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The mother of the bride dress is an important element of any wedding but buying a mother of the bride dress can be a difficult decision. There are many factors to consider, such as budget, style, colour—and more. The following are some essential dos and don’ts you need to keep in mind when buying the mother of the bride dresses.

Do: Buy online for the best deals

If you want the best deals for mother of the bride dresses, you should buy online. Online shops (such as https://www.mothersonly.com.au/ which focuses on providing mother of the bride dresses) have a wider ranges of styles, colours, and prices. Many physical retail shops will have marked up prices, so you’ll also get the best prices when you buy online.

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Don’t: Forget to complement the colour scheme of the wedding

It’s important not to forget that the mother of the bride dress needs to complement the colour scheme of the wedding. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they should match the bridesmaid’s dresses, but what colours are being used in the wedding should be considered. The only exception to this rule is if the bride and her mother make a mutual decision about a colour that is not otherwise used in the wedding scheme.

Do: Choose a style that is flattering

A mother of the bride dress should be, above all, flattering. No one wants to look frumpy at a wedding, especially your Mother! Before you pick a dress, you should make sure that the style is going to be flattering on your body. Thankfully, modern dresses for your Mum will come in plenty of styles so you can definitely find something that is flattering to your body type. If you are not sure which style is most flattering, try on similar styles in person to see which looks best.

Don’t: Feel limited to certain styles

Today, mother of the bride dresses come in an array of stunning and flattering styles. You shouldn’t feel limited to a standard straight line dress; you can find dresses in chic fit and flare styles and even stunning cocktail dress styles for something more elegant and formality. So, don’t feel limited to basic styles—if a cocktail gown would be appropriate for the occasion, feel free to pick one out for the wedding!

Do: Buy the dress early enough for alterations if necessary

One of the most important ‘dos’ you should know regarding buying mother of the bride dresses is that they need to be purchased early enough for alterations (just like the bride). In some cases, a gown needs to be taken in, let out—or otherwise altered so that it’s as flattering as possible. If you wait too long, there may not be enough time to have the dress altered to fit properly.

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Engagement rings are a big ticket item. For most people, engagement rings are one of the biggest purchases they’ll ever make. And it’s easy to see why people are ready to drop a lot of cash on their ring— after all, engagement rings are meant to symbolize everlasting love and people want the quality of their ring to reflect that. Plus, diamonds appreciate over time, so engagement rings are also an investment purchase that people want to get right. 

So, what exactly are people spending on engagement rings? Across the US, the average amount spent on an engagement ring is $6,351. Though, the amount spent per state ranges from $3,518 to $10,241, with the lowest average coming from Utah and the priciest coming from California. 

While it’s good to consider how much people are spending on their engagement rings, it’s also important to remember that your budget doesn’t have to hit that average number. Every person’s unique situation is different— the most important thing about your engagement ring budget is that it’s comfortable for you. No one wants to start a marriage with strained finances or debt. 

So, how do you buy the perfect engagement ring when you’re working within a budget? We partnered with Fancy Lab to answer that question! The first thing you should do is make sure you know exactly what your budget is. Some people have a range they look within and some people just set a hard upper limit. To figure out your budget, just take an honest look at your finances and think about what you’d be completely comfortable spending.

Once you know your budget, it’s time to start shopping around. If you’ve never bought an engagement ring before, you might not know that engagement ring settings are usually sold separately from the engagement ring’s center stone (which is, traditionally, a diamond). So, keep that in mind while you’re shopping. 

If you’re shopping online, most retailers have handy filters that will allow you to only look at settings or diamonds within certain price ranges. But one online retailer, the luxury jeweler RockHer has taken diamond “filtering” up a notch with their online diamond concierge, ROSI. 

ROSI, a combination of algorithm and AI (powered by IBM’s Watson!), was designed by the team at RockHer to help make what used to be a very difficult shopping decision very simple. Essentially, ROSI works by getting a few pieces of information from whoever’s using her, then sorting through thousands of diamonds and showing the user only the very best ones within their criteria. So, in a nutshell, ROSI helps you find the best diamond within your budget, taking all the confusion and work out of the diamond shopping process. Plus, she does it faster than even an expert gemologist could.

And RockHer is a full stop shop— you can use ROSI to find your ideal diamond and then pair that diamond with your ideal setting right away (or vice versa). They have every imaginable setting style, from intricate vintage settings to sleek modern rings. 

So, the answer to the question of “how to buy the perfect engagement ring without breaking the bank?” Figure out your budget then use ROSI, an AI advanced digital diamond gemologist, to help you sort through the rubble and find your perfect ring. 

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner— do you know what you’re getting your Valentine this year? Picking out just the right gift for your sweetheart can be tricky. Everyone wants to give their Valentine something that will make them feel special and appreciated. That’s why so many people opt to give jewelry on Valentine’s Day. Fine jewelry is beautiful and romantic— plus, it will last a lifetime. To help you pick out an amazing gift this year, we’ve partnered with Fancy Lab to put together this V-Day Gift Guide, full of gorgeous pieces that will make her heart skip a beat.

