Confetti

As wedding traditions go the bride’s bouquet has a coloured history. During the middle-ages people only bathed once a year, typically in April or May. Most marriages took place in the summer months of June and July, so by the time the wedding day rolled around nobody smelled of roses.

However, the flowers you choose still hold certain symbolism and if you are hoping to send a message with the flowers you choose here are some tips to remember.

Baby’s Breath: purity of heart, innocence, the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Bachelor Buttons: celibacy, single, blessedness, hope in love, delicacy.

Forget-me-not: true love and memories

Fuchsia: confiding love

Gladiolus: preparedness, strength, splendid beauty and love at first sight.

Globe Amaranth: unfading love.

Orange Blossom: innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness

Orchid: love, beauty, refinement, many children, thoughtfulness and mature charm.

Peony: happy marriage, compassion and bashfulness

Roses: love, remembrance, passion (red); purity (white); happiness (pink); infidelity (yellow); unconscious beauty, I love you.

Tulips: fame and perfect love.

 

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 Better prep those pins! Trend setters are predicting quite literally the rise of the shorter skirt! And as per usual Confetti are way ahead, reviewing and reporting on the latest trends!

For destination weddings these prom style wedding dresses are perfect or can be themed with an elegant cardi or bolero for a less formal wedding. Not to mention, this shorter hemline is ideal for bridesmaid dresses. On the plus size shorter styles generally retail with a lower price tag.

Jerry hall’s marriage to Mick Jagger saw the beauty rocking a fabulous lace, mid-length frock and it seems the higher hemline is back. As with all wedding gowns, the length and style varies depending on preference.

We’re loving the vintage inspired 50’s look. Dolly Couture has a range of vintage style shorter styles and specialise in customising wedding dresses for customers for knock off prices! The site vows to ship to anywhere in the world and guarantees a one of a kind gown for your special day. This “Milan” gown is a sample of a dress customised for one blushing bride and retailed for the penny-wise price of $295 (230euro)! Take a look at http://www.dollycouture.com and let us know what you think!

 

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Originally used to hold up stockings and socks, they’re now a frivolous, cheeky thigh decoration. A lacy garter worn at the top of your stockings evokes Parisian dancers and naughty French boudoirs; the key to its appeal is often its removal. Traditionally, a bridegroom whips off his wife’s garter and tosses it to the male wedding guests – a practice still popular today. We’ve the history of this and many more traditions that continue today.Hold ups
Corsets and basques
The baby doll
Backless panties
Crotchless knickers and nipple-less bras
Pasties
Pasties are small, circular cup-shaped pieces of material, which stick on the nipple, they first emerged in the modern dance hall during the early 1920s when they were all the rage in Parisian dance halls, and they came back into fashion in the 1980s. Get yourself a pair with silk tassels or sequins, or shaped into red hearts, Hilarious and fun!
The texture of thin rubber can be a real turn-on and it fits on the body like a second skin. Rubber and whips go together well, but be gentle, pussycat – it’s just for show, unless you’re both into the pain game

Extracted from The Naughty Book for Girls by Candice Hill, published by Michael O’Mara Books

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• If possible, think of your rings as a set of three – your engagement ring and two wedding bands. A ladies wedding ring should always sit well with and compliment her engagement ring. It should look equally well on its own or worn together. If you consider this at the outset you can really put your own stamp on your suite of jewellery. Confetti also has advice on finding a ring shape that'll suit all hand shapes and sizes.
  
