Essence of Events, LLC

All About Unique Wedding Bands!

Many know that wedding bands today often symbolize unending love and devotion to ones mate, but do you know the history of the wedding bands? Did you know there were several other wedding bands besides what we know today as gold and the 4 C's, Carat, Color, Cut and Clarity?

Wedding bands date back to Egyptian times, where several mummys have been unearthed, and found wearing wedding rings made from reed and hemp. They wore these bands on their ring finger of their left hand. Believing that some special vein led to the heart. Romans had a far different view of bands. They were used as proof of purchase for a trade between the brides father and groom. Once the ring was presented to the bride it was proof of ownership.

Besides the common wedding bands of gold, diamonds and the 4 C's, Carat, Color, Cut and Clarity there were other unique bands. In the Middle East a man gave a puzzle ring which was extremely complex. Should his wife remove this puzzle ring it would be a symbol of her unfaithfulness because there would be no way she could get it back on. In the 1500 and 1600's the Gimmel ring was common. They were typically two rings that interlocked. The bride and groom would each wear one as an engagement ring. When the wedding day came the groom would interlock his ring with the brides and offer it as a wedding band. The Poesy ring was popular during the Renaissance era. Bands, often of silver, would be engraved with a poem or sonnet as a symbol of their love. It's believed that the groom offering a thimble to his bride came from the Puritans and was later adopted during the Colonial era. It was thought that jewerly was a frivolous expense and a thimble was practical. Often afterward brides would make a wedding band out of the tops of the thimble. We are sure today that most are glad that the customs from times past stay right where they are, in the past. So whether you decide to incorporate the custom of exchanging bands as a symbol of your unending love and fidelity or to show it in some other way we have a few unique bands we thought were unique!

Love band from The Fancy $320

Love Letter Ring from The Fancy $200

Fingerprint Inside Personal Wedding Rings The Fancy $440

His and Hers Fingerprint Wedding Bands Andrew English

This is one of our favorite trends we are seeing right now. We are even working with a bride right now to help her achieve her perfect "Vintage" inspired wedding. It can be done in so many ways and on any budget which is one of the reasons a vintage theme is so great!

Looking to create a vintage feel? Make sure to include pearls, lace, doiles, luxurious linens, crystal, the possabilities are endless!

Where can you find the right pieces to acheive your desired look? Antique shops, second-hand stores, estate sales, and the list goes on. Its really about taking the time to search out the right pieces. That is where we at Essence of Events, LLC comes in. We take the time to help you find exactly what you want and need to make your day perfectly vintage.

Check out these amazing vintage inspired looks.

It's Wedding Wednesday and we have a few great selections for you! From the beautiful cutout trends for 2013 wedding gowns to glamourous hollywood wedding attire.

We fell in love with the new trend for 2013 of cutouts on wedding gowns. Check out these beauties we found.

Gracie from the Hailey Paige Collection Scalloped Lace dress from ForHerandForHim

This bridesmaid dress with cutout would work great for hollywood glamour feel. Paired with these $49 satin pumps, stunning!

BB Dakota Dress found on ModCloth.com LoveMe Red Satin Shoes from MichaelAntonio

It's Wedding Wednesday and we have some great ideas for all you bride's looking for some unique and out of the ordinary decor ideas and trends.

Out with the monogrammed pillowcases and towels and in with the cool personalized table runner. For all the trendy rustic weddings, this would be an amazing personal touch. This can be found on Etsy Shop 24.

We also loved this idea for chalkboard placecard holders. Something different and interchangeable. Great for knowing who's cup is who's too! You can purchase these labels on Etsy 24 or DIY: Buy chalkboard labels at www.staples.com

Written by Michelle Culp of Essence of Events, LLC www.essenceofevents.com