meaning you could have your dream day at a fraction of the cost. What you do with those savings is completely up to you.

Availability 

As we touched on before, choosing a midweek wedding over a Saturday wedding will dramatically increase your chances of securing your dream venue, florist and wedding pianist for your big day.

With popular Saturday weddings, you may have to book years in advance for your dream wedding suppliers, however, with less popularity comes more availability. By planning a weekday wedding, you’re much more likely to secure the suppliers you want for the date that you want them, helping you to bring your dream wedding to life.

After all, with only 52 Saturdays per year, there are only so many weddings which can take place. However, by choosing any other day between Sunday and Friday, you’ll more than likely be able to avoid fighting off other couples for the same wedding vendors for your big day. This will hopefully make your wedding planning just a little less stressful.

Flexibility

If you’re after a little more flexibility for your big day, then a weekday wedding is the perfect solution for you. Not only does it increase the number of wedding dates available for you to choose from, but it also makes it much more likely that you’ll be able to book that wedding pianist that you’ve had your eye on.

A weekday wedding will also help you to think outside the box and make your wedding truly unique. How about a classy champagne brunch on a Sunday? Or continue your Thursday wedding celebrations into the weekend to truly make it an event to remember.

Togetherness

If you don’t want to venture too far from the traditional side of things, you might be reluctant to plan a weekday wedding. However, getting married on a weekday can actually make your traditional day of love just that little bit extra special.

Given the potential difficulty to take time off, your weekday wedding can provide a more intimate setting for your big day. As long as you ensure that you give your guests enough notice, you can guarantee that your closest friends and family will be there with you on your big day, making it a truly special occasion.

Undivided Attention

Speaking of making your big day an extra-special occasion, a weekday wedding increases the chances of your wedding being the only one on your wedding suppliers’ agendas. This means you’ll receive their undivided attention, from the venue’s manager to the florist – you’re sure to receive some extra-special touches.

As your supplier is less busy during the week, you’re sure to receive their undivided attention on the big day. This will help them to feel more relaxed and less rushed, boosting the quality and effort that they put into everything to make your day just as you envisioned it to be.

That’s not to say that your vendors won’t put their full effort into a Saturday wedding, but if they’ve got other clients to attend to on that day, then they might not have as much time to spend with you. A midweek wedding will take away this stress, making the whole day more relaxing and enjoyable for everyone.

Christmas Weddings

The rise in weekday weddings can be compared to the increase in Christmas-time weddings as opposed to the more popular months in summer, as they share similar benefits.

Whether you decide on a weekday wedding, a Christmas-time wedding or otherwise, if you’re reasonably flexible with your wedding date, organising your big day will be much less stressful.

About the author:

Benjamin Clarke is an established musician with over twenty years’ experience in the industry. He is a skilled pianist, keyboard player, trumpet player, singer, song-writer, arranger, composer and music teacher. Benjamin specialises in weddings and special events and has performed in some of the country’s most sought-after wedding venues, corporate events and luxury cruise ships.  Discover more about Benjamin’s services on his website: www.theweddingpianist.co.uk

Make Your First Dance Something To Remember

 

One of the sweetest traditions of a wedding is the first dance of the newlyweds. But this can also be quite a nerve-wrecking thing for the bride and groom, especially if they are not dancers. Unless you are professional dancers, you shouldn’t expect your first dance to be a spontaneous masterpiece: it should be a well planned, practiced and choreographed dance, and this is how to make sure it’s just perfect:

                  Research and get inspired

There are so many different styles of dance; the only option is for you to start researching. Look at different first dance videos, ask around with your friends and family, and see what is out there. You can go for a standard, timeless English waltz, a retro quickstep or jive, and even something completely modern and contemporary. However, while looking, make sure you don’t fall in love with someone else’s interpretation of the dance, but rather try to imagine yourself performing it. Does it suit your style and your abilities and will you feel good doing it?

                  Get the pros involved

Nobody is born knowing how to dance. It is a skill that is trained and developed over time, but if you never learned to dance while you were younger, you might feel like you are completely clumsy and uncoordinated. But you have to remember that all of that is just a lack of practice, and the best thing you can do is enroll in some adult dance classes that will help you get your rhythm in check. Your best bet is to go through a series of group classes to learn the basics of dancing, and work privately with a choreographer to make your vision come to life. Start early, get enough practice in, and most definitely practice by yourselves at home, and not just in class. With an activity as fun as dancing – why wouldn’t you?

                  Pick the perfect song

Music is one of the most emotionally stimulating arts, and we all have songs that hold special places in our hearts. Set one evening aside and make a playlist of all of your favorite songs. Make sure you include all the songs that have special meanings for each of you, and songs that you both love. Then listen to the playlist and see what songs feel right. Make a selection that consists of two to five songs and take them to your dance teacher. They will be able to tell you which songs work well for what you want, and which should be saved for another occasion. If you are having a live band, make sure you tell them the song choice well in advance, so that they have time to rehearse it, and ask them to notify you if they will make any changes to the rhythm or tempo.

