I’m a detail-oriented person so I think as I begin to share the elements of the Lilac wedding with you, I’ll share some details first. Bring on the pictures….

What details are you most interested in for your wedding?

All photos in the post are by Chatman Photography

A bridesmaid gift is one of the best ways to say “Thank You!” to your lovely ladies.

Make it special!!

Your gift will say thank you for all the things you forget to say, such as, “Thank you for spending $300 on the bridesmaid dress you will never wear again!

One great idea for your leading ladies is JEWELRY! What girl doesn’t like jewelry!?

Here are my top picks!

1. First up is a cute little necklace from Dogeared.com ($26-$54)! Lots of different charms and colors to choose from with a poem that is way better than what you could ever think of on your own!

2.   Show them how glad you are that they were born by gifting them zodiac pendant necklaces from MaxandCleo.com ($110)!

3. I am still waiting to be gifted an initial necklace from Tiffany&Co! But for a more affordable option with the cute factor, these little initial necklaces from SweetMemoryBaskets.com ($46.99) are adorable!

4. And because I personally love initial necklaces so much, here is another option from anthropologie.com via RealSimple.com!

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

I’ve decided that jewelery stores have the most ridiculous hours. I’m not sure if they close at 6 for safety/robbery reasons or if they just think they’re that special. In any case, it makes ring shopping a bit difficult.

But Orchid Boy and I took advantage of a fairly free Saturday and headed to Chapel Hill to check out wedding bands. We went to Grimble Jewelers at the recommendation of a friend who had just gotten married.

I had intended on purchasing an antique  to match my equally vintage engagement ring. Not only would it be cheaper, but it would be eco-friendly and unique as well. Plus, I’m a firm believer that anything made prior to 1970 is of higher quality since now everything is made with profits in mind rather than good workmanship.

Unfortunately, Grimble did not carry any antique weddings bands in their collection because they aren’t big sellers. The consultant also informed me that pairing platinum and white gold isn’t a good idea. Since platinum is more dense than white gold, the white gold ring will wear faster and become discolored. White gold already needs to be replated every so often to keep it’s color.

I could forgo wearing my engagement ring once we’re married, by I love my ring so that ain’t happening. I did a little research to make sure I wasn’t just being swindled and I found conflicting information. Some sources said that wearing gold with platinum is fine while others reported a lot of damage. It seems as though the damage comes with how much regular wear and tear you put your ring through. If you’re like me and wear your ring while washing your hands, to the gym, while cooking meatballs and moving furniture, then odds are you’re going to see some damage over time.

The girl in me thought, “Awesome! Excuse to get a platinum ring!” But, I quickly found out how good of a deal we got on my engagement ring. A simple platinum band was $1,200. $1,200. I admitted that platinum was just not going to be in our budget.

She suggested palladium, which is a natural metal that has the same density as platinum. While it will still lose its color, it will not tarnish as quickly. The best part is that palladium is the same price as gold.

A simple palladium band will be about $250 and for an extra $200 I can have it hand engraved to match the engraving on my engagement ring.

Chuck dug this ring we found on Etsy, but it has to fit perfectly.

A little more research found me emailing Brilliant Earth to get a price quote on a recycled palladium band so I could still be somewhat Earth friendly. The cost for a 2mm comfort-fit band is $240. Not bad, eh? I can still get in engraved by the artist at Grimble who did an amazing job on my friend’s ring. I am also considering the low-profile ring, which would be $300 in palladium but it is a little bit of a different and unique look. The problem is I am unsure how it would look with my engagement ring. Since palladium is considered a special order, it can’t be returned.

I’m also not sure why I am stressing out about it. Unless I design a wedding band to go perfectly with my engagement ring, there’s no way it will ever be perfect. I should buy the band that I like regardless of how it looks when I wear another ring.

