Some of the most popular Judaica items are Hanukkah Menorahs and this is because Hanukkah is the most well-known Jewish Holiday, because of the story and the fact that gifts are given to children and loved ones. If you are looking for Judaica for use on Hanukkah, the Hanukkah Menorah appears in numerous shapes and sizes, from small traditional models to large stained glass models that have been decorated with scenes of Jerusalem. Another item that is popular during Hanukkah is the Dreidel, the four sided top spun in a game that goes by the same name. These items are usually decorated with themes that are related to Hanukkah.

If you are looking for generic Judaica items that are related to Shabbat, consider a sterling silver Kiddush cup or Kiddush fountain set decorated with grape clusters and engraved with the words “Boreh Pri HaGefen”, which are that last three words of the blessing on wine and means “He who creates the fruit of the vine”. As an alternative, Challah boards, candlesticks and Havdalah sets are Judaica items that are associated with Shabbat that are practical and made great gift ideas for any occasion.

Another popular Judaica category is Jewish jewelry. Jewish jewelry pieces are often made of sterling silver or gold and feature symbols like the Star of David also known as the Magen David in Hebrew, the Hamsa and Menorahs. These symbols appear in necklaces, rings and earrings and can be engraved as well.

One cannot speak about Judaica without ornaments used to decorate the Torah scroll such as breastplates, crowns and Torah pointers. Torah Ornaments are usually made from sterling silver and are highly recommended gifts to a synagogue, especially if they are dedicated in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special occasion such as a marriage or anniversary. Torah pointers are excellent Bar Mitzvah or wedding gift ideas.

There are also everyday items that are considered Judaica, such as Kippot, Tzitzit and Tefillin. These items are excellent gift ideas for a child who is just beginning to learn about Judaism and in the case of Tefillin, an excellent Bar Mitzvah gift.

Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

We love pretty little knick-knacks and photos of whimsical dresses in the breeze just as much as the next girl. But what really gets our oogly eyes widening? A gorgeous wedding with pretty little rings and billowing wedding ruffles offset by the soft rays of the sunshine.
A girl’s wedding day is perhaps the most memorable day of her life- unless she’s so overwhelmed and pumped with adrenaline that she nearly forgets the entire day (and yes- this really happens). That’s why capturing the entire day and night with artistic photographs is so important. Living vicariously through the lens is a luxury as delicious as a five tiered wedding cake.
Another “keeper” to place in a wedding album is a photo of the rings, flowers, hair clips, any little object that adds detail and romance to the wedding. These sweet details are often kept safe in the family for decades- but photos of they way they were on the wedding day keep the shining frills as bright as can be. Snapping a shot of your engagement ring settings on a background of paisley cloth or perching in your boquet is a beautiful way to add sentiment to your cherished wedding treasures.
Great wedding photos capture the emotions of the bride and groom, intertwining their feelings with the serenity of a natural background or the exquisite details of a reception hall. The setting of the photos are a reflection of their tastes and a snapshot of time and detail.

Recycled Engagement Rings

Finding the perfect engagement ring can be quite a task.  She has expectations. She has hopes.  She’s been dreaming of the perfect ring since age 5.  Picking out the right diamond and the right setting can be tricky.  But it may seem even trickier if your fiancé-to-be is an eco-conscious activist chic who just doesn’t feel good about the negative impact that the jewelry industry has on planet earth.
Lucky for you, recycled jewelry and eco-friendly engagement rings are easier to find than you might think.  In fact, you don’t even have to get up out of your chair. Simply move your hand towards your mouse…and click.

A number of new eco-friendly engagement retailers have been popping up all over the web. Online retailers provide consumers with exquisite engagement ring collections that are made from recycled materials and sometimes synthetic, rather than mined, diamonds.

Synthetic diamonds are simply stunning and are chemically created to have the same look, weight, and cut as a naturally forming diamond.  Synthetically produced diamonds are typically cheaper for the consumer and they do not have such a negative impact on the environment.  Moreover, synthetic diamonds do not fuel any conflicts in African regions which feed into humanitarian injustices.  Going eco-friendly and conflict free in your diamond purchase will inevitably help the environment and the greater good of the planet

Most eco-conscious stores have collections of diamond and gemstone rings in chic, contemporary designs that are made entirely from recycled precious metal and lab-grown diamonds.  Stores may offer customers a three step ‘Recycle, Reuse and Donate’ program whereby consumers can donate their old fine jewelry for store credit or have it immediately recrafted into new designer ring.  Their new rings are all made from 100% natural, conflict-free metal, gemstones and diamonds.

