Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend

                So you have the perfect man; the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, and you know the question is going to pop up soon!  The question is, have you thought about or hinted to what ring you would like to wear for the rest of your life?  We are counting down the Top 10 2014 popular engagement ring trends to help spark an idea on what fits perfectly to who you are!

1.       The Cushion-Cut

The Cushion cut is a beautiful soft rounded-edge cut diamond that seems to be grabbing the attention of women everywhere!  This beautiful yet simple ring is absolutely romantic, and we think it is brilliant for any bride-to-be!

2.       The Halo

The charming and stunning Halo Cut will be trending for years to come!  Not only does the center diamond appear larger thanks to the smaller diamonds surrounding it, but it adds sparkle that no one will be able to look away from!  It is absolutely breathtaking and is something for everyone to awe over!

3.       Yellow/Rose Gold

While platinum/silver has seemed to be the most popular choice by women in recent years, the yellow and rose gold bands seem to be making a comeback.  With gold jewelry on the rise, brides want their ring to match this trend as well!  It is very original and you can be the trend-setter for choosing the yellow or rose gold band! 

4.       The Emerald Cut

For you Vintage brides, the Emerald Cut could be the perfect style of ring for you!  With the rectangular shape, you can go in basically any direction with the style of band.  The Emerald Cut is completely versatile and captures a timeless beauty. 

5.       The East-West Cut

Do you want something different than all the rest?  Well the East-West cut could be the perfect fit for you!  This style not only creates a unique engagement ring, but it makes it appear to be a larger stone!  We are in love with this trend and think it is absolutely gorgeous!

6.       Art Deco

Another style that is unique yet gaining popularity, it the Art Deco Cut.  Celebrities like Ashlee Simpson and Scarlett Johansson are really bringing this trend to life!  It is absolutely breathtaking and no ring looks exactly the same depending on how your fiancé styles it!  This would be another ring perfect for you Vintage Brides! 

7.       Adding Color

This has been around for quite some time, but we believe it will continue and grow in 2014! This is a beautiful and unique way to customize your ring to really show your personality!  Yellows, pinks, blues and greens seem to be the trending colors right now, and we could not be more excited about it!

8.       Multiple Metals

Brides are not just set-in-stone on just choosing one type of metal on their engagement rings- many are choosing two and even more!  The most popular combination this year is white gold and rose gold.  This ring creates a unique effect that makes it far more versatile, so you’ll have an easier time matching it to your other jewelry!

9.       Personalize By Engraving

With your one-of-a-kind relationship, don’t you want to capture this by making your ring one-of-a-kind as well?  Well by personalizing your ring by engraving it, it can be completely yours.  Whether it’s “I Love You”, the date of your marriage, or an inside joke, it truly makes it special and something of your very own that you can appreciate forever!

10.   Round Diamond With Cushion Shaped Halo

Last but not least, we are combining three of the trends into one ring!  This beautiful look is becoming more and more popular and seems to be the ring-of-choice with most brides this year!  At our recent Bridal Expo, we looked at every Bride-to-be’s ring and saw this most often.  We think it is absolutely magnificent and will capture anyone’s attention!

BBFN,

Olivia

Building Your Wedding Bar

No matter your wedding vision, you will at some point need to make decisions on the beverages you will serve your guests, otherwise known as the bar. In the past five years there has been a boom in brides and grooms customizing their bars, and looking at different options than just the standard packages included at many traditional wedding venues (hotels, banquet halls, etc.). Give some thought to your drink selections, and make your bar a reflection of you as a couple.

If you are looking to keep costs to a minimum, here are some options:

• Keep it a dry bar, only offer sodas, waters, iced tea and lemonade
• Serve only beer and/or wine
• Add just one signature cocktail
• Eliminate the champagne toast (many people don’t actually drink it anyway)
• Ask to bring in your own alcohol and pay a corkage fee

Looking to spice up a non-alcoholic bar, here are a few of our favorite specialty stations:

• Bring in flavored Italian sodas, it may even be able to be mixed onsite
• Upgrade your coffee bar to include various flavors, chocolate shavings, whipped cream and more
• Getting married in a warm month? Look into a fruit smoothie or milkshake station

If you are going to utilize an included bar package our advice would be:

• Talk to the venue about which types of alcohol you know your guests will consume the most of, so they can stock their supply appropriately
• Ask about having your favorite spirits/brands available, you may be able to substitute an item
• Avoid the urge to pay on consumption, if guests think it is an “open bar” you will be paying for a lot of half-finished and forgotten drinks

Building your bar isn't just about people getting rowdy. You will be providing your guests drinks, so give some thought to your guest list, and budget, and bring on the fun!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss For Now),

Olivia