Being a hopeless romantic, I still personally prefer the classic and romantic way of proposal where Prince charming proposes on one knee and with a beautiful engagement ring in hand. But I am not saying that the other alternatives are not as equally romantic. More and more couples are actually buying the engagement ring together which I am sure can be a lot of fun in its own right and at the end of the day, the most important thing is that you get to celebrate the fact that you are getting married!!

Whatever road you decide to take, we suggest you educate yourself about diamonds. It’s not every day that you purchase a diamond, and to the untrained eye it is easy to end up with something that you didn’t want. This beginner’s diamond guide will teach you a few simple rules so that you will be in a better position when you come go buying a diamond.

The first thing that you have to learn when buying a diamond is the ‘Four Cs’: Cut, Clarity, Colour and Carat. The following diamond guide provides more details about each of these.

Diamond Guide: Cut

The cut of a diamond is the most important characteristic to consider when you are looking for a beautiful diamond ring. This relates to its shape and proportions which greatly influence the beauty and sparkle on a diamond. You can find many diamond shapes like cushion, assher, marquise, round, pear and heart to name a few, but while the actual shape is not graded, the proportions are.

It is importnat that you have a good understanding of the diamond’s cut grade because this is the main factor that allows for the diamond to  produce the most brilliant sparkle and this diamond’s light performance really depends on how the diamond is cut.  This is one of the main factors to affect the appearance of the diamond, and therefore its value.  Ask what your chosen diamond is graded before buying it (it ranges from Shallow, Ideal, Good, Fair, Poor), although you will probably be able to see which is the better diamond from the amount of sparkle that it produces.

Diamond Guide: Colour

Colour grades for white diamonds go from D down to Z, with D being the superior due to its very lack of colour. This is the second most important factor after the cut of the diamond.

Basically, the whiter the diamond is, the more it will cost. A high-end diamond will be quite noticeable compared to a low-end, or yellow-coloured, diamond. However, the exact grades may not be noticeable to the naked eye, so always ask what grade your diamond is. ‘D’, ‘E’ or ‘F’ grades are classed as colourless and will be very expensive.

Diamond Guide: Clarity

When you are buying a diamond, it’s important to know that nearly every diamond will come with some imperfections, and this is what the clarity refers to. Some of these may be so small that you cannot see them at all, and for this reason it is the least important factor to consider.

Imperfections, or blemishes, can be external and internal. They are graded from ‘F’, which is flawless and very rare indeed, through ‘IF’, which is internally flawless and also very rare, down through ‘VVSI’ (Very very slightly inclusioned) and ‘I’ (Inclusioned). Only in ‘I’ grades are the imperfections visible to the naked eye.

Diamond Guide: Carat

The carat of a diamond is its weight. However, with a diamond it is overall the effect that is important, so a diamond with a lower carat can often seem bigger for other reasons. Carat should always therefore be considered in combination with the cut of the diamond and the distance across the top of the diamond, because this is how it will be viewed on the ring.

The cut will affect how the light is reflected and will therefore affect how big the diamond looks from the top. So if the cut is good, you could have a smaller carat and it would still appear to be a bigger diamond.

It is an exciting part of your life and buying an engagement ring is one of the most romantic purchase you will ever do in your life. Don’t rush and wait until you find a diamond ring you think your fiancee-to-be will fall in love with.

Photos courtesy of Leviev and diamond illustrations courtesy of Blue Nile

Related posts:

1. Top Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring on V-day
2. What Your Engagement Ring Says About You….
3. Asprey Cut Diamond

1st row – Better Together £3.00 and Only You £4.25

2nd row – My Love £3.00 and My Love Gatefold £4.40

3rd row – Happy Couple £3.00 and Crowning Moment £3.00

Wedding Stationery -K.D. Concepts

K.D Concepts – (opens website in a new window)

29 Millhand Road
Hampshire, SO23 0QA

E: katie(at)kdconcepts.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962

Photos courtesy of K.D. Concepts

Related posts:

1. Top 3 Wedding Stationery Tips
2. Emily and Jo Stationery
3. Pocket Wedding Invitation Cards

Top 3 Wedding Stationery Tips

1. As in everything wedding-related, organisation is important. If you can start collecting your guests’ names and addresses as soon as possible this will make your life much easier when it comes to the invitations. Many couples run into delays getting their invitations out because they haven’t finalised the guest list.
2. I also recommend sending RSVP cards or postcards with your invitations. I think that this is the easiest way to get your guests to respond. People are busy, if you make it easy for them to get back to you, then they are more likely to do it. Also you’ll save yourself time because you won’t have to phone people to find out if they are coming or not.
3. When it comes to orders of service, many couples go for 1 order of service between 2 people, which is usually fine, but I always recommend 10 to 20 extra, depending on the size of the wedding, so you don’t have the embarrassment of running out.