• Insure your rings. They're the most important items of jewellery you own and you'll certainly want to replace them in the event that the're lost or stolen.
• Don't wear your rings in water. A combination of your fingers shrinking slightly and your body subconsciously filtering out the sensation of motion around your body means that most people realize the ring is missing from their finger long after they've gotten out of the water, especially on honeymoon when you're tempted to spend the afternoon scuba diving. On a few occasions we've even made silver copies or ‘stunt-rings’ for couples traveling extensively in Africa and Asia, which was lucky for one couple whose ring ended up on the floor of a lake in Zimbabwe on the last week of their trip.
• A person’s hand is one of the most impractical places to put a piece of precious jewellery. It's most exposed to knocks, scrapes and scratches, most of which you won’t notice happening. And your wedding jewellery is something you'll wear every day. It's worth having it checked every year or two, especially if it's a stone setting, to ensure everything's in place and secure. Any reputable jeweller should be able to check this for you. In the event that you hit a brick wall or a glass window, don’t wait. Bring it to be checked up. Your rings will last you your lifetime but occasionally deserve a little TLC.
• Don’t compromise on what you want. The rings will endure as long as your marriage and beyond, as heirlooms to the next generations. The rings will have an emotional importance and significance that'll grow with time, so it makes sense to put your own personal touch to them right at the very start.
• When collecting your wedding rings, see if it's possible to get your engagement ring cleaned for the big day. Nothing sings like a fresh sparkle on your hand!
  

T: 01 675 3867
E: info@dacapo.ie
W: www.dacapo.ie

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Nowadays there’s certain pressure to buy a diamond ring but be brave, buck the trend and opt for an antique. Coloured stones were very popular in the past. Pearls were favoured in Victorian engagement rings and emeralds, rubies and sapphires were all the rage in art deco rings.

It’s important to buy antique rings from a reputable dealer. The Irish Antique Dealers' Association can offer advice. Declan Corrigan, owner of Delphi Antiques (Powerscourt Centre, Dublin) says couples who come to him are looking for something unique - "antique rings are very romantic, they’ve a history, some are even engraved by the original owners" He advises people to look-out for replicas and ensure you get an original. Frequently, it’s an original stone in a modern setting which isn't as good.

He advises women to choose a ring that best suits their hand. Older rings are more refined and make your hand look light and elegant. We’ve tips on getting the perfect ring shape for you.

For couples who choose an antique, the setting and overall beauty of the piece is as important as the stone. Today, a lot of emphasis is placed on a diamond's 4 C's. It’s important to ensure you’re getting a good quality diamond but Garret Weldon, antique jeweller, recommends couples pay as much attention to the overall beauty and character of the ring. "Turn the piece over. The level of craftsmanship was once so high that the underside of the ring is often as beautiful as the top". When shopping, be sure and inspect the condition of the piece. The prongs holding the centre diamond, and any small stones, should be solid and secure. The shank of the ring should not look worn.

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Have things change since you started in the business?

Since we opened there have been changes, definitely. It used to always be the case that guys picked the ring before proposing and they would come in quite clueless to the shop looking for advice. Nowadays it's more likely the couple will come together and if a guy does do it on his own he'll be armed with all the information he needs – her size, the cut, the budget etc. Generally girls have lot more input than in times past, which I think makes more sense.

Wedding rings used to be simple bands but nowadays diamond settings are all the rage and when it comes to engagement rings we get asked for platinum and 18-carat gold a lot. The vintage thing's not a hallmark of our store although people do come in with their mum’s or granny’s rings, which we can melt down and incorporate into new rings.

Are men always opting for a wedding ring?

These days, yes. And they've become more adventurous in the style they go for. Matt rings with a satin finish are very modern and rings with a small diamonds are also requested more often. Yellow gold isn't as popular as it used to be.

Can you explain ‘the four C’s’ of diamond shopping

The Cs stand for cut, clarity, carat weight and colour. Ladies often get bogged down in colour whereas clarity can be of equal if not more importance. Cut is also important so the diamond's in proportion and allows the maximum light be reflected. Carat weight has a huge impact on the price. The bigger the diamond, the more expensive.

What is the average spend?

Engagement rings usually cost anything between €3,000-5,000 although they can be less than that – or a lot more. Wedding rings are about €500-600 each.

Are clients influenced by celebrities?

Very much so. When Jennifer Lopez wore her 6.1 carat Harry Winston pink diamond (when she was engaged to Ben Affleck) everyone wanted a copy. Jessica Simpson’s pear shaped diamond in platinum has had a huge impact as well, but that would cost big money.

What jewellery is popular for bridal party gifts?

Pearls and silver for bridesmaids and cufflinks for groomsmen are still the gifts of choice.

Barry Doyle Designs are at 30 George’s Street Arcade, Dublin. T: 01 6712838

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