01.27.08

Buying an engagment ring

Posted in groom, wedding at 8:02 pm by Rosemarie

Diamond Buying Tips

For all you guys preparing to pop the question this Valentines Day, I though I’d give you a bit of advise. There is a lot to know about rings and about your bride before you purchase the ring.

By the time you buy the engagement ring, you should know her ring size. An easy way to figure out her ring size is to secretly take one of her rings to a jeweller. They will be more than happy to help you out. You might also ask her sister or mother, or anyone close to her who would possibly know he ring size.

marry_me.jpg

You should also know what shapes of jewellery stones she likes. Does she like white or yellow gold, or platinum? White gold and platinum are the most popular at the moment. Next, you must set your budget. Engagement ring prices can range from moderately expensive to very expensive. The price of the engagement ring is only limited by your budget. The diamond is what makes the engagement ring such an expensive gift. With such an expensive investment, you should make sure you understand some of the basics of buying diamonds.

Diamond professionals use four factors to purchase diamonds, and you should use the same standards to buy the diamond engagement ring.

1. Colour – The colour of the diamond has a significant impact on the overall price. Sometimes this is referred to as the colour value of the diamond. You might ask the jeweller to place the diamonds you are interested in order based on colour value. Since the colour differences are so light, it might be difficult to see the colour difference between diamonds. Keep in mind the less colour the more expensive.

2. Clarity – Clarity is no less important when it comes to selecting a diamond. An Fl (Flawless) graded diamond shows no inclusions (inclusions = flaws) under 10X magnification. Since flawless diamonds are extremely rare, be prepared to pay extra for perfection.

3. Cut – It is the first aspect of the diamond that is influenced by humans. Cut is also called ‘make’, the better the make the more gorgeous the diamond. Valuing the diamond based on cut can be very subjective.

4. Carat – Carat weight is the basic measuring unit of diamonds. It has to do with how much your diamond weighs.There is a huge variety of diamonds to choose from. While they are all beautiful, they are very different in colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. We hope you’ll find the above information helpful in selecting your engagement ring diamond. Keep in mind, you should only buy a diamond from a reputable jeweller.

Wedding March Music

Posted in ceremony, music, wedding at 8:00 am by Rosemarie

aisle-flowers.jpg Whatever the reason, some brides often look for other options. These days, two alternative pieces get overused: Pachebel’s “Canon in D” and Purcell’s “Voluntary,” which is also attributed as “The Prince of Denmark’s March,” by Clarke. This became wildly popular after Princess Diana used it in her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles.

Whatever you choose you have to have a short theme as the musicians need to be able to stop the music in the right place. Maybe try “Eleanor Plunkett,” by Turlough O’Carolan, paired with “Skyeboat,” a traditional Irish piece, as a processional, then “Hewlitt,” also by O’Carolan, as a recessional if you are a couple “who want to dance out of the aisle.”

March alternatives: Processional

• Apothesis/Tchaikovsky

• Doxology

• Hymn Fanfare from The Triumphant/Couperin

• Fanfares/Sir Arthur Bliss

• Fantasie in C/Franck

• La Cinquantaine (for the flower girl)

• March from Aida/Verdi

• March Nuptiale/Allan Caron

• Sarabande from Suite {nldr}11/Handel

• Sinfonia (Wedding Cantata)/Bach

• Theme from Fifth Symphony/Tchaikovsky

• To a Wild Rose/MacDowell (for the ushers)

• Wedding March/Guilmant

• Wedding Processional/(“The Sound of Music”)

Recessional

• Air in D/Handel

• Allegro Maestoso in D/Handel

• Bell Symphony/Purcell

• Hornpipe (Water Music)/Handel

• Processional/from Xerces/Handel