Here's the Skinny Behind 11 Common Wedding Rituals

KerriArt on Etsy

Its wedding season, here in the US, and as a handmade jeweler, I have been busy making lots of bridal necklaces and bridesmaids gifts. This is my favorite story I have to share:  A lovely bride-customer of mine is getting married in her favorite whale-watching seaside town and ordered eight of my petite whale's tail pendants!

Handmade Recycled Sterling Whale's Tail Necklace

 

Rituals we take for granted are deeply rooted in centuries-old tradition

1. Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

Everyone knows this common rhyme used when someone gets married, but what is the meaning behind it?

Wearing "something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's past, and  "something new" symbolizes the couple's happy future. The bride is supposed to "borrow" something from a  happily married woman in hopes that some of that person's good fortune-mojo rubs off on her; and "Something blue" denotes fidelity and love.

Something Blue Moonstone & Quartz Wire Wrapped Wedding Earrings

Well, that was easy, but what about some of the other wedding traditions and/or superstitions that have become solidly engrained in the special day?

2. Wearing a Veil

Ancient Greeks and Roman brides would wear a veil down the aisle to disguise themselves from the evil spirits who were jealous of their happiness.

3. Not Seeing Each Other Before The Wedding

This superstition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, when people believed that if the couple saw each other before the ceremony, it would give them a chance to run for the hills before their life long commitment began. 

Today, we have generalized this to the potential onset of your basic  "bad luck" if this meeting were to occur.

4. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.

Earthy Aquamarine Bridal Harmony Necklace

5. Rain on Your Wedding Day

In some cultures, rain on your wedding day means good luck; in others, it symbolizes fertility and cleansing. 
I think for most today, it means lousy photos.

6. Spiders are good luck?  Find a spider inside your wedding gown before you walk down the aisle? eeeww.  According to English legend, the creepy crawler is actually a " good luck omen." I'll take my chances, thank you.

Wax Seal Spider Pendant for the Goth Bride - Eco-friendly Recycled Sterling

7. Your choice of flowers (ignore shameless plug  for my upcoming post the "Language of Flowers") Of course, roses symbolize love, but you may want to stop pining for peonies for your wedding bouquet: Apparently, they represent shame. But they smell so good.

8. Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

This superstition began in Medieval times when many believed that a bride was extra vulnerable to evil spirits who entered through the soles of her feet. To avoid bringing in any evil spirits, the groom carried the bride into their new home. Women in India solve this problem by covering their hands and feet with elaborate Henna tattoos on their special day.

9. Using Your Married Name Before the Wedding

Some think it is tempting fate for the bride to write out her married name or monogram before she's actually married, and that the wedding will not occur if she does. If you're superstitious, hold off on your monogramming for your reception and registry items.

Antique Letterpress and Wax Seal Silver Monogram Pendants

10. Breaking Glass

In Italy, many newlyweds smash a vase or glass at their wedding, and they put a lot of muscle into it, too. The tradition says that however many pieces the glass breaks into will symbolize how many years they'll be happily married.

11. Crying on Your Wedding Day

It is supposed to be good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day because it symbolizes that she has shed all her tears and will not have any to shed during her marriage. So go ahead let it rip, (a little) just be sure to wear waterproof mascara. And remember, you don't want blubbery red eyes in your photos!

One extra tidbit:

I love this, the Catholic tradition of "posting the banns" to announce a marriage originated as a way to ensure the bride and groom were not related. Wow, bring on the peonies!

Thank you for visiting!
Norah

All jewelry:
www.YourDailyJewels.etsy.com
www.WaxSealJewelrySource.com

Antique Wax Seal Rose Bridal Bracelet, circa 1842

sources:

www.marthastewartweddings.com
http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/50-wedding-traditions-superstitions-facts-trivia.aspx

Timeless, Classic, Beautiful Pearls

 

-->Pearls: freshwater and saltwater

Pearls fit into two categories: freshwater and saltwater. As their name implies, freshwater pearls are formed in freshwater mussels that live in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of fresh water. By contrast, saltwater pearls grow in mollusks that live in the ocean.

I have to send a special thank you to Lynn of Urban Pearl Studio on Etsy.com for finding me these beauties. I can't wait to see what they will become.

 

 

Urban Pearl Studio  is THE go to for handmade artisan wedding jewelry, from pearl strands, to  earrings; multi-strand necklaces and bracelets with gorgeous gemstone box clasps,  and so much more.

 

Multi Strand Keshi Pearl Necklace with Kyanite Box Clasp

 Lynn  has another shop where you can source out your own gemstones, TexasBeadz, or purchase more of her wonderful artisan gemstone jewelry at BeadzNBling, also on Etsy. Thank you again, Lynn, for finding me these gorgeous pearls!

Natural pearls are those pearls that are formed in nature, more or less by chance. Cultured pearls are those in which humans lend a helping hand, such as in China’s dominating freshwater pearl farms. Today more than 99% of all pearls sold worldwide, both fresh water and salt water, are cultured pearls, "designed" from the start to be primarily flawless.

The Different Types of Pearls 

Akoya Pearls are the pearls most people think of when they think of pearls. Perfectly round, gleaming and lustrous, white Akoya pearls were the very first cultured pearls available anywhere in the world. The classic look still reigns today as the definitive standard of the pearl industry. Akoya pearls are saltwater pearls from both Japan and China, and generally range in size from tiny 2.0-3.0mm seed pearls to the largest and rarest 9.5-10.0mm sizes.

