Best offer of the month

By Jessica Carter

(Jessica Carter is a professional freelance writer with over 10 years of experience in the diamond industry. She is currently writing for DiamondPriceGuide.com as one of the diamond experts, as well as for a variety of jewelry blogs and portals.)

A common misconception with inexperienced jewelry shoppers is that shopping online for jewelry is risky, and that diamond wedding rings should only be bought at actual brick and mortar jewelry stores. However, you will find that, surprisingly enough, there are many perks to shopping for your wedding ring online:

• You will find that wedding rings sold online are far less expensive than wedding rings sold in brick and mortar jewelry stores. As online jewelry stores do not have the overhead and expenses that are common to brick and mortar jewelry stores, they will be able to offer their consumers high end, high quality wedding rings for more affordable prices.

• In addition to their low prices, online jewelry sites are known for their sales and coupons. Therefore, a customer who is looking to buy a quality wedding ring that he or she will not necessarily be able to afford at a brick and mortar jewelry store would do best to shop for the ring online.

• Online jewelry stores are known for their rich selection of wedding rings, from more traditional wedding ring deigns such as the solitaire diamond wedding ring to edgier, more modern wedding band designs such as the gemstone cocktail wedding ring or the tension set wedding band, online stores carry it all. As such a customer who is looking for a more unconventional, unique wedding ring will have an easier time finding his or her perfect wedding ring online.

• Discerning the reputation of an online jewelry store is by far easier than checking up on the repute of an actual brick and mortar jewelry store. Since online jewelry stores are more accessible to an increasing amount of customers, you will find that these stores have an abundance of customer testimonials, product reviews and store reviews posted online.

Your flower girl is a precious part of the ceremony. Let her know how thrilled you are to have her as part of your wedding party with a gift of flower girl jewelry. She may seem to have an easy job of sprinkling flower petals down the aisle for your walk to the altar. However, chances are she is nervous and is scared that she might mess up. Most importantly, she symbolizes that girl you once were. She is helping you in your celebration of love and marriage. That occasion deserves flower girl jewelry.

Typically, the average age of the flower girl is six to ten years of age. She is a cute little girl who was so excited to be chosen for the honor. Sure, she is happy that you wanted her in the wedding, but she is also bursting with joy because she gets to have her hair done like the grown-ups and wear a pretty dress. And she is taking her duties seriously. What better way to reward her than with some flower girl jewelry?

However, what kind of flower girl jewelry do you get her? A bracelet? Earrings? A necklace or anklet might work too. There are several factors to consider in choosing appropriate flower girl jewelry. The first factor is her dress. What does it look like? Is it a replica of the bridesmaids dresses? Sometimes, that may be the case, but more often than not, it may be the same style, but a different color. Does the dress have a specific neckline? Perhaps a necklace is an appropriate choice of flower girl jewelry.

Another factor in your quest for choosing flower girl jewelry is her age. If she is a little young, perhaps a necklace with a detachable pendant would be an option. That way, once she grows out of the necklace, she can remove the pendant and put it on a longer chain. Does she have a charm bracelet? Buy her a special charm as her flower girl jewelry to commemorate her participation as your flower girl.

Does she have her ears pierced? Another option for flower girl jewelry is earrings. Anklets are fun for little girls too. Perhaps finding a flower girl jewelry gift set to complete her ensemble is appropriate. There are a multitude of options in retail stores and on the internet for flower girl jewelry. However, why not make it extra special and personal by creating it yourself?

Bead stores offer great options in colors and materials. You could choose your own clasps and beads for the flower girl jewelry. Since she is a kid, you would want to buy materials that are resilient against everyday kid activities. Custom design what you want, then start stringing the beads up! If you don’t feel comfortable crafting it yourself, you can usually arrange for an employee at the bead store to do it for you for an additional fee. Still, you can say that you did design the flower girl jewelry yourself!

The presentation of the flower girl jewelry is a part of the gift-giving itself. Buy her a Barbie doll and display her flower girl jewelry on it. Purchase a musical jewelry box and put the flower girl jewelry inside. One fun way is to try your hand at a Build-a-Bear workshop. Bring material from the flower girl dress and have them fashion a miniature version for the bear. Show off the flower girl jewelry on the bear.

The flower girl jewelry you find will be a wonderful keepsake for your flower girl. She will treasure it and probably won’t be able to wait to show it off! Not only will she be able to wear the flower girl jewelry at the wedding, but she will have it to wear for years to come. And she will always remember the special day that she got to sprinkle those flower petals in your path to wedded bliss.

By Dave Poon
Photo by 925e.com