Wedding Buzz Blog
Spring is Here: Spring/Summer 2018 Wedding Jewelry Trends
Ah spring. One of my favorite times of year. My peonies and hydrangea will be awakening from their winter slumber soon; the phlox and aster won’t be far behind. Every spring, my heart soars at the sight of my garden blooming and growing. And in 2018, I don’t have to look to just my garden for florals, florals, florals. Three-D floral embellishments are a big trend for brides tying the knot this spring and summer. In honor of spring bringing new beginnings, let’s take a few minutes to “spring” into the 2018 wedding jewelry trends. Trend: 3D Florals Application: Three-dimensional florals were literally ALL over the runways in the spring/summer bridal fashion shows. And with good reason; they’re beautiful. But they can be unforgiving and distracting in a gown. I preferred to have my ivory satin gown embellished with beading and embroidery. For the bride who, like me, ...Read More »
2017 Wedding Songs
Last year around this time, we took a stroll down memory lane regarding the music selection at my wedding. I won’t bore you with the same ol’ story this year, but for those who missed it, a quick one-liner about it: my darling husband is actually a music snob and as a result, painstakingly selected every single “important” song in our wedding and reception (and even went so far as to tell our DJ that he wouldn’t be receiving a tip if my husband heard so much as one bar of a Bob Seger song…seriously). With spring and summer wedding preparations wrapping up, before you kick your heels up and relax, take a few minutes and spend the time to craft a soundtrack for your wedding that will only enhance the magical quality of your fairytale night. Here are my picks for this year’s top musical honors for your wedding. Processional: Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy; more ...Read More »
Screen Gems: Iconic Jewelry in Film
Movies are often caught in that odd space between art-reflecting-life and life-reflecting-art. Contemporary style culture influences the movie costumer’s choices, and vice versa. How often have we seen the trends shift in the wake of a popular movie? Fashion and jewelry are an integral part of telling a story on film and that importance has occasionally left lasting style legacies. Ask anyone to identify one piece of movie jewelry that they consider to be iconic, and they will probably mention one of about 10 different pieces with which we are all familiar. Instead of going through some of the less impressive, I’m going to jump in with my own top three choices. I made these choices based on luxury, pop culture references, and personal taste. We’ll start with my second runner-up, the Heart of the Ocean. You know the one: Titanic, blue and white ...Read More »
How to Wear It Best: Pairing the Right Necklace With Your Neckline
It has always amazed me that accessories, especially jewelry, can make or break an outfit. In fact, they can make or break my entire day. I don’t feel like I’m dressed without jewelry. No jewelry? May as well be naked; don’t leave the house. Even though I need jewelry to feel completely prepared to take on the day, not every bauble will complement every ensemble. The idea of complementary jewelry pairings goes beyond color matching, metal mixing, and style consideration (seriously, who is going to wear a luscious Art Deco enamel piece with a crummy tshirt and jeans…I mean, besides me?). Some jewels are daily staples (like your diamond wedding ring, for example), but most are in a rotation, so to speak, that changes daily. Case in point: have you ever stopped to consider that the neckline of your shirt/top/dress should be your first ...Read More »
Show Me What You're Made Of: A Comparative Look at the Metals Used in Wedding Bands
The standard for wedding bands has always been to make them from gold. The gold is mined, refined, alloyed, cast, and polished to the perfect gleam. Gold has been a traditional choice for ladies’ wedding rings since the Roman Empire, when wealthy men gave their wives gold bands. Those who couldn’t quite afford the steep price for gold gave their beloved rings made of other metals, like iron. The American wedding ring market doubled during the mid-20th century, as soldiers started wearing wedding rings to remember their wives while they were away. At that time, the rings were mostly made in gold. Platinum had been a popular choice for jewelry throughout the Art Deco period, prized for its futuristic and modern vibe. But when America’s entrance in World War II took precedence over jewelry, platinum use was diverted to the war effort. ...Read More »