For the guys

Orchid Boy was drawn to the titanium bands. And I have to agree. They have a more manly quality to them. I also like the darker look of the metel. But, we also learned that titanium can’t be sized, so if you gain or lose any weight you’re SOL. He found one he liked at Grimble, but I had him browsing on Etsy for some other options. He found this one from Titanium Knights, that we both really liked. The seller has fantastic reviews, but I’m a little nervous about purchasing something without being able to look at it in person. Also, if it needs a bit of sizing done to it, we’re SOL. The seller will refund your money, after charging you for the return.

We swung by Kay Jewelers recently where he found some more titanium bands along with ring that was a mix of white and yellow gold. While asestically, I like titanium more, its inability to be shaped or even engraved concerns me.

Now to just find another free Saturday.

I’ll be the first to admit that I hate shopping. I’m not much of a hunter when it comes to finding the perfect things. I tend to be an impulse shopper. No matter what it is, I can think of a million ways I’d rather spend my time than driving from store to store finding the perfect whatever. My wedding ring was no different.

I’ll admit that I only went to two stores. I browsed online a bit and then made up my mind that I was buying a ring from Brilliant Earth. I had been interested in their jewelry for some time now and was a huge fan of their mission statement. I loved that their jewelry was recycled and 5 percent of their profits go to help those in Africa who were affected by the diamond and jewelry trade. I mean, honestly, I don’t see too many companies donating their profits or doing anything good with their money other than just rolling around in it.

With the help of my customer representative, Jordan, I got myself a low-profile palladium ring. Poor guy had to deal with my emails for weeks before I finally called him to order the actual ring.

After it had been processed he sent me my order confirmation and tracking number and I waited anxiously for the Fed Ex guy to arrive.

“I’ve been waiting for this all day,” I told him when he finally showed up at 4:30. “It’s my wedding ring.”

“OH! That’s great!! Congrats!” He said handing me the tracker thing to sign.  As customary when receiving a package from Fed Ex or UPS, he asked my first and last name. Then, as he was leaving he asked, “What will it be?”

Of course I get all giggly and smiley as I answer, “Anderson.”

“Well Mrs. Anderson, you have a nice day.”

I tear open the box (Which, note to Brilliant Earth, is there a reason why you use SO MUCH packaging for such a small ring? Kinda goes against everything you believe in, no?) and stare at the shining band looking back at me. I immediately place it on my finger and find that it is a bit larger in depth than I had expected and didn’t fit as well with my engagement ring as I had hoped. But I loved it. I really did.

I loved it because I was looking at a blank canvass. My next adventure was to head back to Grimble Jewelers to have their designer, Tony, engrave the same design on it that is on my engagement ring or something similar. Stay tuned.

So, yes, we’ve been together 5 years and the ring, to us, is a formality.

But sweet baby jesus… I got my bling, and I can’t stop looking at it, swooning over it and obsessing about it.  I feel so materialistic, it’s not even the slightest bit funny.

Anyway, he made me go on an Easter egg hunt through our new house and the last (and biggest) egg had my ring in it! Awwww shucks. If you want to read the whole entire story,  you can go here.  But, in the meantime, here’s a ring pic (sorry that I’m being one of those girls):

Tomorrow (Friday the 29th), I’m going to DC’s Running of the Brides.  Call me crazy, but you’ll be singing a different tune if I walk out of there with a $10,000 dress for $249!! ) Wish me luck!!! xo

It’s probably a hot topic in the wedding blogosphere so let me throw this out here: Prince William is not planning on wearing a wedding band.

I was listening to the morning show on my way into work and they were discussing his decision to forgo the traditional wedding band. Of course the man on the show was all for it and stated that he had no intentions of wearing one either.

{Image from Wedding Ring Site}

Boy would I be steamed if Lilac Dude announced his intentions of not wearing a ring. Luckily, I have one of those men who has strong opinions and likes to have nice things… including a wedding band. Hence my man has diamonds in his band.

A reason that the radio guy cited for not wanting to wear one is that he’s just not a “jewelry guy” and would feel weird with a ring on.

