Category: Engagement

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Diamonds Shapes of Your Engagement Ring: Ultimate Shapes vs Cut Guide

diamond ring

When it comes to diamonds, many people talk learned of shape and cut as though they are the same thing. Confusingly, often they can have the same meaning – after all, things (including diamonds!) are cut into shapes. But when it comes to gemstones, there is a slight – but significant – difference between the two. Let us examine these, before looking at the most popular shapes for engagement rings, and the cuts that are required to achieve them.

What is a Shape?

As it sounds, a shape is the external silhouette of a diamond. For example, a diamond that takes the form of a heart (one of the most popular diamond engagement ring styles) is said to be a ‘heart shaped’ diamond. While you could say that it has been cut into a heart shape, you could not say that it was a ‘heart cut’ diamond.

So, What is a Cut, Then?

The cut, as well as forming the external shape, includes all the facets which are formed on the diamond. These facets (the word means ‘little faces’) give diamonds – in fact, all gemstones – their unique sparkling properties. This is because the crystals from which the stones are made reflect light in certain ways, and the cut can enhance or mute this according to the taste of the cutter.

Adding to the confusion, there are different kinds of cut too. Some words associated with the cut of a diamond: dull or brilliant, deep or shallow, refer to the reflectivity that the finished stone will throw out. So a flat, squared stone will almost always be ‘shallow cut’ because the stone does not have the literal depth for a ‘deep’ cut. The other kind of cut is usually named for the shape of the finished stone, but it refers to the many facets cut all over the stone, not just those used to create the external shape. A good example is the first and most popular shape and cut for a diamond that is to be used in a diamond engagement ring: the brilliant round. Brilliant means that the facets are designed (usually a vertical array) to make the diamond throw off a maximum of light, creating a brilliant sparkle, while ’round’ refers to the shape of the diamond, when seen from the top down. Let us look at popular engagement ring shapes and cuts in more detail.

Brilliant Round

As mentioned above, this stone is round when viewed from above. However, from the side, the diamond will have the traditional diamond shape, with a pointed end widening out to a girdle, before turning in and ending with a flattened top, called a table. When these stones are loose, they can be rested on their tables and examined for flaws, color, clarity and so on. This shape is the most popular as it shows good diamonds off to their very best.

Brilliant Round diamond ring

Princess Cut

The second-most popular diamond cut for an engagement ring, not only does this stone have a beautiful name, it has a beautiful and rather unusual shape, being squared, but with those brilliant vertical steps to enhance the sparkle of the stone. If you have a stone that has slight imperfections that might be shown up by the spare lines of a brilliant round cut, a princess cut can be more forgiving, minimizing flaws and enhancing that desirable sparkle and symmetry.

Princess Cut diamond ring

Emerald Cut

An emerald cut is immediately familiar to anyone who has ever looked at emeralds! It is a rectangular cut, often with shaped corners, and lending itself well to flat wide stones – a formation that natural emeralds often appear in. While it is unusual to have diamonds with an emerald cut, it is not unheard of, and some people prefer the more muted hint of inner fire that this cut can give a diamond, rather than the overt sparkle of the traditional diamond cuts. Emerald cut stones have flat horizontal facets cut in steps that can be very forgiving of larger inclusions or clarity issues with a diamond. While it sounds like a ‘cheat’ in fact, diamonds are often improved, with the value increasing dramatically, by using the right cut to obscure faults and enhance the stone’s good points.

silver and green gemstone diamond ring

Oval Cut

The name is a perfect descriptor, and oval engagement rings look striking, adding to the aesthetics of the hand they are worn upon by making the fingers seem long, slim, and elegant. Again, the cut can be used to disguise flaws in a stone, or it can be used to maximize the carat value of the stone, with the shape being chosen to snip off occlusions, leaving only high-quality gem behind.

gold and blue heart shaped mirror diamond ring

Marquise Cut

Always an evocative name because of its association with aristocratic wealth and opulence, a marquise cut stone is shaped rather like a narrow rugby ball: an oval that ends in two points, rather than curving softly. Like the oval cut, a marquise cut engagement ring is strikingly attractive, lengthening the fingers and giving the whole hand an elegant and delicate appearance.

