Rose gold engagement ring making comeback

Back at the turn of the 19^th century, rose gold engagement rings were a popular choice among couples ready to tie the knot. Today that popularity is experiencing a resurgence for a number of reasons.

What is rose bold?

Rose gold is a blend of yellow gold and copper. The more copper in the blend, the rosier the hue. In the same regard, the higher karat the lighter the shade will be because it contains more pure gold. In the end, how deep the blush comes down to ratios and personal preference.

In some cases, 18k rose gold rings will contain silver or palladium along with the gold and copper, while lesser karat rings might contain some silver or zinc. For those who have allergies to consider it is important to talk to your jeweler regarding the actual makeup of the ring you are considering.

 

Advantages of rose gold engagement rings

One reason people fancy rose gold is its romantic vintage look, but beyond that, this precious gold offers practical advantages. For instance, it makes an attractive choice for people with nickel allergies which can be experienced with white gold and is more durable than yellow gold.

Aside from these physical advantages rose gold is also an affordable choice that compliments all skin tones.

Rose gold engagement rings provide a classy-looking ring that’s versatile and yet distinct. Today, you can find them available in vintage or contemporary designs. 

 

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How the wedding shower originated

Like many wedding customs and traditions, the history of the wedding shower is steeped in etiquette, but the actual origin is unclear. The practice is said to be tied to dowry practices and origins in the Netherlands. The story surrounds a high-society Dutch woman who didn’t want to marry the rich farmer her father had chosen for her, but rather wanted to marry a poor miller instead. Her father rejected the idea and in an effort to force his daughter to marry the man he chose said he wouldn’t provide a dowry unless she married the farmer. The story goes on to tell how the villagers joined together to “shower” the woman with household items and other small gifts so she could marry the man of her choice. This particular account has a happy ending saying these actions touched the heart of the father and changed his mind. He decided to allow her to marry the man she loved.

Second possible origin of the wedding shower

According to a second account, the history of wedding showers in the United States isn’t quite so romantic. In this case, the practice of holding a wedding shower grew popular in the States in the late 1800s when women of high society celebrated bridal showers for the gossip, food, the opportunity to give gifts and to talk about the bride-to-be’s new upcoming role. During these shower parties, small gifts were placed inside a paper parasol in order to “shower” them over the bride-to-be.

 

Third possible origin of the wedding shower

A third story tells a more practical story about a young woman who couldn’t afford to buy her friend a wedding gift. She invited others to a party and told all to bring a small gift. In this way, she did what she could to give her bride-to-be friend a gift. And lastly, it is suggested the bridal shower originated in the United Sates as a more recent invention created to sell more gifts rather than the result of any tradition.

No matter the origin, today, the wedding shower has evolved into anything from a more modest affair to an extravagant themed party. In any case, the bride is “showered” with gifts. And while the practice of the bridal shower has evolved over time to include both the bride and the groom, much of the original wedding shower etiquette still surrounds this special occasion. Like many wedding traditions, learning the history behind the bridal shower can be used to create your own unique, modern way to celebrate this special occasion. 

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Armenian style engagement party: the Khosk-Kap

Armenia is a small country with the distinction of being the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion back in the early 4^th century. This connection still plays an important role in Armenian weddings which are celebrated as a huge holiday traditionally celebrated for seven days and seven nights. For instance, traditionally the “God family” serves as witnesses at the wedding. What or who is a God family? It’s a couple who must be praiseworthy and looked up to. Usually, this is the married couple closest to the bride and groom, and the kavor “Godfather” is responsible for many of the wedding details and is expected to bring the most expensive wedding gift at a separate ceremony specifically for gift giving. This man is also responsible for guiding the couple in their life following the wedding.

If the answer is yes, the groom presents the engagement ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Khosk-Arnel

These days, that week-long celebration has become outdated, but many of the rich Armenian traditions are still intact. One of these traditions is the Khosk-Arnel” (asking for permission) which is the occasion that officially starts the engagement. 

Here in the west we might call this an engagement party, but not what we would consider traditional. For in the Armenian tradition, this is the event where the groom’s parents officially meet the bride’s parents. But it more than that. It’s also the time the groom’s parents asked the bride’s parents for their daughter’s hand in marriage. 

Let’s face it, this is a little risky if people don’t know each other, but if all goes according to plan and they said “yes”, the groom-to-be presents the engagement ring to his new fiancee. When she accepts the celebration begins with eating, drinking, and Armenian-style partying which includes a priest blessing the ring and the couple’s future plans.

Khosk-Kap

Today this tradition is being replaced with the “Khosk-Kap” where the groom is the one to ask for the bride’s hand in marriage. In most cases, the groom makes his intentions clear to the bride’s immediate family before the Khosk-Kap, however, even this tradition has lost some of its popularity.

Groom's family arrives with a flower arrangement and a box of chocolates.

 

Modern less-formal Khosk-Arnel

A more modern take on this ritual is the less-formal Khosk-Arnel. This modern take on the engagement ceremony only includes the couple’s immediate family. The groom’s family is invited to the bride’s house for coffee (or tea) or dinner. They arrive with a flower arrangement and a box of chocolates. For this take on an Armenian engagement party, the groom asks the bride’s father for her hand in marriage.

All of these variations are ripe with elements that can be used to design a unique one-of-a-kind engagement party of your own.

Photo credits: youtube, youtube

The shoe game a new wedding tradition

Traditionally games are played at the wedding shower, but when new trends become popular they can easily become a new tradition. One of those new trends is a game called the Mr. and Mrs. game (also known as the Shoe Game) and it is played by the bride and groom while guests watch. It's kind of like the Newlywed Game, but it's just the bride and groom playing against each other to show how well they know each other--while everyone else watches.

How to play the shoe game

To play the shoe game game, the bride and groom take of their shoes. The groom holds one of the bride's shoes in one hand and one of his shoes in the other. The bride does the same. They are seated back to back so they can's see each other and the MC or DJ starts asking questions like: Who's most likely to drop their phone in the toilet? The bride and groom answer by raising the shoe of who they think it would be.

The Mr. & Mrs. Game is also known as the Shoe Game.

It's fun and gets everyone laughing and even people near the back of the room can "see" the couple's responses.

Shoe game questions

Here is a list of sample Shoe Game questions. Feel free to make up your own questions or place note cards at each table for guests to submit possible questions. (The game usually consists of 20 to 30 questions and takes about 10 minutes to play):

Who's most likely to drop their phone in the toilet?
Who has the better sense of humor?
Who spends the most money?
Who takes more time in the bathroom?
Who has to have the last word?
Who hogs the blankets?
Who is the smarter dresser?
Who spends more time on Facebook?
Who is the better dancer?
Who is the bigger baby when they have a cold?
Who's the better kisser?

Other things to consider 

The people making up the questions to ask need to keep the audience in mind. Will children be in attendance? If so, you'll want the questions to be appropriate.

 

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Photo credits:  pxfuel, Anthony Carpenter