Traditional Indian Nose Rings

When I was younger I would often see Bollywood films and see the actresses wearing the most beautiful traditional Indian nose rings, particularly in the wedding scenes. My mum would tell me that this is what I could have for my wedding day, I was so excited. She explained how the nose ring would go from the left side of your nose all the way to your earring. In India they are often regarded as a mark of beauty. In addition to this, it could also be considered as a social standing to honour the Hindu goddess Parvati; the goddess of marriage. Continue reading

Rock and Ribbon

Rock & Ribbon Jewellery launch 2013

Award winning designer/maker Kate Philpot has just launched Rock & Ribbon – a new British jewellery brand specialising in sterling silver, pearls and wedding jewellery.

Her philosophy is to create small collections of contemporary jewellery for women who seek style and quality at an affordable price. Kate uses sterling silver and freshwater pearls and combines them with semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals to create beautiful pieces of jewellery that can be worn again and again.

Kate keeps an eye on current trends and is always searching for new techniques and beautiful stones and beads to spark her imagination. Signature collections include clusters of charms, stackable bracelets and simple silver and pearl pieces that can be mixed and layered to create an individual look.  Her best selling Rosa earrings are inspired by The Great Gatsby and comprise delicate sterling silver roses with iridescent freshwater pearls on long hooks – the perfect summer accessory for just £28 including P & P.

Kate gets very excited about weddings and many of her pieces are perfect for brides and bridesmaids. She also loves hearing from brides about their ideas for bespoke pieces if they can’t find what they’re looking for.

“I have always loved jewellery and can remember spending hours sitting cross legged with the contents of my mum’s jewellery box around me trying on every piece. Now I’m a complete magpie collecting vintage brooches, pearls and anything sparkly. I simply love creating beautiful jewellery.”

Visit www.rockandribbon.com to view more of Kate’s designs in her online boutique.

You can also connect with her on facebook and twitter!

Vashi Diamond Manufacturers

I am delighted to bring you an interview with Diamond Expert and Founder of Diamond Manufacturers.co.uk, Vashi Dominguez!

How did the company begin?

I started Diamond Manufacturers (Vashi.com) in 2007 when I decided to sell diamonds directly to consumers at low costs. I did this by cutting out the middleman and sourcing diamonds directly from the mines. I had previously been sourcing wholesale diamonds for independent jewellers and saw a gap in the market. With online retail growing more popular in 2007 I began selling via Amazon and quickly became their biggest online jeweller in Europe. Continue reading

Bespoke Wedding Accessories

We are excited to introduce our first wedding accessories feature!

Meet Donna Baitey - owner and designer at Pearl & Blossom.

Donna believes every bride should have something unique to wear on her wedding day, something really special that shows her individual personality.

She tells us her story…

“I started making jewellery at the age of eleven. It’s something I’ve always done, even while studying for my degree in Graphic Design and working as an Art Director in advertising. When some of the girls in the office started getting married, I made headpieces for them to wear on their big day. All their wonderful comments made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile so, when I recently hit the big 3-0, I decided the time was right to concentrate on this obsession of mine and start doing what I love every day.

I’m a modern girl but I have a love for vintage things. So my headpieces and jewellery are hand crafted from a diverse range of materials, including beautiful Art Deco brooches, strings of antique pearls, vintage lace, tulle and crystals. Most of the items I make are one-offs, and every piece is handcrafted at my studio in London.

If you’re looking for something a little more personal, you can take advantage of my bespoke service. Many of my brides like to incorporate a brooch or something passed down from a family member; something beautiful that they might not otherwise have the chance to wear. I can custom-make a headpiece or a selection of accessories for you, and for your bridesmaids if you wish. First of all I’ll find out a bit about you, your wedding style and any ideas you may already have, before designing something exclusively for you.

I love how happy my brides are when they receive their bespoke designs. Reading their thank you emails is one of the best parts of my job”.

If you wish to shop from Pearl and Blossom, Donna is offering our readers at Secret Wedding Blog, an exclusive 10% off her products for a limited time. Please use the code SECRETWEDDINGBLOG on her website to get your 10%* off :- www.pearlandblossom.com 

You can also follow her on twitter! https://twitter.com/pearlandblossom

* 10% offer ends 1st September 2013