Black Tahitian Pearls are rare black pearls from French Polynesia, shimmering with vibrant overtones that are unmistakable and unforgettable. Popular overtones include Peacock, which is a green-gold mix tinged with rose, to Aubergine or deep eggplant; silver and steel tones, and aquamarine or shades of blue-green, all laid over a palette of dove and dark charcoal greys..

Traditionally ranging from 8.0mm up to 16.0mm in size, their glamorous sizes, combined with their unique, naturally-occurring range of greys and blacks make these pearls very desirable.

South Sea Pearls: large and luminous in white and golden from Australia and the Philippians are the largest and rarest of all cultured pearl types in the world. Pearls cultured in the Pinctada maxima saltwater oyster, which can grow up to a foot in diameter at maturation, routinely obtain sizes that range from 9.0mm up to an astonishing 21.0mm! The pearls’ golden and white colors are completely natural, needing no dyes or artificial enhancements.

Cultured South Sea pearls are also known for their soft, satiny glow which is due to their thick nacre layers, acquired through as much as 4 years’ cultivation time. Gorgeously glowing. They truly draw me in.

freshwater

Freshwater pearls come in a variety of colors and shapes to suit every taste, occasion, and budget; from perfectly round, gem-quality pearls to cute button-shapes. Known for their natural pink, lavender and classic white hues, freshwater pearls are an affordable choice that brings the beauty of pearl jewelry to many, without sacrificing quality. 

Fresh water pearls are usually dyed or irradiated and it is not difficult to tell whether a pearl's color is natural. There is even a tutorial in Fire Mountain Gems on how to dye your own freshwater pearls!

There are several different types of Freshwater Pearls that you may be familiar with:

Biwa Pearls

The most famous type of freshwater cultured pearl is the Biwa  pearl which used to come from mussels grown in Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake which is now polluted. These grow to become what we know as “stick” pearls

Keshi (sometimes spelled Keishi) Pearls ( my favorites)

Keshi Pearl Necklace by Your Daily Jewels

Keshi (in Japanese it means "poppy seed") may be salt or freshwater and are sub-products of the pearl. Basically, pearl garbage. When the oyster rejects a nucleus or a pearl, the fragments of epithelium may yield keshi, baroque-shaped pearls of small diameter which have no nucleus. Keshis come in different size, shapes and coloration.

Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl is the iridescent substance that forms the lining of the shells of some fresh-water and some salt-water mollusks. Mother of Pearl jewelry is  made from the inside part of the oyster shell. Like the pearl it is a secretion of the mantle, (nacre). Among the chief sources are the pearl oyster, found in warm and tropical seas, chiefly in Asia; freshwater pearl mussels, which live in many rivers of the United States, Europe, and Asia; and the abalone of California, Japan, and other Pacific regions.

To learn more about pearls, how they are made, their role in history, how they are graded, etc. there is a beautiful exhibit, full of really interesting info. at the online site of the American Museum of Natural History-online . 

 also, great information on PBS at The Perfect Pearl.

Here is a hint of what will be coming from those lovely pearls I got from Lynn.

YourDailyJewels

everyone loves pearls!

Don't for get to scroll down for some JET Pearls! 
Thanks for reading,

Norah

Get it Right - Wedding Day Jewelry by Urban-Pearl-Studio and BeadzNBling

Are you or someone you know  getting married soon? As a jeweler, I know how overwhelming it can be trying to find just the right jewelry for your special day. And as a jeweler myself, I have seen some really great shops and some pretty fly-by-night shops out there on the Web. Your wedding day is one day where nothing can go wrong.

Luckily, I am here to tell you about two fantastic wedding jewelry shops where you will find exactly what you want and need, at any budget. And they just both happen to be owned by the same person, my good friend from Dallas, Texas, Lynn.  Let me tell you about BeadznBling on Etsy.com and Urban-Pearl-Studio.com. 

Lynn can often be heard saying "Your wedding is already costing you a fortune...your jewelry shouldn't have to!"

Visit BeadzNBling on Etsy.com

From a simple single pearl pendant, to her exquisite "Studio" line, Lynn will work with you and within your budget, to outfit your entire bridal party.

Simple Freshwater Pearl Necklace

Visit Urban-Pearl-Studio.com

Lynn is known for simple, elegant, chic, handmade artisan wedding and bridal jewelry using  freshwater pearls and Swarovski elements. Whether you are a traditional bride, or a flip flopping beach bride, or any type in between, Lynn will make sure you and your bridesmaids are perfectly, appropriately jeweled.

Whether it is earrings, necklaces, or bracelets,  BeadzNBling on Etsy.com  and  Urban-Pearl-Studio.com, will have you in wedding jewelry bliss. (And at BeadzNBling you will find plenty of Honeymoon goodies to pack too!)

White Pearl Earrings with Swarovski Crystals

Now, this says a lot: I make wedding jewelry, and I would go to Lynn if I was getting married. Why? It is what she does.  It is her specialty and she has been doing it a long time.

Even if you are not getting married, it is worth a peek through her dreamy, affordable, unique shops.

Thanks for reading,

Norah