Mother of the Bride Outfit: Some Food for Thought

If you are the mother of a bride, then you might find yourself in a difficult situation with finding the right outfit. Mother of the bride outfits are fortunately provided by many designers and retailers so there is plenty to look at. If you are still unsure of type of style you are going to be wearing, have a read through this post.

Before choosing your style, make sure that you consult with your daughter first as she will have the “final say.” If your daughter has decided that there will be a dress code in terms of colour then this need to be taken into consideration. It is also important to wait with buying your outfit, until your daughter has bought the dress she likes. This will avoid a completely different style of clothing for both the mother and daughter, and will keep everything coherent.

Purple mini flower shift dress

Bramble shimmer shantung jacket

An example of something you could be wearing at your daughter’s wedding is this beautiful purple mini flower shift dress. It features a stunning laser cut satin flowers around the neck, all with bead centres. The dress has a back zip and would be perfect to wear to a wedding, or to any other special occasion. This bramble shimmer shantung jacket with a gentle grown on the neckline would fit perfectly to wear over the dress. It has ¾ sleeves and satin piping with a grosgrain bramble rosette that covers the hook.

When you purchase your outfit, make sure that it is not too tight. Many women buy a size smaller (as they believe it looks better) but find themselves feeling uncomfortable during the wedding, as it is simply too small. It is always better to stick to your own size of to even buy a size larger as the wedding is a special but also long day, so feeling comfortable should be prioritized. Happy shopping!

6 Jaw-Dropping Bridal Jewelry Pieces That Will Make Your Wedding Great

Planning a wedding alone can be a stressful, yet memorable experience. Before you can plan a complete wedding wardrobe, picking the pricier items (bride's dress, jewelry for the wedding party, etc.) is important. Choosing the perfect engagement ring and wedding band can be difficult because of both price variations and styles. Once the right ring has been chosen, incorporating other pieces of jewelry on your wedding day can be just as difficult. Here is a list of the top 6 exquisite bridal jewelry pieces that will help make any bride shine on her big day:
 The first piece of jewelry is a stunning engagement ring from Bridal by Luxury Bazaar. This stunning engagement ring is 14K white gold with a 0.75 ct. diamond in the middle. 6 smaller diamonds line the raised 0.75 ct. diamond on the band. The original retail price of this ring is $7,061.00, but Luxury Bazaar offers the ring for $1,569.00. This ring is a great choice for the traditional bride looking for a simple, elegant feel.

 If a bride is looking for a more extravagant, yet price-friendly engagement ring, the Radiant Star 5/8 ct. diamond engagement ring is the perfect choice. This ring is a 14K white gold ring with a princess cut diamond in the middle. The center diamond is 1/3 ct. and is surrounded by round brilliant cut accent diamonds. This piece is from Helzberg Diamonds and also contains an IGI Certificate of Quality Assessment. This extravagant ring does not come with an extravegent price; for only $1,999.00, any bride will feel like a princess.

 Popular wedding dresses are usually strapless and incorporate many crystal or pearl embellishments. If this sounds like the dress you picked, Anna Bellagio has the perfect necklace to accompany it. The Alana Pearl and Rhinestone Necklace is a choker style necklace that incorporates the shine and sparkle that your dress has. This necklace is adjustable between 13 inches and 15 inches. Price is not an issue to get a beautiful necklace for your wedding day, as this choker only costs $42 and will look beautiful in each of your wedding pictures.

If your wedding decor and dress have a vintage style and feel, finding the right jewelry will not be difficult. Tejani jewelry offers a special vintage y-shaped necklace that will suit your needs. This necklace is adjustable and is 16 inches long. Tejani jewelry sells this necklace for $195.00. The great thing about this necklace is that it can be paired with many different wedding styles and colors that aspire to a vintage or retro feel.

 Earrings are distinct pieces of jewelry which can add elegance to the hair style and facial features of any beautiful bride. Tigerlilly has many different types of earrings which sould appeal to any different style that the bride wants to achieve. For a bride with a simple, chic gown, the Mischka Earrings would be a perfect choice. Pairing these Swarovski crystal earrings with a simple gown will add the right amount of sparkle that every bride desires. The Mischka Earrings are 2 inches in length and only cost $80. These earrings will make an even bolder statement if the bride chooses to wear her hair in an up-do.

