14K White Gold Created Moissanite & Diamond Engagement Ring

Price: $2,224.88

Product Description

This 14k white gold bridal ring makes a great addition to any jewelry collection and can be worn on different occasions. This ring is prong set with 10 round shape diamonds. The diamonds have a total carat weight of 0.05 carats. The diamonds are GHI color and SI-I1 clarity. This ring is also set with 1 round 6.50 mm wide prong set moissanite. The moissanite has a total carat weight of 1.00 carats. The total metal weight of this ring is 6.80 grams. This ring is part of our moissanite jewelry collection of jewelry. Moissanite is a dazzling unique jewel created by Charles & Colvard that has more fire, brillianceand luster than any other. In addition, moissanite is incredibly durable, which ensures peace of mind. Moissanite has exceptional fire and brilliance, with almost 2.5 times more fire than diamond. Moissanite resists scratching and is harder than both ruby and sapphire. Moissanite is tough and does not break or chip easily. Moissanite can be cleaned the same way you care for you other fine jewelry. This moissanite jewelry is offered with a warranty that moissanite jewels will maintain their fire and brilliance. This beautiful sparking jewel is the perfect self-purchase reward or indulgence for a woman celebrating important moments in her life.

Can't find the ring size you need? No problem. Contact us at Service@DivaDiamonds.net with the ASIN number found just below this text and we'll be more than happy to direct you to the ring size you need.

This ring ships with a complimentary jewelry box, certificate of authenticity, and a jewelry polishing cloth. If this ring is not available, you will be contacted within 2 business days with other options.

This is DivaDiamonds item number 64599:280012.

 

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Ethnic Chinese Weddings

On the surface, ethnic Chinese wedding receptions may seem more similar to western weddings, due to the adaptation of western wedding dress and the wedding cake. But that may be the extent of the similarities.

About a week before the wedding, the family of the groom will go (without the groom) to the house of the bride bringing various gifts that are arranged in red baskets or red boxes or other red containers. Red symbolizes happiness and prosperity for the Chinese. Each basket should be carried by a member of the immediate family of the groom. The contents of the basket determines who should carry each basket.

The baskets from the groom should all be carried by males. They contain various items, such as fruit in one basket, clothes in another, gold jewelry for the bride in another. Some are gifts from the groom and others are gifts from the family of the groom. Another basket contains 'uang susu' (milk money). Depending on the wealth of the family the gifts will be more or less generous.

The bride. s family then accepts the baskets and takes them off to another room. Then ... this is the good part ... they sort through the gifts. Normally half of the gifts are placed back in the baskets and returned to the family of the groom. The basket is then returned to the person that brought it and everybody goes home.

Three days before the wedding, the bride's family returns the favor and brings red baskets to the groom's house.These baskets are carried by females of the bride. s immediate family. The baskets normally contain clothes for the groom, shoes and fruit. Basically, things that he would use everyday.

Some of the baskets contain makeup and personal things for the bride, such as nightgowns. This symbolizes that the groom's family is accepting her into their house. On her wedding day when she moves in, all of her personal belongings will already be in the groom's house. Again the gifts are sorted through and about half are returned.

Different ethnic Chinese groups will have variations on these proceedings, some more strictly adhered to than others. For example, Hokian, Cantonese or Kai have slight variations on these customs. For some, the groom's family will be invited into the new couple's bedroom after the bride's gifts have been received into the house and they will be invited to have a 'closet inspection'. It is expected that the bride has placed her things neatly in the closets indicating that she will be a good housekeeper.

On the morning of the wedding day, the groom is symbolically dressed by his parents (helping him put his jacket on and his flower on his lapel). Then the groom and his parents would go to the house of the bride. The wedding couple would serve tea to both sets of parents while kneeling down in front of them. This symbolizes paying their respects as well as asking permission of their parents.

The bride and groom would then go to the church, together in the same car, for the service. The church service is not really considered that important and only immediate family normally attend. The more important event to attend is the reception.

After the church service, the newlyweds proceed to a professional photo studio and have their picture taken in 20 different poses so they have something to show their children 20 years later. After the photo session, the newlyweds go on to the reception that is usually a standing only event.

The reception is run by an MC, usually someone who is hired to do the job and has perhaps met the couple once on a previous occasion to ask them some very informal questions so as he can pretend to know them. The reception begins with a speech of welcome from the MC.

The speech is followed by cake cutting ceremony. The wedding cake is usually a monstrous size. Normally it is lapis Surabaya (a layer cake) as the layers symbolize a ladder that you can climb up to success. It is also for this reason that some couples will cut the cake from the bottom layer and work their way upwards rather than starting at the top and working their way to the bottom!

The cutting of the cake is usually the only event at the reception. The bride and groom cut the cake together and then feed the cake to each other with entwined arms, trying not to destroy the bride's elaborate makeup in the process. Then a piece of the cake would also be cut for each of the parents and grandparents and they too would be fed by the bride and groom holding the cake together.

