It’s not often that we find a stunning new collection for our ground-breaking boutique which we know will knock the socks off of our lesbian brides and gay grooms alike! But, folks! We’ve found it!

GayWeddings.com is pleased to introduce a dazzling new line of rings which have been custom-designed to satisfy same-sex couples as they celebrate their engagements, unions and legal marriages. Our new exclusive Tux in the City line, developed with the help of a talented NYC-based jeweler, features 14 karat white gold rings and high quality, SGI/EGL certified white diamonds (HI-SI2) paired with attention-grabbing, color enhanced Black Diamonds.

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Australian designer Stephanie Browne’s magnificent ’20s-inspired hair accessories and jewelry are what you might expect to discover in a secret cache of Prohibition era jewelry.

For her Fall 2010 collection, Stephanie created combs with bold metallic feathers, oversize pearls, and enormous Swarovski crystal flowers, multiple strand pearl necklaces with large filigreed broaches, and glittering chandelier earrings. Each has the feel and heirloom quality of a piece a relative found in a hope chest, dusted off, and gifted to be worn as “something old.”

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UK bridal shoe maven Filippa Scott introduced a new collection of jewelry, veils, and accessories imbued with her glamorous retro style.

Ropes of pearls adorned with broaches and sparkling chandelier earrings that could have come out of your grandmother’s jewelry box were not only beautiful but comfortable (I did indeed try them on!).

Accessories that seemed out of your family’s cache of heirlooms filled Filippa Scott’s suite. Playful, dramatic feathered combs, headbands adorned with art deco broaches, filigreed flowers, and mother of pearl diamante evening bags all tested my self control with the compulsion to play dress up.

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Alex Soldier Collection

Continue on my journey to find what is the best thing that my bride can do to be up to date and fashionable and yet elegant and simple without any over dues (and any regret few years down the road) so I purchased a few of my favorite bridal magazines… Town and Country Weddings, of course “Martha Stewart Weddings” and “Well Wed” and head home to start writing.

Going through my notes to put this blog together I realized they all have one thing in common and that is “The glitz of the new fancy big bulky fashion jewelry” …
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Did you get the ring yet? Gentlemen, I will not kid you: purchasing an engagement ring is a daunting task, never mind the emotion that comes from the actual proposal.  Finding the right ring for your bride to be can be overwhelming.  But armed with a little knowledge and the right resources, you’ll be an expert in no time!

Let’s talk about diamonds – a girl’s best friend.

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Did you get the ring yet? Gentlemen, I will not kid you: purchasing an engagement ring is a daunting task, never mind the emotion that comes from the actual proposal.  Finding the right ring for your bride to be can be overwhelming.  But armed with a little knowledge and the right resources, you’ll be an expert in no time!

• Before you launch in to the hunt for the perfect ring, make sure you have an idea of what she may like. What is the style of the jewelery she already wears?  Does she wear a lot of gold, or does she stay on the silver or platinum side of the fence? (Not sure?  Make not of her watch band or her bracelets and necklace chains.)   Is she a modern girl, into classic or traditional design, or can she claim to have one foot firmly placed into a different era?  This might give you a hint of the design of the ring: clean lines in a platinum setting, a solitaire stone in a white gold, or perhaps an art deco etched ring with side stone settings.  When in doubt, ask a trusted friend or family member (and swear them to secrecy if you must!)

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You know the song made famous by Marilyn Monroe, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the classic movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? While we are not all lucky enough to be draped and dripping with diamonds like my girl Marilyn was, some look-alikes can absolutely do the job! Adding some dazzle to your gown with accessories is a way to turn up the volume. After all, if ever there was a way to rock it out, your wedding day is it! Plus, any of the jewelry you buy can be worn post-wedding – sparkle goes with everything!

For a more regal look, this necklace from Forever 21 (via Refinery 29) is stunning and the price can’t be beat! Paired with an elegant, simple gown, you could channel Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

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People ask us all the time about diamond jewelry for the wedding. There are some companies that actually specialize in renting high-end jewelry for weddings, like Adornbrides.com.

When thinking about jewelry for the wedding, consider the other parties as well–your mother, your sister, your grandmother, etc. What will they be wearing? Do they need to get their diamond studs polished and cleaned up? And what about yourself? Is there a diamond necklace in the family that you’d want to wear or will you splurge and buy something new? Maybe a relative will want to sponsor such a gift.

I know some bridal jewelry companies like Tacori have their own bridal jewelry, tiaras, and hair pieces. Most of our designers like Ritani or Verragio don’t, however, so I would suggest asking your bridal retailer about what jewelry they’d recommend.

The soaps and lotions that your hands encounter on a daily basis will cloud and dull your engagement ring, and it should be cleaned periodically to keep it brilliant.

The easiest way to clean a diamond ring is with solution of water and mild liquid detergent. A soft bristled brush can loosen dirt and a soft, lint-free cloth should be used for drying. Store-bought jewelry solutions may also be used for soaking diamond rings as well as solutions of ammonia and ethyl alcohol. Ammonia (in a mild solution with three parts water) is particularly good for brightening yellow gold, but should never be used with fracture-filled diamonds , as it may cause the diamonds to become cloudy or discolored. If you don’t know if your diamond is fracture-filled, look at the certificate. It should be clearly noted if it has indeed been fracture filled. (Most diamonds are not fracture-filled and if it is not mentioned anywhere on the certificate, the diamond is probably fine.)

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