I strongly believe that men should wear their wedding rings (as should women, but that’s not as common of an issue) because it’s a sign to people that you’re committed to someone else, many (not all however) single ladies will not flirt with men in rings which removes temptation, glancing down and seeing at points during the day reminds you of your wife… and may prompt you to do sweet things that she likes.

Plus, after a very short time of wearing a ring you get used to it and it doesn’t feel foreign anymore.

The wedding ring was so important to my parents that when both of their jobs were damaging their wedding bands and/or causing danger to their hands, they went out and got them tattooed.

What would you do if your guy decided not to wear a wedding ring?

…my engagement ring is my favorite, but I’m a sucker for sparkly jewelry. And on my wedding day, I want to sparkle. I only have one maid of honor, but if I had bridesmaids, each of them would end up with something from this very sparkly and fabulous store: WalkOnTheMoon.

{This one is for Japan Relief, and one of my personal faves}

How perfect would this be for a beach wedding?!

{Something blue?}

I have to say that I own two pieces from WalkOnTheMoon, and they are meticulously made and look even better in person. I can’t recommend this store enough! Prices are reasonable so that doesn’t hurt either

Which piece is your favorite?

I am in need of a reception dress. If it were only for comfort reasons, considering that it will be hot and humid at my wedding, I would still be hesitant to change out of my wedding dress. I absolutely love my dress, and as is obvious, I will only be wearing it for a short period of time. While I plan to extend that amount of time as long as possible, I will need to change into a reception dress at some point in the evening.

I say need because of a matter dear to my heart. Years ago my mother purchased two strings of pearls, one for my sister and I when we got engaged. The day she took me dress shopping, she gave me my pearls and oh how beautiful they are. I love them. My sister married her husband a couple of years ago and wore her pearls most of the days during the year or so she was engaged. I loved my pearls so much I got a little jealous that my sister could wear hers nearly every day and my job makes that somewhat not possible. Anyways, I wore them trying on dresses knowing they would be worn with the dress.

A couple months later, my uncle called for my mailing address. He asked if I would be wearing a necklace with my dress and if Kenny had ever bought pearls for me. I told him I would be wearing a necklace, and no, Kenny has not bought pearls. He informed me that he would like to give me the pearls that he gave my recently deceased aunt on their wedding day. He just knew they would look beautiful and that Aunt Linda would be so happy for me to have them.

Two very special, and very different looking, strings of pearls. The ones from my Freesia Mom are smooth and classic, the ones from Freesia Uncle are three strings of freshwater (thus varied in shape) pearls. Both absolutely perfect and beautiful, from two people with the sweetest of intentions that I would never want to hurt.

After much deliberation, and discussion with Freesia Sister, as well as a friend who happens to have 2 daughters around my age, I decided a change into a reception dress would be a perfect time to change necklaces. Freesia Mom’s pearls with the wedding dress we picked out together, Freesia Uncle’s pearls with the reception dress.

So, to find a reception dress within a reasonable budget. When I imagined my wedding dress, there were a few qualities that I thought of that did not end up a part of the wedding dress I chose. I’m hoping that maybe this will be a chance to incorporate a few of those qualities: something flowy, with an open back…and above the knee since it will be a summer reception dress. I’m aiming for less than $200. I have emailed a couple of dressmakers. One would make the dress for $250, but I’m concerned of the chance that it wouldn’t turn out. This is the “sketch” I sent (I know I’m no designer!):

"front", "back" option 1 or "back" option 2

Of course, while I have ideas of what I would like, I am definitely open any dress that might work. These are some I am considering, though none have completely grabbed me. Likely because I can’t try them on, but nonetheless:

Inexpensive, straight across back, love the flowers, from Ruche

An etsy dress from MoonCircus, can be made in other colors, perhaps ivory??

Nicole Miller dress, on sale at edressme.com

Max & Cleo from Bloomindales, has a great cross-back, maybe shortened?

