Something Worn for Life

Using the last post as a jumping point, this one is devoted to engagement rings.

 

Probably the most orthodox way is going to a quality jeweler like many others have done. This way you get personalized service. This to me is the best option because you can try on rings and be sure that you are getting a quality item.

 

However, for the increasing Internet age, there are those that would rather shop online for convenience in their PJ’s. One of the more interesting websites being used as a stating point is the one and only The Knot.com.

 

They have designer ring to browse and then if you want, it will lead you to the designers website.

 

Once you click on a ring to view, there will be a menu bar to the left that has many different options for ring browsing. I highly suggest it, even if your not looking for a ring, they always make me cheer up on a bad day!

 

Also they have a design your own ring section, which, me being a girl I found fun and useful in designing the ring of my dreams that depending on the salary of my future husband I might just get.

 

I have also heard places that you should spend about 3 months salary on an engagement ring. Whether that is true or not, I have personally to see.

 

I will leave you with a quote that I like and as to not make me sound totally materialistic, that was said  by a local jeweler that I had of chatted with once, “I doesn’t matter if it is a $10,000 ring or a $100 dollar ring, it is what it represents.”

 

A Circle Represents That Which Does Not Stop.

Promise rings? Pre-Engagement rings? Pinning? Oh My!?

What are a girl, and a guy for that matter, to do?

 

Promise rings can come down to a few different meanings, pre-engagement, purity and, friendship. However, possibly the most well known meaning is the first one listed above.

Pre-engagement is what it sounds like, a promise of engagement for a couple. They may purchase one of these because the may have decided that in the future they want to get married but for some reasons or another, they can’t at the time.

 

Pinning is mainly a college ritual and more specifically within fraternities and sororities and it is similar to promise rings. When two member of a Greek organization decided that they may someday in the future want to get married, or stay together after college, the man will give his girlfriend his fraternity pin.

 

Basically, with all of these choices I believe that it comes down to the couple and what they want. Some, think anything before engagement is a little odd, or “dumb” as some of my friends have said. Others believe that it is a very sweet thing and when they get to that point will have no problem with the rings or pins.

Will you?

A friend of mine found this link for me. It is a little blurb on 5 geeky proposals. Personally though, I think they are cute (as does my roommate and others that I have shown the webpage to).

Rejected

Ah, Valentines Day. One of the most wonderful days of the year. Well, not for some unfortunately, like this poor man who was rejected in front of a stadium full of people.

Roses

I found this video while surfing around the web. It's a how-to video on making a wedding bouquet.

The Luck O' The Irish

One of the most outward symbols of Irish relationships and love is the Claddagh Ring. You may recognize them, a heart toped with a crown and encircled by hands.  The meaning behind these symbols are that the heart means love, the crown means loyalty and the hands mean friendship.

 

In America many people will wear them as a sign of their heritage and an outward symbol of a person?s availability. With a quick glance you can tell if the woman or man is single or in a relationship (if the point of the heart is facing towards the knuckle of either hand this means "in a relationship" and the point facing away from the knuckle means "single").

 

In Ireland the ring takes on a deeper meaning. The ring is the bride's wedding band and there are stricter rules for wearing it. The more significant rule for this post is that for a wedding band, the ring is worn with the point of the heart facing the knuckle on the left hand.

 

Another Irish tradition is that the couple walks to the church together and on-onlookers throw rice and larger items to bless the marriage.

 

Also the Irish have strict days on which to get married. They will not have weddings on Sunday, Lent or Christmas. The Irish are very religious and the will not put God before themselves.

 

As with the most famous day in Irish culture, St. Patrick's Day is considered to be the luckiest wedding day.

 

There are also Irish sayings for times in the year and the week that are best to get married. The sayings are the days of the week and the months of the year respectfully:

 

Monday for health, 

Tuesday for wealth, 

Wednesday the best day of all, 

Thursday for losses,

Friday for crosses,

Saturday no day at all,

 

Marry when the year is new, always loving, kind, and true. 

When February birds do mate, you may wed, nor dread your fate.

If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.

?Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and for man. 

Marry in the month of May, you will surely rue the day. 

Marry when June roses blow, over land and sea you'll go. 

They who in July do wed, must labor always for their bread. 

Whoever wed in August be, many a change are sure to see. 

Marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine.

If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry. 

if you wed in bleak November, only joy will come, remember. 

When December's rain fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Lastly, I leave you with a Irish toast that I found and thought suitable for an Irish wedding post.

 

When we drink, we get drunk.

When we get drunk, we fall asleep.

When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.

When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.

So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven!

 

Thanks to the following websites for the information.

http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/west_europe_traditions/irish_traditions.html

 

http://www.romanceclass.com/weddings/ireland/

Super Bowl

Sitting in front of the T.V. watching Bruce Springsteen sing “Born To Run” at the Super Bowl Half Time Show, got me in the mood to dance to a classic. Although, I don't know if I would dance to "Baby Got Back" in front of my friends and family. 

Dessert

Bored of the normal traditional wedding cake? Try something different!

New ways of ending your wedding reception have included, dessert bars, cupcake towers, and, petifore cakes. 

 

Dessert bars have lots of different desserts that can be beautifully decorated to match your theme or your color. Meringue, cookies, chocolate cover pretzels cupcakes and pastries are only some of the options that you can have. 

 

Cupcake towers are also a good substitution. You can have a tiered stand and place the cupcakes on top of them. This is a perfect solution if you don’t want your guests to be filled to the brim after dinner and dessert. Also, if you don’t want to but into a huge beautiful cake that you paid so much for.

 

A Petifore cake, French for “small oven”, is another small option for your stuffed guests. However, these are miniature individual decorated cakes. They are often covered with fondant and decorated butter cream icing. For those of you who do not speak cake, Fondant is a doughy shapeable mixture often used to cover cakes and butter cream icing is a sweet frosting frequently used to cover cakes and decorate them.