Wedding Band, Understanding Your Wedding Band

Wedding Band, What You Should Know About Your Wedding Band.

Most people would know what a wedding band is and how it looks. A wedding band could be worn by males and females. Most wedding band designs would be simple and suitable for men and ladies. A wedding is a solemn occassion that brings together two individuals for the rest of their lives. It is now getting increasingly popular for couples to wear similar wedding bands, these are referred to as wedding band pairs. Such wedding bands would have a similar design but differ in ring size and dimension. It is quite obvious that a wedding band would be expected to be strong and sturdy and last for a long time. In this article, we will provide information and suggestions that would help you choose your wedding band. Most of the information would be relevant to all good quality jewels and not just wedding bands, so do spend some time reading the information.

Dimensions of the wedding band: This would include the band width and the ring size of your ring. Most men's wedding bands would have a width of around 8mm to 12mm, ladies would prefer their wedding band to have a width of around 5mm to 7mm. The choice is largely based on personal preference but, there is one feature that needs to be considered. This is the metal weight of your wedding band, a large wedding band with low metal weight cannot be sturdy. It is better to go for a narrow wedding band with good weight rather than, a wide wedding band with low weight. Low weight would mean low thickness of the metal, this will make your wedding band bend or deform easily.

Gemstone choice and mounting: A wedding band could be a plain simple ring without any gemstones or diamonds. You can also have a wedding band with a gemstone or diamond in the ring. A wedding band with many small gems or diamonds needs to have a healthy metal weight. This is required for firm mounting of the diamonds and gems in the ring. Remember to consider the gemstone when choosing the design for your wedding band. Certain gems like rubies, sapphires, emeralds and tanzanite can be very expensive in large sizes. A wedding band with a moderate size for the gemstone would be suitable in such cases. The type of mounting used for the gemstone in your wedding band will also influence the durability of the ring. Flimsy prongs can open up and loosen the gemstone or diamond. A firm mounting with metal all around would be ideal, this will however require the wedding band to have a good metal weight.

Silver or gold: There is no hard and fast rule regarding the metal choice for a wedding band. You could choose a gold or silver wedding band depending on your likes and budget. If you are thinking of a silver wedding band, make sure that your jeweller is willing to provide you with good design options, good craftsmanship and good gemstone options. There is no reason why you should accept, inferior quality material and craftsmanship for a sterling silver wedding band. For a gold wedding band with many gems or diamonds, or a wedding band with an intricate design 14k gold offers better hardness as compared to 18k gold. Jewellers promise anti-tarnish treatments for silver rings, do not believe this as any plating on silver will wear off over time. The rate at which the plating on your silver wedding band will wear off depends on the climate, water composition, environment etc. A good jeweller would offer similar design and gemstone options for gold and silver rings. This works to your advantage as a silver wedding band would be priced lower than a gold wedding band.

Enhance the meaning: Since a wedding band is a special occassion jewel, you could consider including features that would increase the meaning of the ring. Etchings inside or outside the band, including a birthstone or exchanging birthstones would be good options. There is another very interesting way in which more meaning could be added to your wedding band. This involves etching or creating forms all around the wedding band. For example, a musician could have musical notes created all around the band. You could also choose to order a pair of celtic wedding bands, or a claddagh wedding band.

Remember that a wedding band is about you and your spouse. Look at various options, think of various ideas and then discuss them with your jeweller. If your jeweller is only interested in working with a small set of standard moulds that he has, find another jeweller. A personalized wedding band increases the bond between the couple, this makes a tremendous impact when the couple is geographically apart. A perfect example is for men working with the armed forces, their duty could take them far away from home for long durations. On such occassions, a carefully selected pair of wedding bands can strengthen bonds between the couple despite the physical distance.

You can see a classic collection of wedding bands at this link. Get a few ideas, use your imagination and then work with a jeweller that you feel comfortable with.

http://www.weddingband.kaijewels.com

Thanks and God Bless.
Ms.Tuk

About The Author

This article is compiled by Ms.Tuk, Senior Executive with http://www.kaijewels.com and http://www.kaisilver.com the world's largest online providers of high end custom jewelry.

Dance Lessons - Tips For Your Wedding Dance

The wedding couple leading the first dance can be one of the most romantic highlights of the big day. More and more couples are choosing to have professional dance lessons so that they look their very best when the time comes. This article provides tips on getting it right.

Choosing the music for your 'First Dance' may turn out to be one of the most difficult things you have to decide. Not only do you have to agree on the music that you both like, there are many other things that you have to take into consideration as well. You would be better served to choose five or six different songs to start with and take them along to your dance teacher on CD so that you can discuss the merits of each song individually.