 Bracelets are an uncommon bridal accessory, but they will enhance the overall look of the bride. For brides who prefer pearl jewelry over diamonds and crystals, a beautiful pear bracelet will do the job perfectly. Bonita J offers many different styles of pearl bracelets that a bride will fall in love with at first sight. One of the most popular bracelets is the Audrey Pearl Cluster Bracelet. This bracelet is $59 and consists of a chain bracelet and clusters of pearls. Another great feature about this bracelet is that it is available in different shades of white and ivory to match the bride's dress perfectly.

 These 6 jaw-dropping bridal jewelry pieces will give brides the exact style and feel they want for their wedding and their outfit. Whether you want to be a traditional, vintage, or extravagant bride, with exquisite jewelry like this on your side, you're sure to look gorgeous on your big day!

The Royal Wedding Continues to Charm

It seems like forever ago since Kate Middleton lived out the dream of little girls everywhere by marrying her prince and stepping into her new role as future monarch of Great Britain. So familiar have images of loved-up Kate and Prince William become that a time when they weren’t blissfully wed has become a distant memory.

It’s doubtful that the Royal Wedding, which took place on April 29, will be forgotten anytime soon though. The special day will go down in history for obvious reasons but fashion fans will remember it as a catwalk spectacle on the hugest possible scale. The bride looking radiant in a dress designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, guests (including style icon Victoria Beckham and hat-happy Princess Beatrice) making an impression, and – of course – little sis Pippa Middleton scoring admirers around the world in that white dress.

The global interest in the event has manifested itself in the form of fashion items that everyone can enjoy. Summer brides-to-be are taking a lot of cues from the bride of the year, with replica dresses available at budget prices. It’s not just the wedding dress that has caught the imagination though, with Royal Wedding-themed jewellery also continuing to charm...

Following the announcement of the engagement in 2010, which saw Kate wear the 18ct blue sapphire and white diamond ring passed down to William from Princess Diana, similar rings have started to trend with blue CZ offering a cheap and cheerful alternative to the gem stone. Although the ring given to Kate on her big day is made from rare Clogau gold, wedding rings containing the Welsh gold remain available.

Meanwhile, fans of Pandora jewellery – and especially Pandora charms  – can keep a memory of the special day forever with a commemorative bead. The sterling silver heart has a sparkling blue stone at its centre and even features the happy couple’s initials ‘C & W’ engraved on the back. It’s only available until October so any collectors of limited edition Royal Wedding paraphernalia will want to get theirs quick sharp.

So, while the nuptials of the year, the decade, perhaps even the century are a thing of the past, they’ll continue to live on as a cultural event that defined 2011. Now, if only Prince Harry would hurry up and pop the question so we could enjoy the romance, the glamour and – yes – the fashion all over again.

The Wedding Band in Ancient Cultures

Although popularized in the 20th century, the tradition of the wedding band dates back as far as ancient Egypt, where men sometimes gave their intended brides rings made out of hemp, bone, leather, or ivory. These served not only as visual symbols of a woman's marital status, but were symbolically linked to the spiritual beliefs of the ancient Egyptians.

The ring, as an endless loop, symbolized to the Egyptians the eternal, unending nature of love, and the way that life returned to itself in death. The wedding band was also a gateway, a door, to the heart and spirit, and bore resemblance to both the moon and the sun, which Egyptians worshiped.

The tradition of wearing a wedding band gradually spread, and ancient Romans often used iron rings, to symbolize love's strength. The practice of wearing the wedding band on the third finger of the left hand is said to have begun in ancient Rome, as the Romans believed that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart. Although this has been scientifically disproven, the tradition survives nonetheless.

In many ancient cultures, the wedding ring was not as much a symbol of love as one of trust or ownership, particularly in patriarchal societies. Wedding bands could indicate "ownership" of a woman, or a groom's willingness to entrust her with his valuable property. It was not until much later, in medieval Europe, that wedding bands and engagement rings were inset with gems or other precious stones/metals, when they served to show off a man's wealth and status in society.

Although some modern couples may see the wedding band as a commonplace part of wedding traditions, it has a long, rich history of rich with symbolic meaning and depth for many cultures worldwide.

Tom Moore is an blogger and internet marketing enthusiast currently working for a number of internet companies as a web consultant , marketing expert and investor. Tom has a passion for jewelry and is currently writing for Brillianteers - Diamond Engagement Rings