Hope you find this article useful. We have picked some of our favourite wedding stationery made by Katie and you can find it on K.D. Concept profile page here at DS.

1st row – Bella Classica £4.75 and Majestic £4.25

2nd row – Satin Edge ££49 per table and Classic £3.75

Wedding Stationery – K.D. Concepts

K.D Concepts – (opens website in a new window)

29 Millhand Road
Hampshire, SO23 0QA

E: katie(at)kdconcepts.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1962

Photos courtesy of K.D. Concepts

Related posts:

1. K.D. Concepts Wedding Stationery
2. Emily and Jo Stationery
3. Pocket Wedding Invitation Cards

“Spherical shape is quite a common shape for Japanese sweets and desserts which are usually stuffed with red beans. Before I started Maki’s Cakes, I worked as a pasty chef in England and I tried making some Japanese sweets for our local guests. They all loved and were highly impressed by the design, but unfortunately, what tasted good for Japanese or Asian clientele didn’t really suiteveryone’s liking, which, of course, is totally understandable. But this is where it all started -  my love for delicious cakes paved way for my signature Temari cakes which uses only the finest ingredients in cake making that everyone will surely love and my passion for Japanese art & design, that I am so proud of. These powerful synergy combined together is when my temari cakes were born to life.”

I think her statement says it all, the Temari cakes are not only aesthetically beautiful, but every mouthful will surely be super yum!

I think the Temari wedding cakes above will be ideal for a spring wedding or summer wedding, whilst the wedding cakes below can be perfect for a fall wedding or winter wedding. I love them all!!

At a Glance

• Temari wedding cakes starts at £10.00 each
• Style – East meets West (vintage, classic, contemporary)
• Bespoke wedding cakes and cupcakes
• Personalized packaging as wedding favours available
• 6 months order notice required
• Appointment for cake consultation required
• Apart from the Temari cakes, you can also check out other beautiful wedding cakes by Maki here at DS

1^st row – Baby Pink & Green Temari and Old Dutch Rose

2^nd row – Pastel Temari Wedding Cake and Original Temari Cake

3rd row – Oriental Temari Cake and Christmas Temari Wedding Cake

4th row – Christmas Temari Wedding Cake and Winter Land

Wedding Cakes –Maki’s Cakes

Maki’s Cakes (opens website in a new window)

maki@makiscakes.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1932 562 403

Related posts:

1. Maki’s Cakes
2. Peggy Porschen Cakes
3. Little Venice Wedding Cakes

Ruth, the talent behind all their wedding stationery at Purely Handmade Designs also honoured us some of her precious time as she briefly answers some questions we have prepared here at Dolce Sposa. Happy reading and enjoy looking through some of our favourite pocket wedding invitation cards.

DS: “What is your inspiration?”

Ruth: “My inspiration comes from things around me. For example, when I go shopping I’m always looking at wallpapers and cushions because of the lovely colours combined on such items.”

DS: “Why would you recommend pocket invitation cards?”

Ruth: “Nowadays, a lot of people want to include information about accommodation, how to get there, etc and our pocket invitation are ideal for that because the pocket allows you to neatly tuck in all the extra information you would like your guests to know about.”

DS: “What do you love about pocket invites?”

Ruth: “I love the flexibility of being able to put extra information into the pockets without having to worry about them falling out when your guests open the invitations.”

DS: “What important inserts would you recommend?”

Ruth: “I would recommend information on accommodation, directions and wedding gifts.”

DS: “What interesting inserts can you recommend for the extra touch and personalization?”

Ruth: “For the extra touch, you may want to add the menu to wet your guest’s appetite. Some of my clients have done that in the past. Another unusual thing is inserts with a little poem or snippet about how the couple met – just something short and funny.”