A little expensive, but I love this etsy dress, The Ruffled Chameleon

Way too expensive Donna Karan, and not flowy, but love the deep V and open back...and the shoes, but that's for another post

So, Buds, what do you think?? Do you plan to wear a dress? Or Blossoms, did you wear one? Any dress suggestions? I’d love some feedback!

Let me know how you feel about this one.

I waited a long time for my ring. A conservative estimate would put it at about six years. And I love it. When it came down to it, Apple Sauce got it right, selecting for me an Asscher-cut diamond, set between two baguettes in a white gold band. Unique but classic.

Hello, beautiful.

Why such an unusual cut of diamond, you ask? Well, duh, for that very reason!

Full disclosure: My first job ever was at my uncle’s jewelry store, where I learned the ins-and-outs of the diamond industry. Every week I would see round brilliant diamond after round brilliant diamond come in for its pre-wedding polish, and I vowed that when I got engaged, I would have a ring unlike any other. Good work, fiance!

But now let me get a little controversial. While I love, love, love my ring, I don’t leave it on every second of my life. That’s right! I take it off! And you can’t stop me!

Because honestly, what’s the big deal? Just because I take the ring off doesn’t mean the marriage is! Like, I know the ring is a symbol of our everlasting commitment or whatever, but also, it’s a ring. Everyone needs to relax.

And now the pragmatic reasons: In those years working for my uncle at the jewelry store, I encountered every kind of engagement ring mishap possible. Cracked or missing stones, bent prongs, split shanks, you name it. One time we had to cut the ring off of a woman because it was cutting off her circulation.

And you know what the root of all those problems was? The bride-to-be never took her ring off. Not while she was sleeping (your fingers swell while you sleep, so that’s why your ring feels tighter in the morning); not while she was doing the dishes (bang, bang, bang against those hard pots and pans); not while she was getting dressed (snag a prong on that cable knit sweater—ruin the ring, ruin the sweater); not while she was gardening (nothing quite hinders a diamond’s shine like soil build-up).

So when people ask me why I take it off, I tell them this: The ring is a several-thousand-dollar investment, just like your wedding gown. Are you sleeping in that? Washing dishes in it? Gardening?

Didn’t think so.

While Cymbie Dude is banned from reading this site, I still am reluctant to put much about my dress on here.  So SPOILER ALERT SWEETIE, if you are reading!

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise

That should scare him off!

The Dress

My dress has a halter and has pearl beads and sequins to make it sparkle.  I’m not a “sparkly” girl, but I decided that for this one day, I’m going to shine and I want the sun to reflect off of my dress and accessories.  Since it has a halter neckline, I decided against a necklace.  I decided to have a couple of dramatic pieces and be done with it.

First up: Bracelet

I’m torn between several styles of bracelets.  On one hand, I love a jeweled cuff.

Available at Adorn.com

On the other hand, a simple diamond tennis bracelet is an understated statement.

Available at Zales.com

Next up: Earrings

I’m not traditional in most things but when it comes to the “something old, new, borrowed, and blue” I really want to incorporate this tradition.  When I asked for suggestions for “something blue,” garters kept coming up.  Well, I already have my garter belts.  And I think they are awesome! (a post for another day…)  So, after thinking it over for quite a while, I decided I wanted sapphires.  Blue is not one of my wedding colors, but sapphire is Cymbie Dude’s birthstone.  I decided sapphire earrings would be nice and kinda sentimental.  These are similar to the ones I purchased but mine are simple dangles.

I blew my entire accessories budget on the earrings, but I don’t care. I love them!

Last up:  Shoes!

I’m getting married at a lighthouse that sets on the water.  My “aisle” is a pier.  Heels are out of the question.  My MOH came up with the idea of wearing sandals with rhinestones.  I came up with the idea of my running shoes! Ladies, if you are going to wear your running shoes, DON’T TELL ANYONE! Everyone, even Cymbie Dude, had an opinion as to what I could NOT wear on my feet.  Namely, my running shoes.

