As this is the first of my posts about Handmade Weddings I thought I would start at the beginning of the wedding journey. The proposal. Maybe your new fiance surprised you with a truly romantic proposal or it was you who did the asking. In the first few weeks of excitement your head will swirl with the excitement of planning your wedding and being engaged. Of course the first thing to buy is an engagement ring, if a ring has not already been chosen.

Jewellery is such a personal style choice and an engagement ring is probably the most important piece you will ever choose. I always knew I wanted a single diamond but didn’t want yellow gold, so I had a clear picture in my mind of my engagement ring. There are many style choices from classic princess cut diamonds to more dramatic styles set with beautiful stones.

I chose the classic option, a single diamond set in white gold and it still looks beautiful today.

I remember a friend’s mum who had a large turquoise semi precious stone in a gorgeous setting. This ring was dramatic and a lot larger than a standard engagement ring but looked perfect on this woman’s finger as it truly reflected her personality.

Tradition suggests that a diamond is the stone of choice for an engagement ring, however it is perfectly acceptable for the bride to be to shy away from tradition. The first documented use of a diamond to signify an engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in Imperial Court of Vienna in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy.

By the mid 19th century engagement rings had become standard but diamonds were not common until the 1930’s. By the end of the 20th century 80% of American women chose a diamond.

Whilst it is easy to chose a standard ring in a jewellers shop there are some truly beautiful rings created by jewellery designers. Some of these designers can even help to create the ring you have imagined for many years. Therefore you could turn your back on tradition and have a showstopping ring that you know nobody else will own.