Marquise Cut diamond ring

Pear Cut

This unique cut is somewhere between an oval, with one curved end, and one more acute end – something like a tear drop. If the ring is designed so that the tapered end points towards the finger nail, it can create a wonderfully baroque, and yet aesthetically pleasing look.

pear cut diamond ring

Trillion Cut

For something distinctive and yet still beautiful, with that evocative brilliant sparkle, a trillion-cut diamond ring is rapidly gaining popularity. This stone is broadly triangular when seen from the top, can boast great depth, if the right size diamond is used, and looks very attractive when set into an engagement ring.

Trillion Cut engagement ring

These are just some of the more common shapes and cuts that are used to create diamond engagement rings and hopefully now you can distinguish between a shape and a cut when discussing your own diamond preferences. Do make sure you look for accreditation from GIA and AGS, when buying a diamond: these two institutions are the guardians of diamond integrity in the USA, offering verifiable certification for all stones that pass through their hands. For more information and some extra shapes and cuts, check out this useful guide on diamond shapes from Pricescope, one of the largest impartial diamond and jewelry forums. Consequently, if you are looking for wedding gowns or bridesmaid dresses, check out website at Best for Bride.

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7 Things to Remember When Announcing Your Wedding Engagement

7 Things to Remember When Announcing Your Wedding Engagement

Your Prince Charming has finally asked you the big question—and you said “Yes!” Congratulations! It is fascinating.

We know that you can’t wait to break this news to the rest of the world! And you deserve to let everyone know. But take a minute before you change your relationship status on Facebook, and click save! Or before you tweet it to the world or post it in your friend circle on FB. There are specific basic etiquette rules to follow where an engagement is concerned. Let us take a look at what they are.

Continue reading 7 Things to Remember When Announcing Your Wedding Engagement
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Marriage proposals—history, trivia, mistakes to avoid and 3 beautiful stories

couple-915991_1280

Have you ever checked out our wedding proposal contest on Best for Bride? If you haven’t already, you should! It is full of exciting stories of wedding proposals done right, and we are certain that you will enjoy reading the innovative and romantic ways in which the singular life-changing question, “Will you marry me?” was presented and accepted by different couples.

As I was going through these stories of love, I thought it’s a good idea to look at what marriage proposals are like today and explore it a little deeper. So, join me as I dig into this subject and let’s have some fun. We also have three of our popular story favourites at the end of this post, so don’t forget to check them out as well.

Some history on the existence of marriage proposals

In many cultures around the world, it used to be and is still customary for the man to ask a woman’s father for her hand in marriage. This has changed in many cultures today, with women being in charge of their destinies and being directly asked for their hand in marriage.

Accepting a proposal is not compulsory. Many couples choose to wait and see if they are indeed agreeable to spending a lifetime together before they agree to get engaged. Nevertheless, a surprise proposal executed beautifully and thoughtfully is a thrill for every prospective bride and one that most women dream of.

This article on Wikipedia tells us how 29 February is the one day that women could propose to their partner, in countries like Scotland and Finland. Although proposals by women are more popular today, it is still considered the prerogative of a man to take this important step.

Proposing on bent knee

The symbolic gesture that has forever been associated with marriage proposals, most men (a whopping 76%) still favour the practice of proposing to their lady love on a bent knee. Although there is no definite history behind this practice, this article on the Love to know blog sheds some insight.  It suggests that the gesture exalts the woman, as the man shows his respect to her by lowering himself. It is also comparable to the kneeling of knights when conferred an honour, and accepting a proposal of marriage is a similar honour. The practical reason suggested is that this pose of the man places the ring in an elevated position between the couple, This prevents the blocking of the light falling on the ring, and makes it more attractive. Isn’t that interesting? So, which of these reasons do you buy?

Now, let us look at some interesting trends, numbers and facts concerning marriage proposals. Hopefully, this will give guys (or girls) a better idea of what would work, if they intend to pop their question sometime soon.

Facts, figures and trends

#Simple or showy?

We’ve seen plenty of romantic wedding proposals in sitcoms and movies, so which of these do you think would be the best for your woman? Is it the romantic and intimate style with just the couple there that the two of you would love? Remember the proposal scene in Pride and Prejudice? How romantic was it when Darcy proposed to Elizabeth on the moor at dawn? Is your girlfriend a fan of such scenes, or would she rather prefer the epic Flash Mob proposal on Cougar town, where Jules cannot deny the proposal because of how touching it was? (Despite her already being married, that is!)