A few things to think about when deciding:

Remember the Wedding Day is a long day for you, your family and the guests, and everyone will want it to go smoothly.
The less you have to think about on the day the better it will be, so plan well in advance. Don't leave it to the last thing on your list!

Generally the First Dance is no more than 3 minutes long. You will be the centre of attention but nobody will want to watch and dance that goes on for 5 or 6 minutes, especially the children! Your guests by this time are ready to get the party going! So keep it short and sweet.

Be prepared that your absolute favorite song may turn out to be a non-starter because it is too fast or slow, long or short. Put a shortlist together on a CD and take it to your chosen dance teacher. A good teacher will help you choose objectively and ask questions about what you are wearing (dress and shoes), how big your dance floor is, the position of tables, are you having a band play your music or using CD etc).

Listen carefully to the song lyrics. Once you take this into consideration you may find that your original song list will shrink straight away! However, even though you may discount most of the songs on he original list do not discard them until you have confirmed what you are going to use.

Think about the type of dance you want to do. If you are into "rock and roll" or "Ballroom and Latin" and your outfit allows it then go for it! Just remember leave yourselves plenty of time to practice. Before you know it the family will be in town waiting to see you off and ready for a party!

Live Music or CD? - Most bands will be able to learn your song for you, but bear in mind that using pre-recorded music allows you to edit the song to match your routine. You will also have been practicing to the pre-recorded music and will need to ensure that the band play the song in the same tempo. You also run the risk of the band being unfamiliar with the song, and they may have limited time to rehearse.

The best solution is to get your first dance song on CD and have either the DJ or band play the song through their equipment. This is a very popular choice as it's the least hassle and allows the band to create an impact when they kick off immediately after you have finished.

So there it is. Have fun with it, after all it is your day, but make sure you plan well in advance - there is more to it than you think! Don't leave it till the last minute it will just be disastrous!

http://www.in2ballroom.com Visit our web site for more information on Ballroom and Latin American Dancing, including FAQs, Useful articles, Guides to dance steps, Music links and details on our private and class lessons.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Grocott

A Wedding Competition Worthy Of American Idol Status

Past American Idol contestants Clay Aiken, Taylor Hicks, and Kelly Clarkson may have stood up to the pressures of the American Idol competition, but could they handle the stress of the Designer Wedding Challenge.

Wedding professionals from around the United States are gearing up to compete in the Designer Wedding Challenge, a competition inspired by the popular reality television competitions. The contest is set to take place on September 29 and 30, 2006 in Rogers, Arkansas. According to event coordinator Shante Crockett, included in the competition will be at least fifteen florists who will compete in three contests:

* Floral Design Competition: In this contest, florists will pit themselves against one another to design gorgeous bouquets, boutonnieres, and table centerpieces. The task is to create pieces that are functional, beautiful, and unique.

* Tablescape Competition: Contestants here will design elegant table settings including flatware, table linens, and, of course, the centerpiece. The table themes can vary, but all of them should be beautiful and exemplify the chosen theme.

* Interior Design Competition: Using a $20,000 budget, each contestant must design a dream interior setting. This competition is expected to be the biggest contest in the two-day event.

The events will be judged by celebrity event planner Preston Bailey. Awards will be given for first, second, and third place. While there are individual cash prizes as high as $2,500, it's the prestige of being involved that will likely garner the biggest rewards. Glende Wise, owner of the Bamboo Orchid in Poteau, Oklahoma and contest participant, says, "It's especially important for me because my business is new to the area, and I am trying to break into the market."

Other competitions in the event are the Chair Design Competition, Gown Design Competition, Jewelry Ensemble Competition, Cake Design Competition, Photography Competition, and Videography Competition.

2,000 people are expected to attend the Designer Wedding Challenge at a ticket price of $20 each, not including seminars. Attendees who wish to take part in the many seminars that will be available will pay a ticket price of $150 each.

The event is sure to be a real crowd pleaser with all the excitement and suspense of any reality competition currently aired on television. So, if the music of American Idol isn't your bag and you're more of a Martha Stewart fan than a Clay Aiken fan, consider attending the Designer Wedding Challenge.

by: Wesley Berry, AAF

About The Author

Wesley Berry is member of the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and President of Wesley Berry Flowers (http://www.wesleyberryflowers.com), a successful multi-million dollar floral business that was established in 1946. As a member of the Henry Ford Hospital Community Relation Board he has contributed to the community at large (http://www.hospital-locator.com). He owns both a brick and mortar and an internet flower delivery business. Visit Wesley Berry Flowerson the web at http://www.800wesleys.com