Wedding Stationery – Purely Handmade Designs

Purely Handmade Designs (opens in new window)
9 Harrison Close
E: info(a)purelyhandmade.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7993 8121

Photos courtesy of Purely Handmade Designs

Related posts:

1. Val Carr Wedding Invites
2. Papermonkeys
3. Top 3 Wedding Stationery Tips

Insurer	Cancellation Cover	Attire	Vendors	Photos	Rings	Cost
2 Star	£5000 (excess £35)	£1500	£1250	£1250	£1500	£18.99
Silver	£5000 (excess £25)	£2000	£1250	£1250	£1500	£19.99
Tier 1	£5000 (excess £50)	£0	£0	£0	£0	£30.00
Tier 1	£5000 (excess £0)	£2500	£2000	£2000	£2500	£59.00

Insurer	Cancellation Cover	Attire	Vendors	Photos	Rings	Cost
Band 1	£6000 (excess £0)	£4000	£5000	£3000	£3000	£19.50
Silver	£6000 (excess £0)	£3000	£3000	£3000	£3000	£22.50
Tier 2	£7500 (excess £50)	£3000	£3000	£1500	£3000	£56.00
Tier 2	£8000 (excess £0)	£3500	£2000	£2250	£2500	£99.00
Gold	£9000 (excess £25)	£3000	£3000	£1500	£2500	£53.00
3 Star	£9000 (excess £35)	£5000	£5000	£5000	£4000	£39.99
Band 2	£10000 (excess £0)	£5000	£6000	£4000	£4000	£33.00
Gold	£10000 (excess £25)	£3000	£1500	£1500	£2000	£34.99
Gold	£10000 (excess £0)	£5000	£5000	£5000	£5000	£36.00

Insurer	Cancellation Cover	Attire	Vendors	Photos	Rings	Cost
Tier 3	£12500 (excess £0)	£4000	£3500	£2500	£3500	£154.00
Tier 3	£15000 (excess £50)	£5000	£5000	£2000	£5000	£56.00
Band 3	£15000 (excess £0)	£6000	£7000	£5000	£5000	£48.75

Insurer	Cancellation Cover	Attire	Vendors	Photos	Rings	Cost
Tier 4	£17500 (excess £0)	£5000	£5000	£3000	£3500	£189.00
4 Star	£18000 (excess £35)	£6000	£6000	£6000	£6000	£79.00
Platinum	£18000 (excess £25)	£10000	£5000	£3000	£3500	£90.00
Band 4	£20000 (excess £0)	£7000	£8000	£6000	£6000	£56.25
Platinum	£20000 (excess £25)	£6000	£3000	£3000	£4000	£59.99
Platinum	£20000 (excess £0)	£7000	£10000	£7000	£7000	£75.00

Insurer	Cancellation Cover	Attire	Vendors	Photos	Rings	Cost
Tier 4	£30000 (excess £50)	£7500	£7500	£3000	£7500	£152.00
Band 5	£30000 (excess £0)	£8000	£9000	£7000	£7000	£73.50
Diamond	£30000 (excess £25)	£10000	£5000	£3000	£3500	£79.90
Diamond	£30000 (excess £50)	£10000	£15000	£5000	£10000	£104.00
Diamond	£30000 (excess £50)	£10000	£10000	£5000	£6000	£318.00
Band 6	£35000 (excess £0)	£9000	£10000	£8000	£8000	£112.50
Band 7	£40000 (excess £0)	£9000	£10000	£8750	£8750	£135.00
5 Star	£40000 (excess £35)	£10000	£10000	£10000	£10000	£139.00
Band 8	£50000 (excess £0)	£10000	£10000	£10000	£10000	£172.50
Diamond Plus	£70000 (excess £50)	£10000	£10000	£5000	£6000	£318.00

Wedding insurance prices and cover were last updated on the 8th February 2010.

Dolce Sposa aims to update our wedding insurance information on a regular basis to provide you with the most accurate information. But as packages can change from time to time, please bear in mind that you are still responsible for doing your own diligence and double-checking the detailed terms and conditions when looking for the best wedding insurance product for you. The information on our site is a guideline and a basic resource to help you compare what wedding insurance products are currently available in the market. Please get in touch with the various wedding insurance providers to get detailed information about their wedding insurance cover and wedding insurance policies.

Photo courtesy of Keith Appleby

Related posts:

1. Top Three Wedding Insurance Providers
2. Beginner’s Guide to Wedding Insurance
3. Top Five Wedding Insurance Claims

1. A Romantic Walk in the Park – this is always a sure winner!!  The picturesque setting is just ideal for the most romantic proposal that you will both love and enjoy. It is perfect any time of the year plus it doesn’t cost you a single penny so it is a place you can go back to again and again for many years to come. A romantic walk in Hyde Park next to the Serpentine lake is just way too ROMANTIC for me and I love the whole idea!

2. The Pet Lover – this is on top of my fav list. I like the idea of involving her beloved pet in the whole set up. The idea is that you tie a beautiful engagement ring onto her pet’s collar and she’ll be so surpised when she sees it and I know for sure that it will bring tears to her eyes.