After the cake cutting, and sometimes a toast, the guests are invited to shake hands with the newlyweds and their parents on the stage. In all weddings there is some musical entertainment as the attendees line up to shake hands. This could be as simple as a man with a keyboard up to the Jakarta Symphony or Twilite Orchestra. You would also shake hands again when you are going to leave.

At more elaborate ethnic Chinese weddings, there could be a sit-down wedding reception. If this is the case, expect an elaborate 9 to 10 course meal. It could feature Chinese cuisine only, or be mixed with western dishes as well. There could be a female singer or two, usually from Taiwan. Occasionally, friends or family members will get up from the audience to sing for the wedding couple. The head tables will usually get a bottle of cognac or whiskey. At the weddings of the very wealthy, beer, wine or champagne maybe served to the guests.

Most of the ethnic Chinese customs that a decade ago would have been compulsory are being ignored by the younger generation today. Most of the customs that are carried out are done so to satisfy parents.

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Newly Engaged? First ten steps for brides and grooms

Congratulations! You're about to embark on two amazing adventures - the first, of course, being your life as a wedded couple and the second being the exciting, yet often overwhelming process of planning a wedding. A wedding will probably be the biggest and most involved party or ritual either of you have ever put together. Before you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath, then do these ten things.

1. Tell your parents
You should tell your parents of your impending nuptials before anyone else. (Unless of course, you are estranged.) Both of you should be present and ideally you will tell them in person - they'll have a chance to see your happiness up close, look at the rock, and start talking about the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents know before the groom's do, but any order is really fine. Then share the news with a few close friends - the ones who are likely candidates for maid/matron of honor and best man, or definite attendants in some capacity.

2. Tell your parents
You should tell your parents of your impending nuptials before anyone else. (Unless of course, you are estranged.) Both of you should be present and ideally you will tell them in person - they'll have a chance to see your happiness up close, look at the rock, and start talking about the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents know before the groom's do, but any order is really fine. Then share the news with a few close friends - the ones who are likely candidates for maid/matron of honor and best man, or definite attendants in some capacity.

3. Purchase a journal if you don't already have one
This will be a time of ten thousand moments you won't want to forget, as well as some frustrating times that you'll need to vent about, and not necessarily to your partner. The journal you keep while planning your wedding will not only help you through this time, but it will be something you cherish for the rest of your life. If you're internet savvy kinds of folks, you may also consider doing this journaling online at a site such as Livejournal.

4. Announce Your Engagement
Tell everyone the good news! There are many ways of doing this, and no way is more correct or better than another. Consider:                                                                       *) Announcing your engagement in print publications                                                                    *) Mailing announcements to your family and friends                                                                           *) Creating a wedding website

5. Set the Date
One of the most important decisions you will make as you plan your wedding. Not only will it be the first question everyone will ask you, but you'd be surprised how difficult it will be to make any progress on planning your wedding without knowing the date. Check out my page on setting your date for tips on how do to so.

6. Set the Tone of Your Event
This is the time to decide if you're having a formal wedding, a casual affair, or a theme wedding. It's also the time to decide on having a religious or secular ceremony. In short, you need to decide what you want your wedding to feel like. A good way to begin is to sit down with your partner and do some free writing about your ideal wedding. Look at the adjectives that each of you write and use them as a starting point. You should also check out my wedding style pages and Should You Have a Religious Wedding? for some helpful hints.

7. Set the Budget
Start off by using a printable wedding budget worksheet. Look at your finances and figure out how much you already have in savings, and how much you can save each month. Talk to each of your parents and ask them if they'd like to contribute to your wedding, and either how much they'd like to give you, or what specific things they'd like to pay for. Lastly, decide how much you feel comfortable going into debt. I strongly advise couples to avoid debt as much as possible. Since married couples fight about money more than anything else, why start marriage with debt on your backs? At this time you may consider opening a new credit card just for the wedding that will earn you airline miles, cash back, or other incentives. It's a good way for you to keep track of wedding expenses, and can help you pay for your honeymoon. Just try to pay it off in full each month.

8. Choose Your Attendants
As your attendants do a lot more than just stand next to you on the day of the wedding, now is the time to get them involved. While some couples opt not to have any attendants at all, especially if they're having a casual event, most choose between 2 and 12 members of the bridal party. Look over these lists of responsibilities for bridesmaids and groomsmen before you make your final choices. If they live nearby, its nice to ask someone in person, but a phone call is fine for those who live far away. You may also want to read How many bridesmaids and groomsmen should you have? or How many bridesmaids and groomsmen is too many?

9. Start Looking for Venues for Ceremony and Reception
Many venues are booked a year in advance, so the further in advance you start looking, the more likely you are to get the time, date, and cost that you've planned for. Read more about finding your venue.

10. Get Support
The successful bride and groom do not plan their wedding alone - they get help! This may be from professionals, respected publications, or trusted friends who've planned their own weddings.

*) Consider hiring a wedding planner or consultant. Especially if you are a busy person, or just feel a little lost, a professional can be invaluable in putting together your ideal day, and can often save you money.

