Picking out a wedding ring should be a fun thing. Knowing the 5 C's of wedding jewelry will keep spirits high and fun in store during the buying process. This handy dandy checklist will help you remember what to look for in a quality wedding ring. Gather up your groom and head to the store but be sure to consider these things first.

Carat is key in quality wedding rings.

• The carat of a diamond refers to its weight.
• One carat is one fifth of a gram (200 milligrams). On ounce consists of 142 carats.
• One carat has 100 points.

Clarity is important when buying diamond wedding rings.

• Naturally occurring bubbles, inner cracks, and specks affect a diamond's clarity.
• A flawless diamond (FL) is given the highest rating. These are rare.
• The least desirable rating is "imperfect."
  Size and placement of the naturally occurring blemishes determines rating.
• The 10x magnifying glass used to view the inside of stones is called a loupe.

Cut is the difference between low grade and "a cut above" wedding rings.

• Cut is the feature that gives a diamond its sparkle.
• Cut refers to the faceted flat angled surfaces created when cutting (shaping) a diamond.
• Too many cuts reduces the quality of the diamond and its ability to reflect or refract light.

Color decides the color of your life, or at least the wedding band you'll wear for a lifetime.

• The highest color ranking is D. This is a clear and colorless diamond.
• Z is the lowest color ranking. This is a yellow diamond.
• Yellow, red, pink, orange, amber, violet, and blue are all common colors.
• Naturally occurring colored diamonds are referred to as "fancies."

Certification guarantees quality wedding bands that will last.

• Diamonds should come with written proof of their weight, grade and identifying characteristics.
• Certification should be given by the International Gemological Institute.

Want to know more about wedding rings? View information about shape, cut, style and more in this recent post.

Next to choosing a dress, choosing a wedding hairstyle for your wedding day is the biggest decision a bride must make. It is not exactly rocket science; up, down, or half up are the three basic hairstyles. With bridal tiaras, hair pins, wedding jewelry, and veils, we must use the wedding hairstyle to tie in all of the accessories in a classic fashion.

Wedding Hairstyles Meet Fashion and Accessories

When deciding how to wear your hair on your wedding day there are many different variables to consider.  First, and most important, is the style of wedding dress you have chosen and the neckline that it portrays. Depending on whether the dress is strapless, sweetheart cut, v-neck, or scoop neck, the hairstyle you choose for your wedding day may be changed.

If you are wearing a strapless wedding dress on your wedding day, and want to expose the collarbone and neckline of the dress, an up-do would be the best option to present the silhouette of the shoulders. Although up-do's are great for strapless dresses, wearing the hair down is very classic and also looks fabulous against the strapless neckline.

Sweetheart necklines are romantic and elegant in nature and look fabulous with a hairstyle that eludes soft curls falling from a half-up hairstyle. This hairstyle is very natural and when done with loose curls is very loving and romantic; perfect for the wedding day! Dresses with straps or sleeves are most elegantly accompanied by a classic up-do. In this case it all depends on how much of the fabric is detailed around the shoulders and neckline of the dress.

Plan Ahead For An Incredibly Beautiful Wedding Hairstyle

On your wedding day, a bride wants to feel as though she stepped out of a fairytale storybook, where everything, including her hair, is perfect. This is why it is so important to meet with your hair stylist in advance and discuss ideas and have a few practice runs before the big day. This ensures that everything on the day of the wedding runs smoothly and you are not disappointed with the final result.

Coming to a final decision on what hairstyle to go with on the wedding day may take quite a bit of thinking and coordinating with other bridal accessories such as the bridal veil and wedding jewelry. The most important thing to remember is when choosing a wedding hairstyle, it is best to look as natural as possible. Find a hairstyle that is similar to how you wear your hair day to day. The key is to look like a more beautiful, you on your wedding day; not someone who you aren't.

Coordination Is Key To Great Wedding Hairstyles

At your first appointment with the hairstylist, it is suggested that all brides bring a picture of flowers, the dress, any accessories you may be wearing, and maybe a few pictures of the ceremony decorations so the stylist can get an idea of the overall style of the wedding scenery.

The wedding hair stylist will be the most help to you in deciding which hairstyle is best suited for you. However, it is always best to take a friend or family member to the first hair appointment for advice in making a decision.

The wedding theme plays a large factor in selecting a wedding hairstyle and personal wedding accessories. Whimsical wedding decorations with flowing fabrics, delicate flowers, and feminine touches bring out a romantic ambiance that calls for simple but elegant wedding hairstyles and wedding accessories. More modern wedding decorations with bold colors and inventive décor call for more modern, edgy wedding accessories and up-do's. With pictures of the wedding décor, flowers, and wedding accessories, the hair stylist will be able to help you figure out which hair style is best for your wedding day.

