STARTING THE COUNTDOWN

Invites

Save the Date announcements about your wedding or union - whether physical or emailed - are a great way to allow guests to plan ahead and to let them know a formal invitation is on its way. Save the Dates generally go out between four and 12 months prior to your day except, as in the case of Jenna (featured on page 8), you decide one month to get married and are clever enough to make it happen the next. Formal invitations are generally sent out to guests six to eight weeks in advance of your day, although, in the case of destination weddings, it would be wise to issue them at least three months in advance of your wedding or union.

Rings & Jewellery

The formal exchange of rings between two people is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt, when rings were made of hemp, or leather, or reeds. The ring, a circle, has long been a symbol of eternity. An engagement ring often accompanies a proposal and symbolises commitment and loving devotion. Neither engagement rings nor wedding rings are mandatory, however, and it is entirely your decision whether to exchange rings.

Zoë Porter, a jeweller originally from Wairarapa, says that being commissioned to make engagement and wedding rings is the best part of her job. “Whether the ring is a surprise, or perhaps designed together as a couple, it’s always fun to sit down and make those initial plans,” she says. “I’m sometimes asked to make matching earrings as gifts from the bride to the bridesmaids or cufflinks from the bride to the groom,” she says. If Zoë has been commissioned to melt down old family jewellery for reconstructed engagement rings, there can be stones left over. “I can turn these into a necklace for the mother of the bride.”

Masterton Showcase Jewellers in Queen Street can also work with you to find your perfect jewellery for your special day: gold, silver, diamond, and coloured stone jewellery of all types including engagement and wedding rings, watches, and more.