3. Love Journal – be imaginative and create a journal or comic strip to tell your love story. Each page will bring a lot of laughter, memories and it will really set the romantic mood. Place an engagement ring on the last page of the book and slowly go down on one knee as she turns the page.

4. Treasure Hunt – prepare romantic clues for her to see that will lead up to the big moment. Reading messages, following clues and going from one part of the house to another leading her to to you and the beautiful ring will surely give her butterflies in her tummy and a night full of excitement and passion.

5. On Top of the World – Like the outdoors? Consider arranging a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro or some other peak in your vicinity and propose to her when you reach the summit. Stunning views, great experience and a memorable proposal! You will both be on top of the world when she says “YES”!

6. Roses and candles – welcome her home with beautiful flowers and scented candles all over the flat. This is a perfect combination she will love! The finale will be the absolute best, a beautiful ring, a loving husband-to-be and a colourful marriage to look forward to together.

7. Valentine’s Day Dinner – home cooked dinner for two with beautiful background music to serenade you both as you wait for the perfect moment to ask the big question “Will you marry me?” She will surely love the effort and enjoy being spoilt by you.

8. Weekend Getaway – Valentine’s day this year falls on a Sunday so you can easily book a long weekend break in the country or in Europe. Stay in a romantic hotel where you two can enjoy a peaceful scenery, superb dining and be pampered by the hotel staff from the moment you enter their doors.

9. Football Stadium – this is one fabulous idea you will love if you are both football lovers. Make arrangements and get approval before the match for your proposal to appear on the score board. Make sure she sees it and be specific by writing her full name “Leona, will you marry me?!”, then get down on one knee and propose to her, in front of the whole crowd.

10. Mr. Sentimental – prepare items that are meaningful to you that will highlight different things you love about her. You can do this in many ways but my version will be to hang photographs on the ceiling with images of meaningful items about her or your relationship and write a short note to share with her what each one symbolizes. The last item will be a beautiful engagement ring and you kneeling down on one knee as you ask the words “Will you marry me?”

A Valentine’s Day proposal will definitely make it the most memorable Valentine’s Day for you both so savour the moment together. Good luck with the planning and when you get engaged, we look forward to help inspire you both in planning your wedding day.

Photos courtesy of Julie Kim and Jane Packer

Related posts:

1. Top Tips for Buying an Engagement Ring on V-day
2. Beginner’s Guide to Diamonds
3. Celebrity Engagement Rings

May Clee-Cadman, one of London’s foremost designers of couture wedding cakes and party cakes has such wonderful talent in cake baking and her cake designs are absolutely gorgeous. You can see the classic cakes in her portfolio but she’s also got tons of really creative, romantic, fun and super chic wedding cakes that I adore. My personal favourite is the Frill wedding cake, the ruffles are so unique for a wedding cake and it is oh-so romantic and beautiful (see first photo).

At a Glance

• Wedding cakes starts at £500.00
• Style – vintage, classic, contemporary, couture
• Bespoke wedding cakes and cup cakes
• Personalized packaging as wedding favours available
• 3 months order notice required
• Appointment for cake consultation required
• Past clients – The Dorchester, The Ritz, Claridge’s, The Berkeley and Mandarin Oriental Hydepark

May takes inspiration from many sources such as fashion, interiors, art and nature and driven by an unwavering commitment to excellence she creates precise, flawless and beautiful wedding cakes that you will all love. Here are our some of our favourites here at Dolce Sposa.

They are also known for their Maisie Fantaisie polka dot inspired wedding cakes that are so trendy and fun. These cakes have been featured in many bridal magazines in the UK and are very popular amongst style savvy brides-to-be.

1^st row – Frill wedding cake £765 and Diamante Stripe wedding cake £815

2^nd row – Cascading wedding cake £565and Peach Pearl wedding cake £545

3^rd row – Chocolate and Blue wedding cake £545and Candy Stripe wedding cupcakes £11.50 each

4^th row – Manhattan wedding cake £725 and Polka Dot wedding cake £545

5^th row – Polka Dot and Pink wedding cupcakes £10.50 each and Dotty About You wedding cake £475

Wedding Cakes – Maisie Fantaisie

Maisie Fantaisie – (opens website in a new window)

enquiries(at) maisiefantaisie.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8671 5858

Related posts:

1. Maki’s Cakes
2. Little Venice Wedding Cakes
3. Temari Wedding Cakes

9 days to go before Valentine’s Day and if you are seriously considering popping the big question, then we’d give you a list of things to consider before buying a diamond engagement ring. It is not something you do every day, and you’re going to want to make sure you do it properly because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime gift that will be worn for years to come, and also because diamond engagement rings are very expensive!