Jewelry is easily imbued with meaning and the engagement ring is one of the most meaningful jewelry items of all. Make the ring even more meaningful by recrafting your grandmother’s old engagement ring into a stunning new heirloom.  Vintage rings and family stones are truly meaningful for a new branch in the family tree.  Giving your girlfriend a family heirloom is a beautiful combination of ecological consciousness and sentimental value.   It’s a perfect way to show her that you love the earth almost as much as you love her.

How To Buy A Wedding Set

Buying a wedding set isn’t actually all that difficult. The complicated part is coordinating with your significant other.  Wedding sets are diamond engagement rings that come with matching wedding rings.  The wedding rings are usually curved or fashioned to fit comfortably beneath the engagement ring. The two rings, then, fit together in feel and design.

If you are a guy planning to propose, it’s important to find out before hand if your bride-to be already has anything particular in mind regarding the style of her wedding ring and engagement ring.  For those men who want to keep the ring as a surprise, the best thing to do is to ask friends and family what they think about the kind of ring she wants.  You should also be able to take a stab at the kind of ring she wants.  Women that like everything to match, that are fussy about the décor of their house and the color coordination of the outfits they wear will probably want a matching set.  That said, they’ll probably want to be consulted about the ring and the style too.  So strike a balance.

Once you decide to buy a wedding set, set a price limit and pick a base metal.  Platinum, yellow gold and white gold are the most popular metals these days for wedding sets.  Each metal has its own special qualities which should be taken into consideration.  Yellow gold is warmer, and stands out a bit more.  White gold is lustrous and chic.  Gold, overall, is cheaper than platinum and also more malleable. This means it can scratch a bit easier, but it also can be resized in a cinch. Platinum is pricier than gold, it’s a hot metal right now, and it’s extremely durable.  However, it can get fuzzy with wear, and when this happens, the only way to restore its luster is to have it professionally polished.  It’s also much harder to resize platinum because of its hardness.

Wedding Set

After outlining your budget and choosing a precious metal, decide on the diamonds.  In my opinion, the most beautiful wedding sets have a vintage flair: page encrusted side stone engagement rings with pave set eternity rings are hot, beautiful and enduring in style.  Plain and simple rings can be very attractive as well.  Plain, solitaire rings with a plain, solid wedding band sitting beneath can be classic and timeless.

Finally, make sure you have the ring size right.  You don’t want to have to find out at the last minute, or after hours and hours of shopping, that you’ve ordered the wrong size and have to return the set or have it resized.  That is just a pain!  Take your time to make sure the size is right and that the rings will fit!

The Wedding Tiara

The wedding tiara is back. WAY back. It is a piece of wedding jewelry that I am seeing on every young bride. Not because most brides want to hearken back to medieval or stuffy royal princess looks. Hardly. It’s because the tiara has changed with the times. It has reemerged as a cross between a hair-brooch, a hair- headband, a jewelry garland and a crown. It can be bohemian chic or classically elegant.
Some of the most beautiful wedding tiaras are actually period inspired. Recently, I caught sight of a 1920’s art nuveau wedding tiara that had a beautiful diamond and gold flower with wavy lines of lavender pears draped down the side. Another vintage-inspired piece incorporated feathers and clusters of Champaign pearls. And of course there are the Egyptian styles and Grecian wreath styles. These aren’t stuffy- they are stunningly stylish.
Some other eye-catching new wedding tiara styles is the small princess tiara which can be worn asymmetrically or just at the top of an up-do hairstyle like a comb. These small tiaras hold in small buns or bunches of curls atop the head and work really well with long veils. Usually they are a bit taller than your average tiara, but it’s easy to make them work with a high hairstyle. I just love the asymmetrical tiara look.
Finally, you’ll see more and more Celtic wedding tiaras about. These turn the bride into an absolute fairy, a magical elfish creature. Some are simply breath taking, especially those that sit low on the head, and look more like low headbands that run across the forehead.
I say, it’s time to consider the wedding tiara as something more than a piece for a prom queen. The wedding tiara has come into its own and I fully embrace it!

Wedding Hair

Some of the most exquisite wedding styles have that romantic, 18^th century natural princess air to them.  These are typically loose half-up dos with waves, or ringlets dripping down.