Not my shoes. http://shoestutor.com/tag/best-ladies-running-shoes

I ended up with flip flops covered in diamond rhinestones, that I actually will wear again (my one criteria). MOH – 1; Cymbie Bud – 0

So, I have bling from my ears to my toes.

How are you accessorizing your dress? Wearing heirloom jewelry?

I’m one of those girls that isn’t afraid to wear my engagement ring. You’d think I would be considering the diamond was Orchid Boy’s grandmother’s and the band is a 100-year-old antique. But, with the exception of in the shower and when I’m putting on moisturizer – most of the time – the ring is always on my finger.

After four months of wearing it every day, it was starting to get a little grimy. I did a quick Google search to see if I could find some hints as to how to clean my ring with a normal household product rather than spending money on some ring cleaner.

An old discussion board thread popped up, with most of the posters claiming Dawn detergent did wonders.

So into the kitchen I went and filled a glass with Dawn and some warm water and let the ring soak while I wiped down the kitchen counters.

Afterward, I scrubbed it a little with a toothbrush and rinsed with warm water.

Let me tell you, I’m sold. My diamond has not sparkled this much since Orchid Boy picked it up from the jeweler after getting it reset.

Best part, it cost me NOTHING.

A friend of mine uses toothpaste, which she said is abrasive enough to cut through tough grime, (“Like if you wear your ring while making meatballs,” she said. Yup. Guilty.) but gentle enough that it won’t ruin your ring.

Many jewelers also offer free ring cleanings. I’m assuming it’s a way to get you in and hooked on all of the sparkly things you see. Personally, I feel a little strange doing this since purchasing something, other than wedding bands, isn’t in my future.

Ah, I love Thanksgiving Weekend – and Cyber Monday! Even if I’m not American, thanks to Etsy, I can still grab some awesome deals. Bridesmaids gifts, anyone?

Recently purchased:

Wire Wrapped Bermuda Blue Swarovski Drop Briolette Crystal Earrings

…and the matching Bermuda pendant.

The Vitrail Light Pink Swarovski Teardrop Necklaces and Earrings Set – look at the colors in that stone! So gorgeous.

This last one is for my Maman, as part of her Christmas present. She’ll love the lilac color.

Now wouldn’t these be pretty for bridesmaids as well?

All eye candy from Estylo Jewelry, who is offering 15% off til Monday, and an additional 15% if you fan her on Facebook.

Have a lovely weekend! XOX

Subtitle of this post: the things jewelry stores don’t bother telling you.

We recently went on vacation and spent some time in St. Thomas. Knowing that duty and tax free jewelry was definitely of interest and knowing that we had a good experience with Diamonds International with my engagement ring, we decided to visit the main store in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas.

Downtown Charlotte Amalie, Photo from coolest-travel-pictures.com

We already knew what we liked, we just wanted to look at the selection and see prices. Before I continue however, I have to tell you that the man who assisted us was totally Steve from Sex and the City, he looked like him and sounded like him.

They had tons of ladies wedding bands! I had a ball looking at them and trying them on. The selection for men was rather slim however. The manager who had know Lilac Dude’s family from a previous visit had been helping our salesman so he went back into the vault and came out with a few rings in Lilac Dude’s size. One of them was perfect!

When we were considering my ring the manager told us something that other stores had not. With the type of ring that I like they can size it down, but that would cause the bottom to be flat and increase the likelihood of losing a diamond. Since I wear an unusually small ring size, he recommended a custom order in my size with a normal shape.

It’s cool that I get a ring made for me. Not so cool that I won’t have it for 6 to 8 more week however. I never thought that I was a custom design kind of girl before.

What about you, are you a custom order bride?

I finally received my pictures. I am very excited to share with you my bridal accessories. My color was Ivory and everything had to match.