1. What style does she like?

Do you know what she likes when it comes to diamond engagement rings? They come in a large range of sizes, styles and colours, not to mention the setting and the band, and you don’t want to choose something she doesn’t like. Look for clues in her style of jewellery, and if you don’t have a clue then maybe ask one of her close friends as they are sure to know. There is nothing worse than being stuck with a ring she does not like, so if you’re going to buy it without her knowledge then make sure you do it right. To get started, have a read about what diamond cut will suit her personality and you take it from there.

2. Stick to your Budget

It can be very easy to go over your budget when you see all the diamond engagement rings on offer. And the jewellers will know how to exploit the fact that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. So pick an absolute maximum price and try your best not to get carried away and over blow your budget. Trust me, I’ve heard way too many stories….

The unofficial rule on the price is three months’ salary, but obviously stick within your means and buy an engagement ring that you can afford and she’ll love you for it no matter what. You don’t want to start off a marriage by getting heavily into debt, so stick to your limits.

3. Get Familiar with the ‘Four Cs’

The ‘Four Cs’ are what you have to know about when you’re buying diamond engagement rings. They stand for Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. There are a lot of things to find out about this and I am in the process of writing another article specially dedicated for this. In the meantime, you can check Blue Nile and their Diamond Education resource page to find out more.

4. GIA Certificate

A good jeweller will have good quality diamonds in their boutique, so going to a reputable shop is always a good start. But if you are not sure and since you are not a diamond expert (and you probably aren’t), then asking to see the GIA certificate of the diamond you want to purchase will give you the peace of mind. This will prove that it is genuine and of the quality described. Most jewellers will be able to provide this for you.

5. The Band

The band of the ring is just as important when buying diamond engagement rings. Do you want to go for a platinum band, rose gold, white gold or yellow gold? What band thickness will suit her? Do you want it to have a plain band or with diamonds all around? Good jewellers will be more than happy to show you all the different styles and you will get an idea of what style you like and what she will like.

6. The Setting

The setting of the diamond can come in many different styles. Pave settings, micro-pave settings and the Tiffany-style settings are some of the popular ones and the list can go on. Visiting some of the luxury jewellers in New Bond Street like Tiffany’s, De Beers and David Morris can be a good way to get inspiration (even if you don’t ultimately get the ring there), as they have a wide range of stylish settings for you to pick from.

7. Shop Around

Even if you see a fabulous ring in the first jeweller you visit, don’t be tempted to buy it there straight away. You may well be able to find a cheaper alternative, or even a better ring, elsewhere. Visit as many places as you can, and you can also choose to buy the ring online which is becoming very popular in this modern age. Wherever you go, check the store’s reputation before buying and find out about its guarantees, warranties and any trade associations it belongs to.

Good luck with the research and we hope you find a beautiful diamond engagement ring that she will love!

Related posts:

1. What Your Engagement Ring Says About You….
2. Celebrity Engagement Rings
3. Beginner’s Guide to Diamonds

My favourite of the whole bunch is the Chloe Capretto. It is simple yet very elegant and I love the flower detail which gives it a romantic and bridal look. Anyway, let me start it off with the designer ballerina shoes and slowly make our way to the more affordable, but equally stunning ballerina pumps available in London. Enjoy browsing ladies..

(L-R) Allegra by Gina £685.00, Christian Louboutin Satin Ballerina £230.00, Chloe Capretto £305.00, Alice by Emmy Shoes £465, Bloch Savoy Bow and Bloch Raphaela £125

Here are my top picks from Pretty Ballerinas and French Sole – they are sweet, beautiful and super comfy!!

(L-R) Rosaria 3566Y.G £112.50, Ingrid £77.60, Audrey £95 and Rosaria 3566Y.A £104.00

(L-R) Harriet HA170 £87.00, Henrietta HE05 £82.00, India PT308 £87.00 and India PT300 £72.00 (this can be your something blue)

Brown’s Shoes (website opens in new window)

59 Brook Street
London W1K 4HS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7514 0090

Pretty Ballerinas (website opens in new window)

7 Pont Street
London SW1X 9EJ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7245 0895

French Sole (website opens in new window)

26 Brook Street
London W1K 5DQ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7493 2678

Related posts:

1. Browns Shoes First Anniversary
2. Christian Louboutin Bridal Shoes
3. Christian Louboutin Wedding Shoes – “Petal Shoe”