Well, it so happens that 50% of women on the Robin Bros annual survey prefer that her partner spend the majority of the funds on the ring, and keep the proposal simple. Despite this, a third of them wouldn’t mind having their engagement broadcast to the rest of the world, instead of keeping it just to themselves. After all, this is the age when reality shows rule us.

#Who should propose?

Traditionally, the man proposed, except in specific cases and on specific days as we saw earlier. Now, things have changed a lot. 37% of brides believe that it is fine to take on the responsibility of the proposal, rather than wait around for their partner to realize when it is time. This explains the new trend of engagement rings for men. In fact, the tradition of proposing on bent knee extends to this scenario too, but with the woman on her knee instead. Many men don’t really mind this type of proposal though, nor do they have any qualms about accepting it.

#When is the ideal time to propose?

Interestingly, women were more of the opinion that they had to wait for a while to make sure they were compatible as a couple, before deciding to get married. A fifth of the women on the Marriage proposal survey by Chillysauce mention that they would like to be proposed to on the anniversary of the day they got together. Men, on the other hand, had no such personal dates as their preference and chose Christmas Eve and Valentine’s day as the more likely dates to pop the question.

#Is it alright to propose on social media?

It is surprising how proposals, which were once considered very personal, are now finding more likes when executed in the public eye. A surprising 40% of women in the UK, on the Chillysauce survey, wouldn’t mind being proposed to over social media. Celebrities like Kelly Rowland and Kristen Bell have leaped to propose via the digital world, and more couples are following suit. However, the survey by Robin Bros in the US suggested something different. Almost the entire population they surveyed deemed techie proposals as inappropriate and unromantic, even when followed by an in-person gesture. So, I think it differs from place to place, and person to person. So, give some thought to it before you make your move.

Now, let us move on from these numbers and get around to a more serious topic. If you are planning to get engaged in the near future, these definite proposal mistakes might be helpful.

Proposal mistakes to avoid

#Popping the question too early

Some women want to get married right away, and then some just aren’t sure. As the survey said, most women like to wait it out and see if the relationship is headed anywhere, before they commit themselves entirely. While guys may be certain that they’ve finally met the woman of their dreams, girls are usually more skeptical. So, our suggestion is to wait till you are past the infatuation stage, you have had your first few arguments and are still certain that this relationship will work. This will save you the trouble of being in an awkward situation if she seems undecided or says no.

#Proposing empty-handed

Marriage proposals and engagement rings are a match made in heaven. One isn’t complete without the other! Proposing without the ring is a big, BIG mistake. So, what do you do if you aren’t sure she’ll like the ring you pick? This article on the Knot suggests choosing one from a store with an exchange policy.  Doesn’t that sound good? Or, if you have been engaged for long and both know that a wedding is on the cards, you can take her ring shopping. Our proposal story contest winners in Season 1, Darren and Angela did this.  They were together for 6 years before they were engaged to be married. Darren knew her style by taking her out to look at rings in advance, and everything ended out fine in the end. Or, you could always consider proposing to your lady love in a ring store, as Patrick Dempsey did in the movie, Sweet Home Alabama.

#Not personalizing the proposal to suit her personality

Not all women may revel in the idea of being proposed to in front of hundreds of onlookers. Many would prefer being in a park or a meaningful place with just the two of you or a few onlookers you know and would like to have there at the time. Make the moment about her, and your proposal will be more impressive. Many women love being proposed to at the place where you first met. So, if your lady is a real romantic, you may like to consider this option. Also remember that your partner may prefer it if you had it well-planned, instead of just going with the flow and not taking it seriously enough. It is a lifetime commitment, after all, so give it the due importance it deserves.

#Ruining the surprise

You may have painstakingly created the perfect plan for your proposal, but beware of sharing it with too many people. Sure, you can enlist the help of your trusted friends or family, if you want help with executing it. You may even give a hint to her parents when you ask them for their blessings, but don’t share the details. Make sure that it is a secret, and not something that is public knowledge. You do not want your girlfriend hearing about it from someone, and the surprise is spoiled. She may also appreciate it better if she could break the news to everyone afterwards, than learn that they all knew it beforehand and it was a surprise only for her. Wait for the right moment, and give her the joy she deserves when you propose to her. You could even have a meaningful engagement with just the two of you, and then break the news to the rest of your gang with an engagement party.

It’s now time for us to look at some of our favourite proposals from our engagement proposal contest archives.