Diamond Studs

Is there any jewelry more classic and gorgeous than a simple pair of diamond studs? These earrings are the definition of classic beauty, featuring two radiant white diamonds set in 14k white gold. If your Valentine doesn’t have a pair of diamond studs in her collection yet, she’ll be overjoyed to receive them this year.

Oval Diamond Pendant

This diamond pendant is wearable, unique, and absolutely beautiful. Diamond pendants are a classic jewelry item that can enhance any outfit; their simple radiance goes with everything. The oval-shaped diamond in this piece adds a unique touch to this diamond pendant, which would more commonly have a round or princess shaped diamond.

Black Diamond Studs

Black diamonds have been rising in popularity in the world of fine jewelry. Their bold, rich look adds a cool, edgy feel to every piece they’re used in. These black diamond studs, securely bezel set in 14k white gold, provide a boldly beautiful way to wear these distinctive diamonds.

Rose Gold Solitaire

Rose gold has grown quick popularity in fine jewelry and has become the new staple. Rose gold is a popular and desired metal choice along with its counterparts yellow and white gold— if not even more so. This beautiful rose gold solitaire ring elegantly pairs a soft rose gold setting with a unique, yet classic cushion cut white diamond. This ring is a great choice if you’re thinking of popping the question this Valentine’s Day.

Diamond Hoops

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend— so these diamond hoops featuring 50 brilliant round cut diamonds might just end up being her soul mate (after you, of course). These dazzling earrings, with their twin rings of radiant white diamonds, are classically beautiful and simply to die for.

These pieces are from Diamond Studs, known for their classic and timeless jewelry selection. Their sister company, Diamond Wish, is known for their unique engagement rings, like the gorgeous blue and white diamond ring pictured above. This ring, which features an elegantly scalloped halo of diamonds around its blue center stone, is a beautiful example of an alternative engagement ring. Alternative engagement rings are a great change to classic white diamond engagement rings. They’re great for the modern bride that seeks out a more unique and personal feel and isn’t afraid to deviate from tradition. Alternative engagement rings are also having their moment in the spotlight right now!

Give Your Gift In Style

Once you’ve picked out your Valentine’s Gift, consider this: how you give your gift can help to make it feel even more special. Here’s a gift giving idea: give her a handmade Valentine’s Day card along with her new piece of jewelry. Making her an old school, handcrafted Valentine’s Day card (complete with your personalized words of devotion, of course) is sweet, thoughtful, and charming. You can either give her her jewelry at the same time as her handmade card or hide the jewelry and write clues in the card to help her find it. Either way, she’ll love that you went the extra mile to make her Valentine’s Day even more special and memorable.

We are super excited to bring you this ethereal boudoir inspiration shoot from the wonderful Tamara Gruner Photography. We’re loving the incredible florals by Siloh Floral and gorgeous lingerie from Veronica Sheaffer Intimates and the historic location at Cherokee Ranch & Castle. The effect is elegant and beautiful and the perfect boudoir inspiration for any classic bride. Enjoy!

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“She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. ‘Time’ for her isn’t something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water.” – A quote by Roman Payne from The Wanderess.

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From the photographer: There is something enchanting and mesmerizing about the natural beauty of a woman. Femininity is freedom, strength, grace, passion, and depth. That’s exactly the type of richness I wanted to capture through this color palette. Deep and saturated tones of black, charcoal, and plum coupled with the soft and light peach, cream, and lavender express the complexity of everything that is feminine. A beauty of a woman is something that is profound and that should be celebrated. I love how these images are able to express both the gentleness and lightness of a woman’s features and curves mixed with the depth and richness of her soul.

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Photography: Tamara Gruner Photography // Lingerie: Veronica Sheaffer Intimates // Floral Design & Styling: Siloh Floral // Venue: Cherokee Ranch & Castle  // Scans: Richard Photo Lab // Shoes: Manolo Blahnik // Calligraphy: Designsgirl // Ring: Swarovski // Ring Box: The Mrs Box // Silk & Ribbon: Silk and Willow // Headpieces: Irene Lily // White Gemstone: Pottery Barn // Hair & Makeup: Liz Wegrzyn // Model Agency: Wilhelmina Denver // Female Model: Sarah C.

 

Looking for some last-minute holiday decorating inspiration? We’ve got your covered. Grey Collective member, and master calligrapher, Julia Mattox of Luminous Lines Creative sent us over these images from the Holiday Wreath and Brush Lettering Workshop she hosted along with Christa Rose. Lucky for us Heather Shane Photography captured tons of details. So fun!

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Wreath Instruction: Christa of Christa Rose // Brush lettering instruction: Julia Mattox of Luminous Lines Creative // Photography: Heather Shane Photography // Location: Oh Hello Friend, Fullerton CA // Swag: Candles, Nordic Fox // Misc. gifts and stationery: Oh Hello Friend // Lip balms and beauty goods: LB Love Organics