My shoes were very comfortable and I was able to wear theme all night long. I can’t believe I was able to do that! I believe in comfort. Therefore, I didn’t wear high heels on my wedding day. I do however, respect and admire the brides that are able to wear stilettos on their big day.

My garter was very cute. It had “I do” in baby blue around it. I just adore the cute little bow with the diamond on the middle of the garter.

I had a finger tip veil. I felt like a princess with this veil. It matched my dress to perfection. I forgot how many veils I tried before I picked this one. I have to say to all of the brides out there, don’t purchase any veil. If you really want a veil, purchase the one that you really love and you will adore every minute you are wearing it. The veil has to marry the dress before you marry the love of your life.

My dress had a lot of sparkle, therefore, I decided to not wear a bracelet or a necklace. I only had my wedding ring and my earrings. The following image are my lovely bridal earrings and they were the perfect touch that I needed for the evening.

Then, after the ceremony and pictures, I took the veil off and modeled my hair accesory. This was so much fun. I felt sassy and sexy with this accesory.

I am looking forward to the following posts that showcase my fairytale wedding.

Lilac Dude and I ventured out the other evening to a few places near us to check out rings.

Let me start by telling you all how much I love shopping for rings! First, it gives me a good excuse to check out pretty, sparkly things. And second, I get to show off my engagement ring that I’ve had for almost a year now (no one asks to see it anymore).

Photo from: titanium-wedding-rings.com

We started our shopping journey at Jared, a place where we had been before for Lilac Dude and his watches. I tried on a bunch of rings, many of them looked a lot alike. Surprisingly they had a size 3 1/2 eternity band in their case that I tried on and it fit perfectly, but the spacing between the diamonds looked a little odd to me. Now I’m starting to wonder if having such small finger might make rings look differently when in my size. We found 2 rings that I liked then considered stacking one on each side of my engagement ring… hmmm… something I’m still considering.

Photo from: gemsjewellery-diamond.blogspot.com

Lilac Dude had to try on more rings to figure out what he liked. His size is much more common than mine so it was easier to picture exactly how they’d look on him. We ended up finding two that we liked for him also.

We also stopped by JB Robinson and Kay to check out the rings. In my case it was a similar story, the same rings close to the same prices. For Lilac Dude however he found the same ring at both places for much cheaper than Jared had it.

However, our shopping continues. There are many more places to look around here and then in the Caribbean so stay tuned!

Photo from Whertostay.com

So the big day has passed, and for once in the past months to years, you actually have nothing to do! It’s such a weird feeling.  Everyday leading up to it, you planned, you researched, you budgeted all for this one day which was the happiest of day of your life.  What’s next? How do you make sure to keep those memories alive as the two of you start your lives together as husband and wife? You have your guestbook with amazing notes from friends and family.  You probably have some really fancy cake cutting equipment and champagne glasses to carry home with you. You most likely have the top layer of your cake that you and your new husband will dig into on your one year anniversary.  And of course… you have that beautiful white dress that you will have cleaned and will be placed in the back of your closet for years to come.  Where does the rest of it go?

I was recently in Atlanta on business and went with a friend to a shop as she needed to be fitted for a bridesmaid dress.  While she was upstairs doing that, I popped into a jewelry store below that advertised free ring cleaning in their window.  It had been a while and I thought I would just pop in to get a quick shine.  It was a cute shop with everything from fashion jewelry to big diamond rings.  As my ring was being cleaned, I was talking to the ladies at the shop about their amazing jewelery.  That’s when I saw one of the most unique pieces of jewelry I have ever seen.

Bouquet Necklace by Angela Daniels of Palas Jewelers

It was one of the ladies personal collection.  You see,  she takes your wedding day bouquet, or should I say the petals from the flowers in your bouquet and creates amazing pieces of jewelry.  (obviously she could do this with any flower you brought it, but she sees the most business from new brides) The bouquet can be completely dried when you bring it in, or you can bring it in the next day for her to dry.  The store is called Palas Jewelers, and the designer is Angela Daniels. I just couldn’t get over how unique this was, and such an amazing idea.  You obviously have your wedding band that you wear everyday to remind you of that wonderful day, but why not have another token item that embodies the beauty of that day?