Proposal Contest Winners

1. Kristen and Jason’s Catch Phrase Proposal

This is one of the most romantic proposals we’ve ever come across. Jason caught Kristen off-guard with his proposal, by leading her to the scenario by playing the board game “Catch Phrase.” When it was Kristen’s turn to guess, Jason’s clues began with “It’s something you do, when you love someone.” Kristen’s first comical guess was to buy them stuff. Her brother who was also playing finally guessed ‘Proposal’, and all of a sudden Jason was on his knee, asking Kristen to marry him. How unique was that? Read all about this wonderful couple who were the season 2 winners of our story contest here.

2. Sean and Paige’s touching cancer to the engagement story

Season 4 proposal story winner Paige was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma cancer and was in the hospital recovering from surgery. On the second night of her stay, Sean had all her visitors leave early, and walked in with a bouquet of roses. After showing her that he’d shaved his head so she wouldn’t be alone when she lost hers during therapy, he proposed to her. It was a touching moment, as Paige was too overwhelmed and ended up with her vital signs running berserk. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful proposal.

3. Louie and Rosie’s Pizza Proposal Story

On their fourth anniversary, this couple visited their favourite restaurant in Woodridge. Rosie went on to order her favourite pizza and was upset that it took them more than an hour to get it ready. Just as she was above to give the staff a piece of her mind for the undue delay, her fiance took over and went to meet the team. Surprise, he returned with a heart-shaped pizza with “Will you marry me” written on it. How unexpected, exciting and thoughtful! And here’s the pizza that did the honours.

Isn’t it refreshing to read these stories and appreciate the beautiful thought that went into them? Our proposal story contest pages are full of hundreds of exciting stories like these. Why don’t you visit them here and pick out a few to read when you have some time to spare? Perhaps even add your own story and enter the contest?

For more exciting wedding advice, stories, shopping-related tips and more, keep visiting us at Best for Bride.

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Taking Your Time: 5 Unexpected Benefits of Opting for a Long Engagement!

This article on the Huff Post reveals that 40 percent of couples have a long engagement of anywhere between 13 to 18 months. We’ve witnessed very short engagements, very long ones and those just long enough to plan the perfect wedding day. A long engagement that lasts for a year, or slightly longer, is what we feel is the best choice. Here is why!

You have time to book your dream venue and book the best caterers

Since you aren’t pinched for time, it is easier to choose a date when your dream wedding venue is available. After all, getting married in the perfect place is a dream come true. Similarly, it is easier to work around vendor dates and get the best of everything from food to flowers. The bonus is that you have enough time first to do your research, shortlist the right vendors and finally book them after all the discussions are over.

You have time to get the perfect wedding dress

Let’s face it, wedding dress shopping is not a breeze. The thousands of attractive designs out there only make it more difficult to choose from. When you have plenty of time, you can scan through the options, consider what will look good and what will not, and finally choose a dress that is just right for you. If you begin at least six months before the big day, you will have plenty of time to get your dress altered to fit you like a glove, shop for the best accessories and bring your look together perfectly. And, the longer you are engaged, greater the chances for a sale coming up when you can bag your dream dress on a discount.

More time can mean less stress

This is because it allows you to chalk out and organize every wedding detail, with sufficient time to work on your plans. A short engagement will have you rushing from one vendor to the other, and trying to make sense of the hundreds of arrangements that you have to take care of. Unlike this, a longer engagement gives you time to ponder over decision and go with those that you love most.

You can nail the guest list

Just like you, your guests will also appreciate time to make their plans and confirm their attendance. You will have plenty of time to send out your wedding invitations, receive RSVPs, calculate the headcount and plan your wedding accordingly. There is less chance for last-minute cancellations when your guests have marked your wedding on their calendars well ahead of the actual day, and have time to adjust their schedules to fit it.

You can enjoy the engagement and plan your honeymoon at leisure

Let’s face it, your engagement will be a whirlwind of activities. Many couples realize that they have no time for each other, once wedding planning begins. You can escape from this stressful approach if you have a long engagement. There is plenty of time for date nights, honeymoon plans and time to be a couple in love, when you have a long engagement. It also gives you enough time to sort out your future plans and get started on the best foot.

What do you say, are you a fan of long engagements or do you prefer short and sweet ones?

To shop for your wedding dress, and for all your other wedding-related needs, come visit us at Best for Bride, and we will help you make your wedding a success.