It took you a lifetime, but you finally found the perfect man, now to take care of your bling he gave you. It’s so shiny, so sparkly, so brilliant — the last thing you’d ever want to do is nick it, chip it, gunk it up or knock it loose from its setting. You would never dream of letting your beloved ring meet with such fate. So, how do you care for such a precious symbol of your love? Read on.

Take It Off.

Believe it or not, caring for your ring occasionally means taking it off, such as during the following activities:

• Playing sports. Holding a tennis racket tightly is particularly not good for a wedding band which has stones going all the way around — especially if you’re left-handed. As for taking your ring to the gym, lifting weights with it on can also be hazardous. You wouldn’t want a 25-pound dumbbell making contact with your stone.
• Gardening. It is possible to chip your diamond or knock the setting loose while doing heavy yard work.
• Cleaning house. Harsh chemical soaps or cleansers can soil the ring. It’s also a good idea not to wear your ring while doing the dishes.

Safekeeping.

If you’ll be taking your ring off to do the activities above, make sure you have a safe — and memorable — place to put it. Diamonds should be stored in their own separate box, pouch or jewelry compartment because they can scratch other pieces of jewelry.

Keep It Free From Lotion, Sunscreen And Perfume.

These products can gunk up your diamond, and even etch colored gemstones. It’s a good idea to take your ring off before you put these things on.

Have Your Setting Checked Regularly.

Most jewelers recommend you have your setting checked every six months to make sure the stone hasn’t been knocked loose, especially if it is particularly large.

Don’t Swim In The Ocean.

Cold water may shrink your fingers just enough to loosen the ring from your finger, and if you lose it in the deep blue sea, you won’t be seeing it again. If you must, you may swim in a swimming pool with your ring — at least the pool can be drained if it slips off your finger. Note, however, that while platinum can withstand virtually any chemical, experts advise not to expose gold or silver rings to the harsh chemicals found in swimming pools and spas — the bands can become severely discolored over time.

Be Careful In The Kitchen.

Cookie dough, turkey loaf, a pie crust… it’s great to mix with your fingers. But these foods can leave a film on your ring and really affect its luster.

Keep It Clean.

Cleaning your gems with random cleaners at home is something we do not recommend. Elizabeth Taylor would clean her 33.19 carat Krupp diamond ring with hot water, a toothbrush, and gin; however, most jewelers will clean your ring free of charge, so take advantage of this courtesy.

There are a few ways to clean your ring at home. We suggest using a gentle dish detergent to clean lotion buildup from the bottom of the mounting. Simply scrub the top and bottom with a soft toothbrush and rinse several times in hot water.

Insure Your Ring.

Insurance is necessary to protect your financial investment in the event that something gets lost, stolen or damaged. It is also important to have your jewelry appraised every five years as the cost of diamonds and precious metals go up. If you were to lose something which was appraised 10 years ago, the insured value would be far less than the actual replacement cost.

Take care of your ring, and it will always be as dazzling as it was on your wedding day.

On the day of the wedding, most brides can’t help but radiate joy from every pore. Below are 15 photos of beaming brides to remind you just how good it feels to surround yourself with love.

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Both the bride and groom and wedding guests can end up spending a fortune on the big day even though a winter wedding is filled with cost-saving possibilities. Below are some inspirational ways to save money in the winter wedding season.

Reception

Pick up pine cones

In the weeks leading up to the big day pick up any pine cones you see. They’re completely free and can look beautiful as a table centerpiece on their own or spray-painted silver.

Look through your garden

Gorgeous winter foliage can really set your wedding apart. Why not try streaming ivy down the aisle of the church and making Christmas wreaths for the table centerpieces.

Opt for cheaper flowers

Summer weddings often require a wide variety of color in the floral arrangements but winter weddings can be simpler. Baby’s breath is a beautiful flower that you can buy direct from the flower market for a tiny price.

Bridal party

Simple bridesmaid dresses

If you choose to focus your attention on décor you can opt for a simpler look for your bridesmaids. Go for a dark, block color such as navy or charcoal to look classy and sophisticated.

Simple suits for groomsmen and ushers

The good thing about a winter wedding is you can use as many dark color as you want. Ask your groomsmen what color suits they already own and chances are they will already have, or can easily borrow, the same color. Great choices include grey and black.

