While many different religions and nationalities have their own well established traditions, it is becoming increasingly common for couples of mixed ancestry to marry. Inter-racial couples are marrying more and more often and with this increase in inter-racial marriages comes a need for weddings that have a multi-cultural feel. With so many wonderful traditions that hold a great deal of importance to many families it is important to plan a wedding that will celebrate the cultural diversity rather than spotlight one of the cultures while neglecting the other. Even if the couple themselves do not feel strongly about having their heritage represented, it is important to consider the feelings of family members as well. While the wedding is for the couple and in general they should plan it as they see fit, this should not be done at the risk of hurting the feelings of family members by neglecting their culture in the ceremony and reception.

One of the easiest ways to handle a multi-cultural wedding is to allow one culture to dominate the wedding ceremony while the other culture dominates the wedding reception. At the ceremony care could be used to ensure that the attire, words, music, decorations and procedures adhere to the culture of either the bride or the groom. If the culture of the bride dominates the ceremony then you could allow the culture of the groom to dominate the reception. This could be done by providing food, entertainment and toasts that reflect on the time-honored traditions of the groom’s cultural background.

While the preceding solution of having one culture control the ceremony and another culture control the reception is one way to plan a multi-cultural wedding, many couple choose to blend both of the components of the wedding instead. While this can be more difficult, it may be a better solution because neither family feels left out of a party of the wedding. There are countless variations for blending the traditions of two cultures into the wedding ceremony. For example you might want to consider having both the bride and the groom dressing in the traditional attire of the one of the families but having them enter the ceremony to traditional music of the other family. Another variation on this idea is to have the bride dress according to her cultural customs while the groom dresses according to his cultural customs. This would symbolize the joining of the two cultures with the union of the individuals. You could even consider having the bride and the groom dress according to each other’s cultural customs as a symbol of their being willing to embrace the other culture in their union.

Cultural weddings can also be blended at the reception in a number of ways. A simple way to do this is to serve foods that relate to one culture and provide entertainment that relates to the other culture. This separation may seem too harsh for some couples and they may want to blend their cultures in a more subtle way. One way to do this is to serve a buffet style dinner that serves cultural favorites of both heritages. Also, if you budget a significant amount of money for entertainment, you could consider hiring two bands so that you can have one band that specializes in the cultural heritage of the bride and one to represent the groom’s heritage. This could not only serve to unite the families but can also serve to ensure that the entertainment never ceases. Many live bands play for only about 20 minutes at a time and then take a break. The two bands could alternate playing their music so that there is never a dull moment at the reception. If budget constraints do not allow hiring two separate bands you might want to consider hiring a band to play the music of one culture and consider hiring dancers to represent the other culture.

Multi-cultural weddings are on the rise. As the number of inter-racial couples increases, there is also an increased need for creative ways to blend two different cultures into a wedding ceremony and reception that will be enjoyed by all the guests. Careful considerations should be made to ensure that neither culture is offended by the festivities and that they are both prominently displayed and celebrated.

Women and jewels have always shared a special friendship. In fact the wedding jewellery, in most of the cultures, is most close to the woman’s heart. So a woman has always adored her wedding ring. They just can’t part themselves from it. For, the excitement of selecting and wearing a wedding ring is beyond the words.

Thus, most of the women take a substantial amount of time selecting their wedding rings. They want it to be unique and simply the best in the world. If you are new in the world of jewelry and are not sure about your wedding ring pick, it can be a time taking process for you.

A woman cannot be happy with other person’s choice. This ‘law’ applies more strongly to jewelry. A woman wears only that jewelry which she has picked with her own hands. So it is always better for you to go personally to buy a wedding ring. Only then you will wear it regularly.

“What looks best on my hand?”— ask this to yourself repeatedly while making the selection. If your fingers are small, an extended diamond such as an oval shape will look great on you. It can make your short fingers look slim. But do not overdo it as it can make your fingers look too showy.

Avoid wide wedding bands if you have long fingers as they can make them appear much shorter. Well, with long fingers you have an added advantage of wearing bold ring styles, as they will suit you.

A ring style should be such that it strictly suits your lifestyle and must not look imposed. You can go on trying all the pieces in the shop with different metal, stones and styles to judge which ring is “best” for you. If you are a professional and want a ring that you can wear regularly, stay out of ornately crafted and extravagant rings. A big pointed gem can snag your clothing and is also difficult to clean. You will finally end up keeping them packed in the boxes.