Here are a few pics of some of the jewelry.  It’s really truly amazing!

Rose Petal Earrings from Palas Jewelers

Rose Petal, Pearl & Garnet Necklace from Palas Jewelers

Bouquet Earrings from Palas Jewelers

Rose & Rhodolite Dangle Necklace from Palas Jewelers

I am guessing that although the store is in Atlanta, you can easily ship your bouquet there and have it done no matter where you live.  Here is the store’s website which includes the store contact information. http://www.palasjewelers.com/

This is my first edition of our wedding ring selection saga.

In a former post I talked about some surface things as they pertain to wedding rings. Now Lilac Dude and I are looking more seriously at our rings and our budget.

From the BridalBuds Gallery

So first we started with where we wanted to purchase them, not the store, but did we want to get them locally or on our next vacation in October? We haven’t yet decided that but we will check out stores close to us first.

For him: my dude hasn’t decided exactly what metal he wants, but white gold, tungsten and titanium are on the list. He also knows that he wants a masculine ring with a little bling.

For me: I decided against a wrap in favor of a wedding band that I can wear with or without my engagement ring. I know for sure that I want white gold and some diamonds, something that would compliment my small hand and my current ring.

I love looking at photos of other’s weddings as I really enjoying searching for the small details, the little things that we may sometimes overlook.  As you all know, I had run the wedding gauntlet in the years leading up to my moment, and for so many of those weddings, I never paid attention to the little things; like bouquets, accessories, table numbers, guest books and even cakes and centerpieces… all the things that you can use to show your personality. Of course once I started planning my own wedding, these things became much more pronounced and I started pulling inspiration from every wedding I attended!

Here are a few shots of some of our small details, that I absolutely loved!

My bouquet... I never would have thought these things would be so heavy!

My jewelry, and yes ladies you all helped me pick out that cuff!

Can't get enough of my shoes! Photographed here with Dogwood Dude's and my rings.

The palm frond isle runner... although there was some pretty serious tripping going on.

Our engraved cake cutting utensils, a gift from my fabulous friend Lindsay.

Our guest book, a book of photos from the Florida Keys.

Wonderful photography provided by Emily Harris Photography, flowers by Blooming Design and Events.

Periwinkle Dude still teases me about something I did the night we got engaged.  We were at the top of the Empire State Building, it was mid-February, very windy, and incredibly cold.  After standing outside for so long, nature called so I excused myself to the ladies’ room.  As I was about to wash my hands I worried about getting my new and sparkly ring wet, or worse — dropping it down the sink!  So I (irrationally) slipped the ring off my finger and — not knowing where to put it once I took it off — held on to it in my teeth.

Source: http://www.punchstock.com

Looking back, it was not one of my smartest ideas.  Once my mind cleared from the shock of Periwinkle Dude’s proposal, I was grateful that I escaped that bathroom sink without incident.  When I told Periwinkle Dude what I had done, he laughed and said it was a good thing I didn’t drop the ring down the sink, or swallow it!  We giggled over the visual — knowing it would’ve been pretty near impossible for me to swallow a diamond ring accidentally.  Well, after hearing about the mishap Matt Cawley and Stacey Scanlon recently experienced during their engagement, I’m even more grateful that my dumb impulse that night only made for a funny memory and didn’t cause a serious stir!  You see, Matt Cawley apparently tried to hide the ring he was going to propose with (a family heirloom might I add) by tying it to a sand dollar that he rested on a rock while his soon-to-be-fiancee wasn’t looking, and then bringing her attention to the hidden gem.  According to the article, “She grabbed the sand dollar, but the ring tumbled into the rocky nooks of the jetty — and vanished.”

