Confetti

Confetti Bride of the Year 2010

Irish brides-to-be have lots of questions and little time.

You have the final say on lots but that doesn't mean you have to go it alone.
We went to those in the know to bring you practical advice to help you make your decisions.

Search the Expert Answers From the Categories Below

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We'll talk to the best and get you an answer!

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Q: What should brides-to-be look for when choosing jewellery?

A: Like any accessory, jewellery should complement your outfit, in this case a white dress that's going to be the centre of attention for the day.

The neckline of the gown serves as the best guide. If your dress is halter-top, consider wearing your hair in a bun and using jewelled hairclips for clean-cut sparkle. A v-neck cut is going to be attracting attention front and centre so take the pressure off with an elegant necklace. Anything strapless or sweetheart, look for earrings.

The colour of your dress is also a factor. If you're wearing traditional white, wear traditional pearls. For diamond white, go for gold, any colour. Ivory calls for yellow gold to harmonize with the yellow tint of the material.

Q: I saw a shoe in the Confetti Winter 2007 issue on page 7. Where oh where can I get them?!? Please help me source this shoe. It would mean the world and more to me.

A: I can understand why! These custom-made, bejewelled slingbacks are available from Luella's Boudoir. Rachel from Luella's Boudoir says, "We carry this style of shoe, it's a custom made shoe made by Emmy." Luella’s Boudoir is a unique bridal boutique in Wimbledon Village, London. If you won't be making it to London soon, visit their new online boutique www.luellasboudor.co.uk. For further inquiries, email info@luellasboudoir.co.uk.

Happy shopping!

Q: Hello! I am looking for a place in Dublin where I can buy bridal shoes and jewelry? I'm looking for Grecian style earrings and a bangle for the upper arm. Something different and not too expensive? Thank you!

Lucky for you, Grecian is in in a big way this year and with the nasty “R” word looming over our heads, you can expect prices to drop, drop drop!

For jewellery…
Stacey Hannon (www.staceyhannandesigns.com, 087 759 5837) Stacey is based in Dublin 15 and welcomes guests to her studio to see her work and discuss bespoke pieces. There are some Grecian pieces as well as breath-taking hair combs featured on her website.

If you liked Confetti Bride of the Year, Chloe Gaine’s jewellery or that stunning green pea necklace from the “Once Upon a Time” (Winter, ’08) then stop by Rangoli, (www.rangoli.ie, 087 635 5655 – Sat appointments available).

For one-stop shopping on a shoestring, check out www.irelandsweddingshop.com. They are inexpensive and offer accessories for you and your reception!

Costello and Costello on Chatham Street are always good and do a wide range of jewellery and are fairly inexpensive. Their neighbours, Loulerie, also on Chatham Street are great too and I think they probably would have Grecian style earrings and possibly the bangle. The girl there is very helpful 01 672 4024 her name is Louise

For your pretty bridal feet, Myrtle Ivory do a beautiful range of bridal shoes (a bit expensive possibly but ring them because they’re lovely and they will give you an idea of price range). Alternatively

The Wedding Shop in the Swan Centre in Rathmines have a very good selection of bridal shoes (including the Filippa Scott range) and they have a reduction on them at the moment because of the sterling. They start at €169. (www.theweddingshop.ie)

Q: How much is the engagement ring supposed to cost?

A: Traditionally your engagement ring was supposed to cost in the region of three months of your spouse-to-be's wages. This has fallen out of favour as more options have come on the engagement market.

Diamonds are not the only stone men have been using to get you to say yes. Neutral coloured gems are the hottest trend in engagement ring styles. If you don't want a rock for a ring, consider going for a smaller gem with a more intricate setting or band. Wooden rings are also attracting attention for all the right reasons.

If you're creative, consider designing your own ring. Granted, it ruins the surprise but that way you can tweak as necessary to keep the ring within a budget. If you have something specific in mind, make use of laboratory-designed diamonds that cater to bright colours.

Even if you go for broke, you can still go green with conflict-free diamonds and recycled gold. Websites like www.greenKarat.com and www.nodirtygold.org will steer you in the right direction.

Q: What is a carat?
	A: The weight of a gemstone is measured in terms of its carat. One carat is 0.2 grams. It has no bearing on the quality of the stone so you can have a 2 carat diamind with poor clarity. Bigger stones (1-2 carats) tend to weigh more.

Q: Is the cut of a stone important when considering rings?
	A: Contrary to popular opinion, this is considered the most important criteria. It allows the light to move through the stone. Modern stones have more cuts and therefore maximise the refraction of light. The most common cuts are emerald, heart, oval, pear, brilliant and princess.