Romantic wedding hairstyles are usually best for women with long, straight hair or long wavy hair.  Women with girly hair might find it hard to manage, and the look might be a bit overwhelming. 

Side-swept bangs, or wisps of hair hanging from the front

adds more of a “natural and earthy look to this kind of wedding hairstyle and other wedding accessories can build on the look as well.

Romantic Wedding Hair

For a real nymph-like look, go for flowers.  Real flowers or jewelry flowers are the best.  Fake, nylon flowers usually look fake and nylon, dimming the natural glow. One large flower asymmetrically placed can add the perfect touch of glamour and allure.  Small flower clips scattered through the flowing waves can also be absolutely breathtaking.

Grecian Goddess

If you’re going for the Grecian goddess look, which is equally romantic, the hair should be swept back into a low, two-thirds up-do, or a loosely gathered pony tail. In the two-thirds up do, most of the hair above the ear is held by bobby pins and sits in a bun, twist or in suspended ringlets just above the nape of the neck.   

Incorporating braids or twists is another beautiful way to accessorize the romantic look, especially if you like it a bit messier.

Katie Price's Wedding Ring

One of the most outrageous celebrity wedding rings of all time was donned by glamour model Katie Price whose diamond encrusted wedding ring from her first marriage to Peter Andre is rumored to have cost nearly $700,000.  Yea, I know.  Not only did it cost more than a house, but it also takes up about half of her finger and looks like it weighs down her tiny hand.  She is rumored to have worn the ring even after the couple split and Peter moved bought a new house for himself. She flashed it around frequently for the media to photograph and gape at.  It’s been said that after she remarried to Alex Reid she was disappointed by the more modest wedding ring they bought together, being only about $4000.  Oh, women!

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston also went a bit far with their wedding rings.  They decided to custom design their bands with Italian jewelry designer Silvia Damaiani who created two stunning rings.  The rings were crafted out of 18 karat white gold and surppounded with diamonds.  Brad’s ring has 10 diamonds set around the band and is engraved with the words” Jen 2000”, while Jenniffer’s ring incorporates a total of 20 diamonds and is engraved with the words “Brad 2000”.  But after they went through all the trouble of designing their rings themselves, they found similar rings beings old online and decided to file a $50 million lawsuit against Mr. Damiani and his company.  According to the couple, Damiani breached the agreement that he would never replicate their wedding rings.

Yes, Celebrities are beautiful and glamorous, but sometimes they can be a bit crazy!

Personalized Wedding Rings

Many people feel that personalizing and customizing jewelry makes it more special and more meaningful.  Personalizing your wedding bands can be extremely rewarding for both you and your partner.  Below you’ll find three popular ways to personalize your wedding band.

Custom Design

Many couples have a special design in mind when they start looking for their wedding band.  Most jewelers are happy to work with their clients to produce a custom, personalized wedding band design. For example, I’ve seen couples who spend their lives surfing have wave-like designs detailed on both of their bands.  Other couples who have a strong connection to their faith frequently have their wedding bands customized with religious icons or symbols. 

Precious Gemstones

Some couples find all the symbolism and personalization they need in precious gemstones.  Gemstones can represent all sorts of things including birth months, Zodiac signs, personality traits and emotions.  For those who have a special connection to their birthstone, or believe in the healing and strengthening power of different kinds of gems, encrusting a wedding band with precious gemstones can be a terrific way to personalize their rings.

Engraving

To remember a date, a time, a place or a moment, many couples engrave their wedding rings.  Some couples choose to engrave their wedding ring with the date that they met, or the place where they got engaged. Others engrave intimate sayings, verses or song lyrics.  Most wedding engravings are located on the inside of the ring where it can’t be seen by others, but some choose to engrave the outside of the band as well. Engraving of wedding bands was actually extremely popular in 15^th and 16^th century Europe and has remained popular to this day. 

 Some famous personalized wedding bands include the wedding bands of the Duke and Duchess of York, otherwise known as King Edward VIII and Wallis Warfield Simpson.  They engraved nearly any and every jewelry item they owned.  Eva Longoria and Tony Parker also engraved their wedding rings with a romantic French inscription.

Men's Wedding Bands

Men and Women’s Wedding Bands are special and personal jewelry items. And men can be just as fussy as women when it comes to wearing something they aren’t used to, getting used to a new idea, or picking out a particular style and design.