YIKES!!!  Poor couple!  They searched and searched, but to no avail — they didn’t find the ring.  They certainly have a memorable engagement story, but I imagine they both wish the ring situation had worked out a bit differently.  Here’s wishing them luck in their new life together, despite their engagement mishap.

Did you experience any mishaps with your ring the night of your engagement?  Do you have any similarly memorable (good or bad) storied from your engagement?  Please share!

I was killing some time before meeting a friend for coffee so I decided to walk the mall. It was rather close to the end of prom season (I think there were only 2 local schools that hadn’t held prom yet).

I noticed tons of tiaras, decorative combs, headbands, a other hair accessories on sale at several stores.

This headband is from Etsy seller Allofyou, but is similar to what I saw

I made my awesome find at Sears on a 30% off sale. I found my necklace, main set of earrings, a bracelet and a decorative hair comb.

Personal photo of my hair accessory

Personal photo of my necklace and earrings

What time of year did you find the best prices on accessories?

Looking for “something blue” to complete your wedding day look?  Need a gift for your beautiful bridesmaids?  Have I got some treasures for you!

Roundabout Earrings by Bontia Jewelery

Trio Bracelet by Bontia Jewelry

These beauties are part of the Summer 2010 Collection from Bontia Jewelry, and there are plenty more items where these came from!  The designer, Caroline Bontia, has been making jewelry for years and really has an eye for style.  I own a few pairs of her earrings, and I can tell you from personal experience that her products are just gorgeous!  Caroline’s work is incredibly detailed, yet not “overdone” or gaudy at all.  Her designs are simple yet sophisticated, and all her work is affordable — making Bontia Jewelry the perfect accessory for any bride or wedding party!  Happy shopping!

Attention all brides-to-be!!!  The Limited has launched a Weddings & Events Collection, with dresses for brides and bridesmaids!

And let’s not forget the accessories!  I already have my eye on a pretty wrap that I’m thinking of purchasing to wear with a certain green dress in August!  ;)  I don’t know about you buds, but I love the fact that more and more retail stores are getting into the wedding and bridesmaid dress businesses.  More competition means more choices, which means something for everyone out there!

Has anyone seen The Limited’s new wedding collection up close & personal?  I’d love to hear from any readers who could provide a first-hand review of the merchandise!

I have been an absolute scrooge so far about every aspect of this wedding. From programs to my wedding day appearance, I am carefully considering each facet of a wedding and rejecting it if I don’t like it or feel it is necessary to orchid dude’s and I’s life and personal style. There is one thing I am willing to spend as much money as necessary on, though. Our wedding rings.

My logic is that this is the one part of the wedding that will be constantly present with for the rest of our lives. It is worth laying down the moolah for. And plus, every girl has her inner magpie, and I utterly enjoy the hours spent looking at shiny things. My ring has not been settled on yet, but we have found orchid dude’s.

He is fascinated by the idea of having my fingerprint permanently bound around his finger. He is not a flashy guy, and I have a hard time interesting him in something as simple as a decorated t-shirt, but he cannot stop talking about this ring. Love it.

When I was in high school I went on a weekend retreat and came home to find that my dear parents had gotten tattoos!

That weekend also happened to be their wedding anniversary so they decided to make a commitment. Two permanent wedding rings.

Lilac Mom and her tattoo

Lilac Mom and Dad had several reasons for getting their bands tattooed on including safety concerns after some work incidents that Lilac Dad and his wedding band had encountered. But they also knew they were going to be together for the rest of their lives (they’re going on 27 years of marriage) so this permanent ring was a great symbol for them.

Recently friends of mine celebrated an anniversary in the same way. Theirs say, “I am my beloved’s” in Hebrew (it’s from a passage in the Old Testament).

What do you think? Would you ever tattoo your wedding ring?

If you’ve got tattoos on your mind check out my blog and the comments about body art on your wedding day!