*) Visit our forum to chat with other engaged couples, the marriage forum to get advice from couples who've already walked down the aisle, and the honeymoons forum to plan that trip of a lifetime.

*) Use online checklists - they're free, and especially helpful if you're planning with your mother or future spouse in another state. The most important of these forms is the overall wedding checklist which will help you stay on top of all of your important todos.

*) If you're like most couples, you'll come home from the bookstore with a few thousand pounds of wedding magazines - why not throw in a wedding planning book as well? While the internet offers many useful tools, a book is portable when you visit vendors and can accommodate the many brochures, swatches and other items you'll be collecting. If you are budget conscious, purchase a three ring binder, and build your own planner with printouts from the internet.

Now that you've made all these decisions, you have a solid foundation for your wedding! It's now time for the fun stuff - dresses, tuxes, flowers, music, favors and more! Remember to use a checklist to help yourself stay organized and on top of it all.

 

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How to Create Your Dream Destination Wedding

Dreaming of a getaway wedding but unsure of where to start? Well, you’re in luck. Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of TheKnot.com, was invited to appear on “Today” to share some tips on how to plan a destination wedding. Here's her advice:

What was once an unusual idea is now an overwhelming trend. In the past decade, the wedding industry has seen a 150-percent to 200-percent growth in destination weddings. In fact, nearly 10 percent of all weddings are now destination weddings.

Why choose a wedding location that's far from home? Couples want their wedding to be memorable, and an idyllic setting — a vineyard in Tuscany, a cruise ship, a Caribbean resort — creates a unique, exciting experience. And many couples have family and friends scattered around the country. Since guests have to travel anyway, a fabulous locale allows a wedding to double as a vacation or a family reunion.

Costs

* A destination wedding often involves hosting more parties and providing activities for your guests.

* Traveling to plan the details of your event can become costly.

* If you want all of your guests to come, you may have to foot some of the travel bill.

* Conversely, the cost may prohibit some guests from attending, which automatically pares down your guest list. * Some resorts and hotels offer destination-wedding packages, with flat fees, wedding packages or a free honeymoon as a bonus.

Location

* When choosing your location, decide whether you envision romance in an Italian villa or a sunset on the beach.

* Many hotels offer virtual tours of their facilities, so do your initial research online.

* Consider the accommodations. Are there fun activities and relaxing spa services for you and your guests? Is there enough room at the location, or nearby, for your guests?

* If package deals are offered, find out what's included and what choices you have regarding the key elements: officiant, catering, flowers, music, cake, photography, videography, salon services.

* As with any wedding, consider your budget and your guests’ budget. If they cannot afford to come otherwise, decide whether you can pay for some or all of their trip.

Planning

* When choosing a date, check seasonal weather trends and plan accordingly. Also, it's best to avoid high season, special events and conventions.

* Send your guests a save-the-date notice as soon as you can. Keep guests in the loop with a wedding Web page where you can list details and updates.

* Many destinations offer an on-site wedding planner. Ask about easy access to wedding services: local photographers, videographers, caterers and florists.

* If an on-site planner is not available, hire your own wedding planner — critical for a stress-free event. Destination weddings often mean added complications, such as dealing with a foreign language and communicating with vendors only by phone.

* Ask about marriage license requirements — there may be a waiting period or a residency requirement. Many resorts and cruise ships can help you with the paperwork and arrange a meeting with the marriage bureau.

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How to Make Your Beach Honeymoon Extra Romantic

 

It is easy to set your honeymoon and it is easier to find a location for this provided that you have an idea where to go, what to do, and how much money you want to spend. However, this does not automatically mean that you can get a romantic honeymoon. All your money, place, and things you have prepared are all useless if you and your partner would not make them work for.

So how to make your beach honeymoon extra romantic? Let us count the ways…

If you set your honeymoon at a beach (which a normal couple would do), make it extra romantic by booking for an exclusive night at a villa on a secluded island. Some resorts and hotels have this amenity where you and your couple can enjoy. An overnight stay in an island with no other people around you will surely give you the privacy and the freedom to do everything you like and enjoy each other’s company both of you have all been dreaming of.

Set a romantic dinner where your favorite music is played. You can also arrange for dinner beside the beach with musicians at your side. The open air, the calmness of the sea, the sound of the waves, and the clear night sky plus the romantic music would all conspire to create the most unique and romantic dinner for both of you.

Instead of letting one of the staffs of the hotel to bring your breakfast at your bed, wake up early in the morning and request the chef to let you help for the preparation of the food. Personally deliver them to your room and great your partner with a warm kiss and sweet words.

Have her favorite flowers to be delivered to your room everyday so that every time she wakes up, she can see different sets of flowers. No lady can resist the thoughts of you bringing her flowers every morning.

Book for the most romantic suite and pamper her with the best services you can give. Treat her like a baby. Treat her the way she wants to be treated. Women are very emotional so letting her feel that she’s being treated with outmost care is greatly appreciated.

These are some of the things you can do to make your honeymoon at the beach extra special. One more thing: Let your partner become clueless on your actions and surprise her with something sweet.

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