Alternative Engagement Rings

Lately, more and more people have been buying my sterling silver nest rings with pearls as engagement rings.

Exhibit A.

To quote people quoting Carrie Bradshaw, "It made me wonder..." Are pearls the new diamonds? What about CZ's? I may be biased, but I think these are great alternatives for young couples starting their lives together. Inspired by this upswing in alternative engagement rings, I made a nest ring out of 14k gold overlay, which, instead of being solid 14k gold, means that it has a core of jeweler's brass, and a thick layer of 14k gold, which brings down the price dramatically. It is accented with solid 14k gold beads, and a gold bezel. Instead of a pricey diamond, a beautiful Cubic Zirconia is in the setting, which, honestly, is hard to distinguish from a diamond.

Exhibit B.

So, instead of paying thousands on an engagement ring, just spend a couple hundred, and save that moolah for a car, or vacation!
These new, affordable, alternative engagement rings remind me of the beautiful J Crew wedding dresses that are available, (just like the one writer and blogger extraordinaire Joanna Goddard wore to her wedding.) Why spend thousands when you can spend 500 on an equally amazing, if not prettier dress? Hip Hip!


Boy, all this talk makes me want to go to a wedding.

Speaking of Fall..

While on top of Sugarloaf Mountain, where most of the pictures were taken in the post below, my dad told me about how over the weekend a guy proposed to his girlfriend by driving to the top of the mountain, and looking at a field in which he wrote "Ari, Please Marry Me" in pumpkins! I could see it from the top of the mountain, but it was a little hard to make out. Here is the link on the Gazette, and a picture they took. Cute!! They met in high school. Now she is getting her doctorate at UMASS in Amherst and he works in NYC. Would you want a pumpkin proposal? I'm pretty sure I would be okay with that.

Bee Weddings!!

I just finished four lovely honey comb necklaces for bridesmaids in a honey bee themed wedding. It appears that it's a bit of a trend! This is from TheWeddingCo.com:
Abeille Art tags gift set, by MothtoaFlameStudio; Brooklyn Cufflinks, by milkweedandhoney; Butter-Bee Hair Pin, by honeypielove; Bumble Bee Peel and Stick Wax Seals, by waxseals; Orchid-Infused Sweet Mandarin and Honey Shea Body Butter 4oz jar, by pipertate; Bee and Hive Stickers and Envelope Seals, by seasonaldelights; Bee Bliss, by luckyduct; Custom Anniversary Birds and Bees, abcd1111 (clockwise from the top left)

My little bee necklace is gonna make it big!!