Archive for January, 2009

When it comes to wedding etiquette there are certain rules for proper conduct and manners that are etched in stone and very traditional while others fall into the gray area. Here are some common examples of wedding etiquette that would be wise to follow:

-Send wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the scheduled date.

-Always include return postage with the RSVP cards in the invitations.

-You can send wedding invitations to both sets of parents and the wedding party to have as keepsakes.

-Anyone over the age of 18 should be sent his own invitation, addressed to him personally.

-If someone has not responded to the wedding invitation a week after the reply date and you expect her to come, call her on the phone to confirm.

-Do not write “cash only gifts” on your invitation, as this is considered very rude.

-In the same way, do not include gift registry information in the invitations. This is for word of mouth. (This can be noted on the bridal shower invitations.)

-While many newlyweds open their gifts at the reception or the next morning with people in attendance, this is not a requirement. You are not breaking the rules of proper etiquette by opening them in private.

-When it comes to the seating arrangement at the reception, keep people who don’t get along apart!

-Seat people according to their ages or according to how they are related to you. Try not to seat strangers together. This can be a great way to get acquainted with new people, but for some people it is simply an uncomfortable situation.

-Make sure tables are numbered, so guests easily can locate where they will be sitting.

-For brides who choose to wear gloves when they get married: shortly before your wedding ring is placed on your finger remove the gloves and give them to your maid of honor. She will give them back to you when the time is right. When you are greeting guests in the receiving line make sure to wear your gloves. The same is true for the first dance. After that, it is time to take them off for good.

-If the wedding is canceled, then all gifts must be returned with a short explanation (with the exception of personalized or engraved gifts).

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When it comes to choosing the design of an engagement ring there are no hard and fast rules. There is no special formula and no mathematical equation. Often it is simply a matter of which one is more appealing to the eye. In other words- it all boils down to personal preference.

To help you in your decision making process, there are four important properties when it comes to the design of an engagement ring. If you find a ring that is lacking in any one of these areas then keep looking.

Easy and practical

Whether a ring is easy and practical has a lot to do with the lifestyle of the intended wearer. If a diamond is set high, then it is more likely to catch and snag on things. Consider the job of your future fiancée. If she works outdoors and does a lot of work with her hands, then she needs a safer ring that will not snag easily.

Sturdy enough for day-to-day wear

An engagement ring must be able to stand up to the everyday wear that it will be subjected to. There are some environments that present worse hazards than others. Offices can be damaging to rings because of the amount of paper that is used. Paper has a mildly abrasive quality to it that can wear down an engagement ring as the years pass. Factories can spell bad news for engagement rings. The solution to this is to select a style of ring that is heavier in construction. In other words, it is sturdy and has a strong shank or band.

Security of gemstones

An engagement ring must be able to hold the stones in it as securely as possible. As far as gemstone settings are concerned, the six prongs (claws) are best, although four prongs are usually very sturdy as well. Safer than a prong setting is a bezel (or rub over). A heavier setting is sturdier and stronger than a light setting. A higher setting can get damaged much more readily than a lower setting.

Appearance of the ring

All women want an engagement ring that looks attractive on their finger. This is where it comes in handy if you pay attention to the little details and know exactly what would appeal to her and what wouldn’t! If you have bought her jewelry in the past, then you should have some prior knowledge of her taste.

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The Doubly Good December Contest has ended after an extension due to a tie for the most commented article.  Without further ado, prizes were awarded to:

Gumer Liston for most commented article

• “Books, Pictures, Stories, and Your Child” on Your Parenting Info

Sharyn Essman of FeeFiFoto Blog for randomly chosen comment on

• “What Did You Say You Wanted?” on Go Shopping Info

Congratulations to both!

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When it comes to selecting an engagement ring, there are three important aspects to the decision making process. These include choosing the diamonds for the ring, choosing a metal for the ring and finally, choosing the design for the ring. Here we look briefly at all three of these.

Diamonds for an Engagement Ring

There is a grading system when it comes to diamonds. It is known as the Diamond 4Cs. The 4Cs include the cut of a diamond, the color, the carat and the clarity.

Metal for an Engagement Ring

Engagement rings are usually made from either gold or platinum. Engagement rings that are gold can be white gold, yellow gold and/or rose gold. The gold can be 9kt, 14kt or 18kt. The best choice is 18kt gold (regardless of whether the metal is rose gold, white gold or yellow gold). The second best choice is 14kt. Platinum engagement rings are lovely as well but tend to be pricier than gold rings.

Engagement Ring Design

The third most important aspect of selecting an engagement ring is choosing the right design. The decision of the correct design is sometimes the most intimidating and most difficult.

There are four specific factors that play a role in engagement ring design. First of all an engagement ring should be one that is practical to wear as well as easy. It should look fantastic on her finger. It should be able to withstand the pressures of regular daily wear. Finally, the gemstones should remain as secure as possible in the ring.

Any engagement ring that is lacking in any of these four areas is not a ring that is designed well, and you should keep looking. For example, reflecting on the first point- choose an engagement ring design that is practical and easy. This all depends on the type of job you have and the lifestyle you lead. The higher the setting of a diamond the more often and more likely it is to get caught on everything from her sweater to the button on her coat. If your fiancée to be works at an office job on a computer all day, then a ring with a high setting might be okay. However ,if she works outdoors or with children or animals, she needs a ring with a sturdier construction.

Personal preference is one of the most important aspects of choosing an engagement ring design. Choose wisely!

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The dress code for a groom is dependent upon the type of wedding that he is having. If you choose a theme for the wedding, then that will dictate the suit of choice for the groom as well as the groomsmen. On the other hand, if you choose to have a traditional wedding then the suit of choice will be a morning suit.

Historically the traditional time of day for a wedding was the morning, and that is why a groom’s suit is referred to as a morning suit. Wedding ceremonies were held in the early morning hours and then followed up by a wedding breakfast. While morning weddings are not as common as they once were, if you wish to have a traditional wedding ceremony, then it is important that you get married before 3PM. For a traditional wedding such as this, the groom, as well as the best man, the bride’s and groom’s father, and the ushers must all wear morning suits.

A morning suit is sometimes called “top hat and tails” because the coat of the suit is longer in length and has a penguin tail. The trousers that are a part of the suit are either plain grey, pin-striped grey, blue or black. The shirt is a wing collar shirt, and it should have a covering waistcoat as well as a cravat.

In the past men wore an Ascot top hat with their morning suits as well as white gloves. Today, it is up to you whether you wish to wear the top hat or not while the gloves have gone by the wayside.

If you choose to follow your morning wedding ceremony with a formal black tie evening reception, which was once the customarily thing to do, then the groom can wear either a black or a white tuxedo jacket. A black tuxedo jacket is classic, but today it is really up to your own personal tastes. Choose a single or double-breasted jacket that has ribbed silk lapels but no covered buttons or vents.

A formal evening shirt is a must. Traditionally the style was a pleated shirt, but if you feel more at ease in a collared shirt then go with that. Choose pleated trousers with a row of braid in order that you can wear braces with them. In days gone past men word a cummerbund waistband, but today the style leans more towards a colorful waist coat.

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