                  Plan the scene

The first dance is not only about the dance itself. It is usually the first entry of the couple and the first steps they take together as husband and wife. For this reason, it is important to not only plan the dance, but the entry and exit, and all of the props. Will you walk in, hand in hand, while a smoke machine covers the floor? Or will you enter the room on the opposite sides and meet in the middle for a swift twirl? And when the dance comes to a close, should your guests then join you on the dance floor, or will you walk to your table and wait for the speeches to finish until you reopen the dance season?

Your first dance will be a wonderful memory for both of you, and even if you forget your steps, step on each other’s toes and completely go off-beat, you will still smile when you look at each other and laugh at the beautiful time you are spending together. Make sure the dance is video recorded, so you can watch it again down the line and remember that moment from your special day.

By Georgia Selih

What You Wish You Had Known Before You Planned Your Wedding

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime celebration of love and commitment with your partner. To plan this auspicious one-day celebration, you should do a proper planning; otherwise, you may end up regretting some of the things all through your life.

There are many people who wish that someone could have told or reminded them of certain things before their wedding day.

Here are some of the things to take note of to make sure that your wedding day is perfect and will be a lovely event to remember.

1.      Making Decisions

There are people who don’t like to make personal decisions when it comes to their own wedding. They don’t want to decide when and where to go for shopping, what kind of silverware should be on the table and all the other little details. They leave all of the decision-making to the wedding planner and then find out that there are things that they don’t like. When it comes to making decisions for your wedding, remember:

·      It is essential to know what you want and don't want when it comes to your wedding.

·      It’s your special day, and you have to make individual decisions to make sure that things will go as perfect as possible.

2.      Splurge on the Most Important Things

Your wedding day is the most important day of your life. You want to make sure that you’ll have beautiful memories about it. So, in the process of scrutinizing every little detail of your wedding, you might become too stressed out. Don’t worry. Tackle one thing at a time.

·      Remember to make a checklist so that you won’t leave anything out.

·      Regardless of your budget, you should focus on the things you will remember the most. Don’t stress about the rest.

·      You can select a place which is affordable enough to accommodate your close friends and family members.

·      With the help of a wedding planner, you can break a deal and come up with top-notch arrangements, perfect wedding cake, and food.

·      Splurge on the essential things while remaining thrifty with the less important ones.

3.      Thoroughly Explain What You Want to Service Providers

Even if the service providers are recommended by your wedding planner or by someone you know, make sure that everything is according to your liking. For example:

·      Discuss the songs you want to be played in each part of the wedding with your DJ.

·      To be precise, you can request for a video portfolio of their previous performances.

·      In this way, you will know how they perform live. This prevents any confusion like playing music from different genres and other wedding announcement mistakes.

4.      Make a Checklist

Similar to the point above, you should make checklists and ensure that all the service providers know how you want things to happen. Instead of regretting afterward, you can make it perfect by thinking things through and making checklists. For example:

·      You can create different checklists like a photo list for the wedding day.

·      You can have a collection of diagrams for a better understanding of the event.

·      You can make checklists for various other things related to your wedding.

·      You can save them to Dropbox, Evernote, or your wedding folder, and use them as needed.

5.      Skip the Rituals That Don’t Matter To You

There are some rituals that don't matter or are not really required.

·      The “bouquet throwing” ritual in which the bride throws the bouquet and other bridesmaids or female guests tries to catch it, may be relevant to some and not really for you. If you do not like this ritual, know that you have to option to skip that.

You should not feel obliged to include anything because it was on someone else’s wedding template or just because it is a tradition.

6.      Don’t Break Your Ankle Right Before Your Wedding Day

Just before your wedding, do not indulge in unnecessary, unusual, or dangerous activities. Even if it is a fun or enjoyable sport, you should avoid it. Can you imagine yourself walking down the aisle with a crutch? Of course not, so try to avoid anything that may cause accidents. As a friendly advice:

·      You should not stress.

·      Take care of yourself. If you do so, your wedding day will be fantastic.

·      Regardless of the level of preparations, if you are well and healthy, everything will happen beautifully.

In a nutshell:

These are some of the things that you should know before your wedding. Most people do not see these things and end up unnecessarily stressed-out.  Hence, savor the most beautiful day of your life. It’s your special day. Do your best to enjoy every moment of it.

Written by: Anthony Briggs

Anthony Briggs has worked with some of the major hotel chains in the world. He currently works for Tuki Retreat. He enjoys working in the hospitality industry and is dedicated to providing clients with the best accommodation experience available.