First things first, let’s get this out of the way: wedding rings are not girly! Just because they are rings, it doesn’t mean that wearing them is any sign of you being less many. Wedding rings for men and for women have become a cultural norm in almost every part of the world. Women and men exchange have been exchanging vows and rings for over 60 years now.

Ok, now that we got that straightened out, let’s talk about matching rings. Some couples decide that they want to exchange rings that match. This can be a really beautiful thing, but it can also be frustrating. Make sure you sit down with your significant other and decide together what kind of styles you each had in mind. It is totally NOT sacrilege if you decide that you each want to pick out your own wedding band. Really.

Whether or not you are getting matching rings or not, there are a few things to keep in ming when making your decision:

1) Comfort: Because most men just aren’t used to wearing rings, I think that comfort is essential. Men should try on a few rings to decide how heavy they want their metal to be and how thick they want the band to be.

2) Lifestyle: Active men who work with their hands frequently like gardeners, handymen, mechanics or firemen should pick a simple and durable metal band. It’s probably not the best idea to spend thousands of dollars on a 18 karat gold diamond and gemstone encrusted band simply because of its fragility and delicacy. I would go with platinum, tungsten or titanium, three very strong, durable (and manly) metals.

3) Personal Taste: Men’s rings come in many designs. Some more poplar designs are two toned rings, titanium rings, or rings with one or more small diamonds embedded around the band. The brushed metal look is also a popular men’s wedding ring style, adding a bit of ruggedness to the ring’s overall look.

So, men, don’t be afraid to try something new, to show your colors and to pick out a fabulous wedding ring!

Buy Wedding Rings

Buying a wedding ring can seem like a terribly daunting task.  It’s a piece of fine jewelry that carries deep symbolic meaning and it’s also a ring that you are planning to wear for the rest of your life. When you decide it’s time to purchase your wedding rings, make sure you do it right.  Here are my top ten tips to buying your ideal wedding ring.

1)      Set a Budget.  This not only helps you narrow down your selection, but it also helps you keep financial stress to a minimum.  Before you even start looking at rings, set a maximum price and stick to it.

2)      Negotiate.  Sit down together and talk about how you want to buy your rings.  Some couples like to buy their rings together; others like to buy them separately. Go over what you both want and come to a clear agreeable decision.

3)      Matching- yes/no? Decide whether you want your wedding rings to be matching rings or not.   Unless you seem to have the same style of ring in mind from the beginning, buying a matching set can be a bit complicated.  Once you decide whether or not you want your rings to match, the rest of the buying process will be much easier.

4)      Browse.  Pick up some wedding magazines; check out your friends rings and try them on; be indulgent and read up on your celebrity wedding gossip to see what the hottest styles are. 

5)      Try’em on.  You should always go into at least one B&M jewelry store to try on different styles, different metals and different widths of wedding rings.  Whoever has an engagement ring –maybe both of you…you know men’s engagement rings are growing in popularity—should have the ring on.  It’ll help you make a decision about the overall “ring” look.

6)      Decide on A Metal.  Coupled don’t have to choose the same metal, but it’s important that each of you decide what metal you prefer.  There are pros and cons to each metal, including price, style, and metal qualities.  Some metals, like gold, are more malleable and therefore easier to resize.  Other, less malleable metals like platinum and titanium may not be resizable, but they are extremely durable. 

7)      Decide on A Style.  Decide whether you want a plain band, a band with diamonds, a wedding ring with two-tone metal ornamentation, or a Celtic wedding band.  There are lots of styles out there, but choose one that you feel will endure.  Remember, this is a band you are planning on wearing for the rest of your life.

8)      Be Informed.  If you do decide to buy a wedding band with diamonds, make sure you know your diamond stuff.  Read up on the 4Cs of diamonds: cut, clarity, color and carat weight.  You should be able to understand the differences between different diamonds and have an idea of diamond pricing.  The same goes for precious gems and precious metals.  Have somewhat of a grasp on market prices before you make the plunge.

9)      Shop casually. You should shop for wedding rings in the same manner you shop for most things.  If you like to shop for clothes with friends, bring friends along when looking at wedding rings.  If you like shopping for most thins on your own, then go for that.  Some simply prefer shopping online so that they can do the “boring” research on their own and then send pictures of potential rings to friends and family before they make their purchase.

10)   Have FUN!!!!!