SURPRISE Wedding Day Jewelry Post: Gem Gossip Wedding

Hey!  It is Danielle, your newly married jewelry blogger, here to surprise you with a special blog post featuring my wedding day jewels!  I know I’m supposed to be enjoying the moment and packing for my honeymoon, but I felt the need to show my dedicated readers what I wore on my big day, especially since this year has been so crazy and I have you all to thank for making it possible to have Gem Gossip as my full-time gig.  

As soon as I got engaged, I knew I wanted “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue,” to be a big part of my wedding day jewelry.  My dress limited me from wearing a necklace–so my focus was on EARRINGS.  They would be my statement piece!  I fell in love with this pair from Andreoli Jewelry last year when I took part in Luxury Prive Preview in NYC.  To my disbelief, the earrings were one-of-a-kind and had since sold.  I had been searching for something else for months before my wedding, with nothing else comparing because all I wanted were those coral, diamond and emerald cabochon tassel earrings!!  Just weeks before my big day, I got news that antoher pair were created and everything worked out.  These dream earrings were going to be a part of my wedding day ensemble and I couldn’t have been happier!  Thanks Andreoli Jewelry for letting me borrow these incredible, statement-making earrings. They are the prettiest pair of earrings I’ve ever seen, in my opinion.  

MY RINGS:

Right hand, pinky ring: My something blue–a blue topaz heart ring that I’ve had for a couple years now–I designed it shortly after I first got engaged and wasn’t supposed to wear it until my wedding day, which never panned out.  I wore it A LOT in between then and now, and I’m very proud to wear it on my wedding day.

Right hand, ring finger: my something new–both pieces were designed specifically for my wedding day by Rocks & Metals in Brentwood, TN. The modern fede ring was made from a piece of scrap cut off from a larger design–it features two hands, one slipping a ring onto the other. The other ring is a six-diamond band, totaling 1.50 carats, which was made from scratch.  I’ve always wanted a band like this, but with Old Mine cut diamonds, and I could never find one tiny enough that fit the bill.  Hence, just make one yourself! It will replace lots of tiny, tiny diamond bands that I have.  Bigger is better.

Right hand, middle finger: my wedding day present from Matt. This ring first crossed my path when I visited Joden in Grove City, PA on my Pennsylvania Jewelry Road Trip! After I got home from my trip, I couldn’t stop thinking about the ring and thought it would be a perfect wedding day present because of the opal.  October’s birthstone of opal would be significant since it not only is when we said “I do,” but it is also Matt’s birthstone. The ring also got a slight makeover, which happened only five days prior to my wedding date. (I’ll post the BEFORE photo on my Instagram page).  I wanted the focus to be on the insane boulder opal that it was all about rather than some fanciness surrounding it.  Plus I thought it looked too 1980s, since that was most likely when it was made.  I absoultely love this ring and I will treasure it forever.  Thanks Joden for having such a cool ring and special thanks to Rocks & Metals for giving it a makeover under my direction. It turned out exactly what I had pictured!

Left hand, pointer finger: this is my something old…and my extremely sentimental finger stack. My grandparents wedding bands–both my grandfather’s (who has since passed) and grandmother’s (who was there to celebrate). Their love and strong bond is such an inspiration to me, which is why I chose the date of October 21st as my wedding date–it was their wedding date as well, only 59 years ago and in Italy. Their bands are engraved with their wedding date and names. The other ring I stacked on top is my other grandma’s ring–who couldn’t make it to the wedding. She is as hard-headed as they come and refuses to travel by airplane and also doesn’t own a car…hence why she couldn’t make it. She wore this ring most of her life.

Left hand, ring finger: my engagement ring! Most know the story about my engagement ring. My wedding band is a delicate, hand engraved with a really feminine pattern, band done in a matching rosy gold. I picked up the band when I was out in California taking my 20-stone exam at GIA, completing my Graduate Gemologist degree. Matt was out there with me, and on the 2nd day/2nd attempt I passed, which meant we were in California for three more days with no prior plans!  He immediately picked me up from passing my exam and we went down to Ocean Beach to check out my favorite store–Ocean Beach Antique Mall, where they famously have a mini treasure chest full of rings that you can sift through.  It was in that treasure chest that I found that dainty ring. It was the only ring I’ve ever tried on with my engagement ring that didn’t detract from the look of my engagement ring and seemed as though it complemented it rather than overwhelmed it. That trip to California was very significant in my career, so it was the perfect moment to find that ring that would forever become my wedding band.

>> Hoping to post more about my wedding when I get back from my honeymoon. xoxo Gem Gossip