Practice Makes Perfect Wedding Day Hair

You never see an athlete run a race without at least one practice run beforehand, or an opera singer bring down the house without rehearsing several times. To make sure everything runs smoothly on the actual wedding day, it is suggested that every bride have a trial run a few weeks before the wedding day. This means going through all the preparation phases: hair, make-up, and getting the dress on.

First of all, you want to make sure that the bobby pins and hair spray will be able to hold your wedding hairstyle for the length of time that the ceremony and wedding festivities will last. It would be terrible for you to arrive at the ceremony with your up-do unraveling as fast as you can say "I do". Secondly, you want to make sure you are comfortable. You may love a hairstyle the first few minutes of it being fixed, but after four hours of bobby pins pulling your hair in a million different directions you may have second thoughts. To make sure you are comfortable on your wedding day, have a trial run.

Pre-Wedding Pictures Are A Snap (And Helpful!)

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought "Wow, I look good!" and then reflected on pictures of that same night and hated them? Photos don’t always capture what you want them to which is why the pre-wedding picture session is so necessary. Pictures are a very important part of your wedding day. This is why it is so important to make sure wedding hair and accessories are perfect. What better way to assure your wedding photos are fabulous than to have a pre-wedding picture party? This could be done when bridal photos are taken, or just as a simple trial wedding photo session. By doing this you can rearrange wedding accessories, flowers, tiaras, and any other hair décor that might need to be adjusted for photos on the actual wedding day.

Selecting a wedding hairstyle can be a stressor, but as long as you follow these simple suggestions, you are sure to be confidently stunning on your big day. Choosing your wedding day hairstyle is the hardest part of the process, so when the big day comes, just sit back, relax, and enjoy being pampered on your wedding day!

Once again, the party and wedding planning experts at Wedding and Party Network have "polled the audience" to find excellent, clever tips for men who would like to secretly learn their sweetheart's engagement ring size. To avoid a faux pas and make this a night to remember, take the experienced advice of these individuals. Don't forget, these also work when shopping for wedding rings!

Marriage Proposal Tip For Dummies Read the rest of Cute Ways To Learn Her Engagement Ring Size »

Why doe you place a penny in the bride's shoe. The wedding tradition of placing a penny in the bride’s shoe was made popular with a Victorian rhyme – something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in your shoe. Over the years, the term sixpence has been replaced with the term penny. In this rhyme, the penny was used to ensure the wealth and good fortune of the couple. In some European cultures, this penny was saved by the bride; later given to her daughter on her wedding day. In contemporary times, brides often have the penny made into a piece of jewelry after the wedding.

This wedding tradition may have gotten its start from the Scottish Penny Wedding. The penny wedding Read the rest of A Sixpence (Penny) In Your Shoe »

The tradition of wearing pearls on your wedding day is a controversial wedding tradition. To some, it is a time-honored tradition – where a strand of pearls is passed from one generation to the next and worn by the bride on her wedding day. The pearls are worn to "take away the bride's tears"; to ensure a happy marriage without tears. Greeks believe the pearl would promote marital harmony; pearls symbolize love, success, happiness, modesty, chastity and purity. The height of this wedding tradition occurred during the Victorian Era. This tradition does not require that the strand of pearls be passed from one generation to the Read the rest of Wearing Pearls on Wedding Day »

The Claddagh (pronounced clah-dah) ring is a piece of jewelry fashioned into two hands clasping a heart and on some you'll see a crown on top of the heart. Although the story behind this wedding ring and its history is filled with conjecture, the underlying sentiment of how this ring came to be remains the same.

The most repeated account is that of Richard Joyce, a master goldsmith, who was seized by pirates near the Irish fishing village of Claddagh, near the Galway Bay. Richard was forced into slavery using his goldsmith skills. After several years, King Richard III secured Joyce’s release and returned him to Galway and with him Read the rest of Claddagh Irish Wedding Ring Tradition »

Engagement Rings Should Engage the Beauty of Your Love

As the bride-to-be's visible symbol of unending love and dedication, the engagement ring holds great significance and should be valued immensely. Little compares to the feeling that warms the heart of a man as his beloved accepts his proposal for a lifetime of happiness. No beauty is more cherished than the bright smile that rushes over the face of a woman as she realizes why her sweetheart is kneeling before her. With such a weighted importance of the engagement ring it is imperative that Read the rest of Engagement and Wedding Ring Tips »