If you wish, you can make your wedding matching to your engagement ring or wedding gown. It can enhance your overall look dramatically. If you do some research, it will not be difficult for you to find a matching ring. Moreover, you can get the help of a jewelry designer to design a ring particularly for you. You can later order it.

You can choose those styles of wedding rings that will be in fashion for a long time. For example, changing fashion cannot affect the eternal style of the traditional plain gold or platinum band. If it seems too plain to you, get a beaded border or an engraved ring.

Being a woman I don’t feel you will have much problem in selecting your wedding ring. Women are much more in tune with the entire fashion trends. Since the wedding rings are to be worn regularly all the time, you might want the rings to reflect who you are. The women play smart and choose a wedding ring that goes well with all other jewelry pieces that they wear.

So use your ‘female’ instincts and go get your best wedding ring with confidence. Happy Shopping! [539 Words]

Wedding is a special celebration which lasts up to a lifetime. And there could not be anything better than a wedding ring which serves as an epitome of commitment, love and trust between the two partners. Since 11th century, the ritual of exchanging wedding rings has been practiced with utmost excitement and passion. And one Asian country vehemently follows this tradition of wedding rings. Well, you guessed it right; it’s none other than China.

As the ritual of exchange of wedding rings is prominent in China, the Chinese wedding rings are also very popular. The land of the mystical dragons and ancient culture blooms with unique styles and designs of wedding rings. In Chinese weddings, the style and the class of the wedding rings play an important role. In fact the jewelers constantly keep on updating the materials and designs of the Chinese wedding rings.

Coming onto the aspect of the materials used in the Chinese wedding rings, there are basically 4 types of material used. These are diamonds, platinum, yellow gold and white gold.

Let us take a peep into how these materials are incorporated in the making of Chinese wedding rings.

Diamond Wedding Rings
Diamond wedding rings are a very popular choice as Chinese wedding rings. These rings are prominently made up of two types. The first one is a solitaire Chinese wedding ring and the second one is the diamonds Chinese wedding rings. Well, the solitaire Chinese wedding rings consist of a single diamond on the whole of the ring. This diamond is placed on a band which can be made up of any material like platinum, yellow gold or white gold. Moreover one can choose a colored solitaire to make the ring look even more beautiful and charismatic.

The other types of diamond Chinese rings are the ones on which more than one diamond is placed. These rings can have numerous small sized diamonds or three big size diamonds, and various other diamond combinations.

Platinum Wedding Rings
Platinum Chinese wedding rings are a symbol of class and society. There are several types and styles of platinum Chinese rings. Some of these rings include the sacred symbols of the Chinese cultures. On the other hand, some rings contain some famous and holy quotation, while the other rings have the dragons engraved on them.

If one prefers to have a simple platinum band for a Chinese wedding, he can also buy a plain platinum wedding band to represent the beauty in simplicity. Some Chinese platinum wedding rings can also have the inscribed names of both the partners.

Yellow Gold Wedding Rings
Yellow gold wedding rings are the most common types of Chinese wedding rings. These rings are available in different karats according to the gold content used in the making of them. On an average, a Chinese wedding yellow gold ring is made up of 14K gold. This implies that the ring has 58.3 % gold along with 41.7 % of other metals. Another common category of golf Chinese wedding rings is the 18K gold ring wherein the gold content is 75%.

White Gold Wedding Rings
Well, many people confuse white gold wedding rings with platinum wedding rings. However, white gold wedding rings are yet another popular choice as Chinese wedding rings. These rings are made up of a metal called palladium which is responsible for the white color of the ring.

So which ring have you chosen for your wedding? [Words 573]

Wedding rings have always been exchanged as an emblem of a ‘potent bond’ of marriage. The ritual of wedding ring ceremony has been practiced in various cultures and traditions, literally from the ages. The perfect circle of a wedding ring has always been a representative of undying love and continuous happiness for the nuptial couple. Moreover the circle represents the wholeness and timelessness of their wed-locked new relationship.

Today, there are several types of wedding rings available in the market. Some of the famous ones are the diamond rings, platinum rings, gold rings and titanium rings. But, there is one category of wedding rings which had its essence in the past and holds it even today. Any guesses? Well, this particular genre of wedding rings is known as Celtic wedding rings.

So, Let us take a closer look at some aspects related to the Celtic wedding rings and their popularity.

Thousands of years back, a group of liberal tribes called Celts spread throughout the various parts of Europe. A majority of these people were classy artisans who used to carve knot work patterns. These work patterns have also motivated the modern day jewelers to develop some exquisite wedding rings. The Celtic patterns created on the wedding rings today have some particular meanings. But understanding these patterns and their relevance to the wedding rings is somewhat illusive.