Bride’s accessories

Winter weddings allow brides to be a lot more theatrical as guests tend to expect more glitz and glamour. Therefore, you can buy a cheap dress but make it look more expensive by hiring accessories such as elegant white gloves, tiaras and fake-fur stoles from a dress hire shop.

Wedding guest attire

Wear a dress you already own

In summer, repeating the same outfit more than once is tricky because you may be seeing the same people at different events throughout the season. In winter, you probably have far fewer weddings to go to so grab a dress from the summer and change around your hair, accessories and shoes.

Ask friends and family for a glamorous coat

If you’re attending a winter wedding you need to have a warm coat to wear in case you’re caught out in the cold for photos. Don’t spend a fortune on a new jacket for one day, instead ask friends and family if they have one you can borrow. Older relatives especially might have something perfect stashed away in their wardrobe.

Courtesy of: Wedding Ideas Mag

Think your autumn wedding has to be all about pumpkin centerpieces and foliage hues? Not to worry — fall weddings have tons of wedding style options.

It’s easy to feel trapped in a certain kind of wedding style when you’re planning a fall wedding — you might feel bound to a wedding color palette of brick to russet to terra cotta, and that autumn leaves are a décor necessity. But it’s not so — we’ve busted the top fall wedding myths so your style possibilities will be as excellent as the weather forecast.

Myth #1: You Must Stick To a “Fall Foliage” Wedding Color Scheme

Experts agree that you do not have to use leaf-hues for a fall wedding, and that some couples tend to rely too heavily on these and other earth tones (like chocolate brown) in autumn. We’re not suggesting that you ignore the season entirely and use bright, summery colors or spring pastels; simply consider other rich and glamorous hues that fit the time of year. Try plum combined with shades of cream and blush, or classic navy blue paired with a glam shade of gold. If you have your heart set on brown, try mocha or cappuccino hues rather than chocolate, which combine beautifully with black, cream, and even red.

In fact, you can use any color you crave — even electric bights or baby pastels — as long as you combine it with a darker hue to create balance. Some examples we love: Tiffany blue with mocha, and hot pink with charcoal gray. And if you want to use some classic fall hues, highlight them with fresh, unexpected tints like burnt orange and deep gold spiked with mango or fuchsia.

Myth #2: The Bridesmaids Must Wear Heavy Silk or Satin

You shouldn’t feel obligated to outfit your maids in heavy fabric just because of the season. Lightweight fabrics like silk will look perfectly appropriate. It’s more important to choose a fabric that flatters everyone’s figures and a color that will complement their complexions (keep in mind that they may be paler in the fall).

For a glamorous fall bridesmaid look, try pale gold dresses accented with sashes or flowers in mango or fuchsia. Rust and deep (but not quite forest) green are also widely flattering shades that look chic at this time of year.

Myth #3: The Guys Have To Wear Dark Suits or Black Tie

Though seersucker may not be the best idea, the groom and his wedding party aren’t obligated to go with a formal, dark suit look. Light khaki suits have an earthy feel that’s still appropriate in the fall. If it’s warm enough, skip the jackets and go for a casual-but-polished look with crisp button-down shirts and khaki slacks.

Myth #4: You Must Incorporate Pumpkins

Though you might want to use them as filling for a ravioli starter, you don’t have to incorporate pumpkins into your wedding aesthetics. There are lots of other décor elements you can work into your wedding that reflect the season in more subtle ways. Since it’s the harvest season, any grains like wheat and millet add atmosphere. Wine or champagne grapes and fruit like apples, pears, and pomegranates will also highlight the fall in a pumpkin-free way.

Myth #5: You Have To Hold the Festivities Indoors

If you’ve always dreamt of an outdoor wedding, but believe you can’t reconcile that dream with your fall wedding date, think again. With enough heat lamps, you can hold the ceremony, cocktail hour, and possibly even the reception outdoors regardless of the temperature; however, you may want to retreat inside for dancing and dessert when the night gets chilly after the sun sets. Give your guests a heads-up (on your wedding website or on a slip of paper inside the invitation) to bring jackets and wraps. If, by chance, it ends up unseasonably cold on your wedding day, arm your bridesmaids with a bunch of inexpensive pashmina-style wraps to pass out to guests who look chilly.

Courtesy of: The Knot