A Little Glitz and Glam: Luxury Jewelers and Wedding Bands Inspired by Them
Jewelry is one of those amazing things in life that almost every woman likes. I would venture to guess that most don’t love it as much as I do, but I would reckon that most women enjoy jewelry. Jewelry can run the gamut: it can be the most indulgent luxury you’ll ever experience, or it can be the pony-beads-on-a-pipecleaner bracelet your preschooler made you (I myself have two of these fine baubles). Either way, jewelry captures the imagination and is a creative outlet for the designer. Jewelry is an incredible artistic expression, not just because it is truly art, but also because it is art that you can wear every day. I appreciate a good impressionist painting (Renoir is my favorite impressionist painter) as much as the next liberal arts college graduate, but I can’t carry Bal du Moulin de la Galette (Renoir’s most famous painting, housed at the Musée d’Orsay in ...Read More »
On Trend: Spring,Summer 2017 Wedding Jewelry Trends
Ten years ago, I had my heart set on the most stunning necklace I’ve ever seen. It was so beautiful, it defies description. But because I’m sure you appreciate jewelry the way I do, have a look for yourself. I wore this marvelous creation for my wedding. My entire wedding look was planned around this necklace, right down to the color of thread embroidered artfully throughout my bodice. When I first started dress shopping, I approached the daunting task with the idea that because the necklace was so fanciful and complex, my dress should be a simple and understated backdrop. But as I was trying on simple and understated dresses, they just seemed lackluster and drab compared to the necklace I would wear. When I tried on the dress I ultimately ended up buying, I knew. I had one of those fairytale experiences where I just “knew” this was ...Read More »
Style Spotlight: Fleur-de-lis
Anyone who has ever loved the old-world charm of royalty, especially the French court, is familiar with the fleur-de-lis. Translated literally, it means “lily flower.” A passing glance opens your eyes to the stylized lily flower that it is meant to represent. Featured prominently in conjunction with Catholic saints (notably St. Joseph), the symbol has become synonymous with French royalty. French historian Georges Duby says that the three petals of the fleur-de-lis represent the three classes of people in medieval France: those who worked, who fought, and who prayed. While never officially adopted by the French republic, it is the most easily recognized symbol of that country and culture. But the fleur-de-lis’s influence extended beyond France. It actually appears on the coat of arms for the Spanish king, given his familial history (he ...Read More »
Non-Traditional Wedding Jewelry Ideas
By now you all should know how I feel about jewelry: I kind of think it’s a big deal. I mean, my husband and I refurbished a dresser from the Salvation Army and repurposed it into a jewelry armoire…don’t judge. It’s pretty fly, if I can borrow the accolades of a good friend of mine. And in no single life event does jewelry play a bigger role than in your wedding. One of the main features of a wedding is the giving and receiving of wedding bands (to learn more about the modern double-ring ceremony, check out this blog). But the standard expectations for what kind of jewelry you wear and how you wear it may not work for every bride. In the spirit of inviting you to see other options, I thought today would be an opportunity to chat about some different avenues of jewelry use in your wedding ensemble. When we think about wedding jewelry, ...Read More »
A Stroke of Luck: Jewelry Superstitions
You can make a superstition regarding pretty much anything. Jewelry, especially in weddings and romantic relationships, is no exception. A quick perusal of the internet will yield about a bazillion results, some standard old wives’ tales we’ve all heard, and some nutty banana ones that make you scratch your head and giggle. In the interest of fun, I’ve collected some of my favorites here. Some serious, some not so much. And, spoiler alert, for just about every superstition I found, I uncovered an equal amount of rebuttal superstitions. So really, I guess the moral of the wedding jewelry superstition story is to take it all with a grain of salt and just wear the jewelry that makes you feel alive, on fire, and as precious as the jewels in them. We’ll start with the engagement ring. Some lore suggests that the day on which the engagement ring is purchased will ...Read More »