Some people tend to prefer Celtic wedding rings as a way to connect profoundly into their own heritage. Indeed they tend to feel compassion with a tribal tradition of Europe that regards the earth as the Mother Earth. Moreover some people tend to feel that a Celtic wedding ring brings them closer to the poetry and music. And for other people, it’s just another type of jewelry which holds some significance and value.

Well, coming a step ahead of the cultural aspects of the Celtic motif rings, you will find that people wear these rings irrespective of the fact, whether they belong to Celtic ancestry or not. A majority of people consider wearing Celtic motif rings because they believe that these motifs have a symbolic and universal meaning. In fact the knots in the Celtic motifs depict the interweaving of two different paths together. Moreover the knots represent the interconnection of various aspects of life. Indeed a Celtic wedding ring is a mascot which titillates the mystical connection of life and people.

There are several knot styles and designs of the Celtic motif wedding rings. Moreover people prefer certain knot work motifs over the other due to their specific meanings. For example, a couple might choose a simple and flowing knot work motif style as it depicts ease, harmony and partnership. The wedding rings with other knot work designs can be more intricate and dynamic, suggesting passion and other creative elements.

Apart from the round knot motifs wedding rings, the square knot motif works also hold their symbolism. A square knot motif wedding ring is a clear representation of stability of a relationship. Even most of the buildings are square-shaped because of the symbolism of the stability attached with the square designs. Other than these shapes, the Celtic rings also deal with the directions of the vectors. Another very common design of Celtic wedding ring is the depiction of trinity work pattern.

Considering the aspects of Celtic rings and knot work motifs, it would be appropriate to say that if you insist on buying a Celtic wedding ring, you should spend some time to understand the meaning of a particular motif as well. And you will surely choose a better motif style ring for your wedding. [602 Words]

Many nationalities have their own wedding traditions. The people of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures. The traditions include Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes.

The Claddagh ring has a special meaning in a traditional Irish wedding. The Claddagh ring is a traditional ring that looks like two hands holding a heart that is adorned with a crown. Tradition holds that Claddagh rings be passed down from mother to daughter. As these rings are meant to be passed down for generations, it is not considered proper to buy a Claddagh ring for yourself. Yet another tradition involving the Claddagh ring relates to how it is worn. An engaged or married woman or man would wear the ring with the tips of the crown facing towards their fingertips. In this position the ring is considered to be turned inward and symbolizes that the heart of the person wearing the ring is taken. A man or woman who is not involved in a romantic relationship would wear the ring with the tips of the crown facing towards their wrist. This outward position of the ring symbolizes that the person wearing the ring is reaching out for companionship.

Traditional Irish weddings also adhere to several unusual superstitions in an attempt to ward off bad luck. A rain or overcast day might be cause for concern at a traditional Irish wedding. This is because one of the strange superstitions is that the sun must shine directly on the bride to ensure that the couple will be blessed with good luck. Birds also factor into some of the traditional Irish superstitions. Hearing a cuckoo bird or seeing three magpies are also considered to be signs of luck for the couple. Yet another final superstition relates to offering well wishes to the bride. At a traditional Irish wedding it is considered bad luck for a woman to be the first one to congratulate the bride and wish her well. For this reason a close friend or relative of the groom will also take it upon himself to ensure that he is the first to congratulate the bride.

A traditional Irish wedding usually concludes with a toast that has been recited for many years. At the end of the reception the guests will gather around the couple for the final toast. The couple will begin the toast by saying, "Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing in your hour of need." The guests then respond to the toast with the following answer: "On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need." "Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing in your hour of need." The guests respond: "On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need."

Of course, no traditional Irish wedding complete without the presence of bagpipes and kilts. It is customary for friends and family members to bring along their bagpipes and pipe the couple into the mass and into the reception. They may also continue to charm the guests with an assortment of bagpipe tunes suitable for dancing. Not only do friends and family members enjoy performing for the couple and the other guests but they also enjoy taking the opportunity to dress in traditional kilts for the occasion. The look and sound of the bagpipers creates the feel of a truly traditional Irish wedding.

A traditional Irish wedding is a festive occasion filled with good friends, food and music. In addition to these traditional elements the Irish people also have traditions regarding the Claddagh ring and standardized toasts that are used to wish the new couple well. Superstitions also play a role in a traditional Irish wedding. Many of the traditional superstitions relate to objects or occurrences that are thought to bring the couple good luck.