Shopping for gifts can be a little bit stressful, and for Valentine's Day, the pressure is on to provide the perfect present. Chocolates, flower bouquets or diamond jewelry are traditional choices, but what if these aren't the right option for your relationship? We've put together a guide to suggest some memorable items that suit a variety of tastes and budgets.   Gold dipped roses Fresh flowers are a beautiful and thoughtful gift, but of course have a short shelf-life. Gold dipped roses last forever. These are real roses, dipped in a combination of gold and lacquer. Roses can retain the rose's natural appearance, be completely encased in precious metal, or even have unique colors or patterns. These roses are delicate due to their materials, but make for a lovely display piece.     Nerdy Rings Rings make a lovely gift, but what if your significant other isn't a "typical jewelry...

The Meaning and Facts Behind Wedding Rings   People have been exchanging rings as a feature of their wedding festivities since Ancient Egyptian times, when the circle was viewed as a symbol of eternity. The Romans gave us the idea of wearing the wedding band on the “ring finger,” as they believed it was connected to the heart via the “vein amoris,” or vein of love.  Today, the wedding ring is an integral part of marriage in all religions and societies, as it symbolizes adoration, responsibility, commitment, and family bonds.  Yellow gold was the metal of choice for several decades. Today, other metals are making their way into wedding ring designs because of their physical properties and fashion appeal. Platinum and rose gold are becoming more common choices. Alternative metals such as tungsten and titanium are swiftly gaining popularity as well.    Picking a Metal  Gold: Gold is a highly...

As long as you know what you’re doing and are equipped with the right information, buying the perfect men’s wedding band can be a breeze. The hardest choice you have to make it which metal is best. Then after that, the next important choice is choosing the style that best represents you. This guide is designed to make this process both simple and clear-cut. Shopping for men's wedding bands can be a lot easier than trying to find a woman's wedding ring, but there are still a lot of details you need to take into account. Below, we'll get into the various types of metals (traditional and contemporary) used for men's wedding bands, looking at the pros and cons of each. We'll also give you a lot of tips on how to choose the wedding band, including what to consider for the details, finish, sizes, and more. By the end...

It never ceases to amaze me how detailed and varied gemstone classifications can be. Gemstones belong in several different classes, depending on their crystalline structure, their chemical composition, and the impurities present in each stone. To the majority of people, none of this matters, but to gemologists who have the privilege to work with and look at gemstones all day long, there are tons of ways in which to categorize these stones. Precious vs. Semi-Precious Gemstones can be classified in two different major groups. Precious and semi-precious gemstones are the most basic classes of jewelry-grade stones. There are fewer precious gemstones than semi-precious ones. Precious stones have the finest color, are translucent, and are usually more rare. Precious gemstones include diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald. All other gemstones, including amethyst, peridot, and garnet, are semi-precious. Minerals vs. Non-Mineral Gemstones Some gemstones are considered minerals, while others are non-mineral. Minerals are...

Sometimes, you just don't have the cash to put forth for that huge honeymoon that you feel like you must take after your wedding day. Especially when you are paying for your wedding yourself, you may not have a lot left over. I have a friend who had to go super-inexpensive for her honeymoon because she and her hubby had paid for their big day without any help from family or friends. Because they got the flowers, DJ, venue, and gowns that they really wanted, they decided to go low-key for their special first trip as husband and wife. Contrary to what you may think, it isn't a hard thing to do. There are plenty of ways to save on your honeymoon and still have a wonderful time. Discuss Your Priorities Long before your wedding takes place, while you're still in the early stages of planning, discuss with your fiancé...

PICTURE: https://flic.kr/p/iaaYJM Photo by Paul Hudson (Flickr) Caption: This gorgeous cut morganite, a stone that's named after financier and gem collector J.P. Morgan, is on display in the British National History Museum. I love to learn the history behind my favorite gemstones and to read about their origins. In college, I did a paper on the alexandrite and how it was named after the Russian Tzar Alexander II. Then I did another project on him and what kind of person he was. Now, whenever I see or wear a jewelry piece with alexandrite in it, I think about the history behind the stone and the man as well. Gemstones get their names from many different places. Some are historical, some are descriptive, while others get their names from the places where they are first discovered. Discovery Location Many gemstones are named after locations. For instance, topaz was named after a tiny...

  What do you wear if you can't decide what gemstone matches? You wear a gemstone that includes many colors, while most gemstones only have one! That's what I love about the opal. My favorite thing to wear to show off my opals is black. I have a beautiful opal pendant that was my grandmother's, and it happens to have a great play of color. I tend to wear it with black a lot so that its beauty and opulence can be easily visible. History of the Opal The opal, a form of hydrated amorphous silicon dioxide, is believed to have been formed millions of years ago deep within the earth. It was formed as rain fell down into the crevasses of the earth and dried, leaving behind silica, which eventually formed into opal. It is actually a mineraloid, rather than a mineral, because of the fact that it changes...

  Once I got engaged, I knew that I needed to make a budget for my wedding because I was known to daydream about my wedding sparing no expense. After a quick pep talk with my mom and dad, we discussed my wedding budget. Honestly, I didn't want the whole expense of my wedding to fall on my parents' shoulders, especially since weddings in this day and age are getting more and more expensive. Fortunately, we and our two families all chipped in to give us the wedding of our dreams. Here is a basic breakdown of the major costs of planning a wedding here in the U.S. Facts and Figures Most couples are waiting a bit longer to get married. The average age for a bride now is between 25 and 29 years old. For the groom, it's between 27 and 31. The most popular month for someone to...

Green is the color that represents life. When you are planning for the union of a wonderful, exuberant couple who embody life and love and all that it represents, greenery and potted plants are perfect ways to decorate the wedding or reception or even to spruce up the bridal party accessories. One of my college suitemates got married and had a very simple ceremony and reception. She opted out of using flowers and decided to go with greenery and potted plants instead. She carried a bouquet of cascading ivy, and the aisle was lined with potted plants and more ivy. It was simple and lovely and was certainly perfect for my girlfriend's wedding. How to Use Plants Use potted plants in the same way that you would use traditional wedding flowers. Carry a cascading bouquet of greenery, or have your bridesmaids carry something green without buds or any other color...

I'm the kind of girl who loves to get out her comfy sweaters, jeans, and boots at the first sign of fall. When that first yellow leaf appears on one tree, I'm already there. I love the colors, the smells, the temperatures, and the pumpkin coffees and baked goods. Fall is a beautiful time of year to get married, plus it's a great time of year to take a honeymoon. With so many options, you can go anywhere to do almost anything and enjoy the first few days with your new spouse during the fall months. Theme Parks It's no secret that summertime is the time of year when the theme parks are chock-full of families. With school being out for summer, you'll see lots and lots of kids, teenagers, and babies. This may not be a problem for some, but if you are trying to have a fun yet...