9 December 2021

The Jewellery to Wear for Special Occasions

 Image Courtesy of Unsplash

Wearing jewelled adornments commemorating elaborate events dates back to before the ancient Egyptians. Cultures all over the world still carry this tradition. Although many people wear jewellery every day, there are recognized pieces to wear for special occasions. Yet, it can be tricky to know what to wear and when beyond well-known events.

Wedding Anniversaries

Getting married is an extraordinary commitment between two people. Therefore, it warrants remembrance and unique jewellery pieces to commemorate your special day. For each year of marital bliss, there is an associated list of modern and traditional gifts and materials. For example, clocks and paper represent your first year while china and cotton commemorate your second. It might not be viable to give these materials each year, but you can offer jewellery gifts for milestone years. For example, emerald rings and gifts are associated with 20 years.

Days Special to You

Of course, you don't need traditional anniversaries to denote a special day between you and your partner. Or even a special day in particular. Perhaps you like to remember the first day you met your husband or wife. Or maybe even the first time your business made a profit. Everyone has days that are special to them. The best part is meaningful gifts, and jewellery can be anything you like and traditional. For example, you might find solace in a Saint Christopher necklace when your child learns to drive, or your wife might appreciate a new charm each year on the date of your first special night together.

Pieces for Weddings

There are many grand traditions associated with weddings. Formal hats, dresses, cutting the cake and the first dance. But many people don't think of wedding jewellery. Brooches are traditionally worn at western weddings, while Rajputi jewellery is worn at grand Asian weddings by the bride, groom and specific guests. However, for the most part, you can accent your gown, whether bride or guest, with particular pieces. For example, delicate necklaces compliment your neckline, armlets break up monotonous tones and earrings accent a formal updo. 

Special Birthdays

Jewellery makes a remarkable birthday gift. You can build quite the collection that marks each particular day and makes beautiful memories beginning as a child. Pandora charms are trendy, but birthstone jewellery adds a rich personal touch. Each month and zodiac sign has a corresponding stone. And these stones can be inserted into all kinds of jewellery, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets. For example, garnet represents January, and Aquarius is associated with amber. However, birthstones vary by eastern and western culture types. 

Religious Occasions

Cultural jewellery is prominent worldwide, and each religion holds specific patterns, symbols and materials sacred. These types of jewellery are traditionally worn to represent a religious belief or at particular times of the year. For example, as a catholic, you might wear a crucifix around your neck to show devotion to Christ. Whereas trending Jhumkas jewellery might be given as a gift during the Muslim celebration of Eid that encourages gift giving as a symbol of generosity.


15 November 2021

How to Have a Wedding That Guests Will Love

Your wedding will, of course, primarily be about you. This is, after all, your special day, and it’s important that your happiness is given priority. However, it’s not as if you can’t think of other people whatsoever. If you’re going to have a wedding that everyone enjoys, then it’s important to think about the guest experience. If you get it right, then you’ll have a wedding day that lives long in the memories of everyone who is there, for all the right reasons. 


But how can you do this? We’ll take a look at some useful tips below.


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Keep Costs Down


You’ll know that your wedding day is going to cost you a lot of money. But it shouldn’t cost your guests a lot of money. It’s unlikely that yours will be the only wedding that they’re going to this year. You’ll be making things much, much easier for them if they don’t have to spend the earth to attend your special day. Be particularly mindful of having weddings overseas. They can be cheaper for the people getting married, but much more expensive for guests. So while it might look cheaper for you, remember that you’ll essentially just be passing on the costs to your friends and family!


A Smooth Day


You’ll likely have a detailed understanding of everything that’s going to happen on your wedding day. But your guests will not have this information. They’ll want to settle in and have a good time with the other guests, but if they’re continually thinking about where they should be, then they won’t be able to do that. It is recommended to work with a wedding planner so that everything flows as smoothly as possible on the big day. It’s just a lot easier to have fun when you’re not wondering if you’re in the right place or you think you need to be somewhere else! 


Think About the Kids


Your guests with kids will want to have a good time, but they’ll always have to think about the happiness of their children. You can help them by having a plan for the kids. For example, could you hire a children’s entertainer? Or perhaps you could hire a babysitter so that the parents can spend the evening on the dancefloor, secure in the knowledge that their children are being well looked after.


Midnight Snacks and Chill Zones


Everyone will be in party mode, but it’s important to remember that some of your guests won’t be able to spend all night on the dance floor without taking a break. While you’ll want to ensure that your dancing area is on fire, you should also put together a chill zone. This is a space away from the music where people can relax and talk. Once they’ve built up their energy, they’ll go back to dancing. Also -- be sure to order some midnight snacks. People get hungry when they dance; a little bit of food can go a long way to keeping the party on all night


13 October 2021

Designing Your Bathroom To Fit Your Life

I still remember my family's bathroom in the mid 1980s.  A tiny room that had atypical of the period avocado green bathroom suite crammed into the small space.  The bath was functional, but not somewhere you could lie back and relax and the hair washing facilities were either in the form of leaning over the bath with a jug of water at the ready, or an unreliable rubber tube that you attached to the taps.

Size aside, it was pretty much standard for bathrooms back then.  Luxuries did not need to extend to bathrooms.  

A house move gave us a slightly bigger bathroom, upgraded down to a proper shower, albeit whilst standing in the bath.  I used to dream of a huge bathroom with a bath and a separate shower.  A double sink that had storage facility for my makeup.

Modern living has opened up and redesigned our bathroom spaces and depending on the size of the room, you can have anything that you want.  I am still dreaming about having a double sink one day however.


As our lives become busier and our working hours longer, what people frequently want out of their bathrooms is practicality, mixed with luxury.  The invention of luxury shower cabins have revolutionized bathrooms and given us all the speed of a shower but with added luxuries that make all the difference.  

When my partner and I renovated our bathroom last year, one thing that we both wanted was a high tech shower cabin that combines both functionality with luxury add ons that make showering an enjoyable experience.

You can now invigorate yourself with music in the mornings thanks to Bluetooth, allowing you to connect your phone and play the music of your choice while you shower (90s dance is my preference).  Things like mood lighting can also help to inspire your mood.  


Looking at Insignia Steam Showers, you can even have aromatherapy steam in your shower to calm and relax you, readying you for a good night's sleep.  

Added accessories such as shower seats can add to the experience further.  From the practicality of sitting down whilst shaving your legs to simply luxuriating in steam after a stressful day at the office whilst listening to calming music (Chopin's Spring Waltz is a favourite of mine).

What is your dream bathroom?