December 09, 2011
Clearance Sale
IMPORTANT: There is a Mai Pearls Clearance Sale online for 48 hours starting from midday next Wednesday (Dec 14) to midday next Friday. Be sure to take a look.
After an amazing and rewarding 6 years of Mai Pearls, the time has come for me to look into new ventures. Sadly the Mai Pearls website will be shut at the end of December or January. I will be sure to let you know if I decide to open Mai Pearls again in the future.
Posted in Forthcoming Sales: December 9, 2011 02:59 PM
December 02, 2011
Winter Wedding Dresses
Winter is not a time of year known for weddings, but there are some aspects of the season that can make a wedding truly beautiful, such as snowy landscapes in pictures (when we actually get snow) and a fairytale feeling to the whole day.
Obviously you can wear any dress you like on your wedding day, however, winter wedding dresses have some particular themes that are not always seen. These are some of my favourites:
Delicate sleeves:
Fur trims:
Creative ways of using jewellery (not necessarily wintery):
I hope this has given some inspiration.
Sources:
http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/fashion/phillipa-lepley-wedding-dresses-2011
http://www.ritvawestenius.com/designs.html
http://inspiredweddings.blogspot.com/2010/05/accessorizing-with-best-bridal-jewelry.html
Posted in Wedding Jewellery: December 2, 2011 12:13 PM
November 22, 2011
Ice Skating in London
Ice Skating is one of the most magical winter pastimes, in my personal opinion. For me, ice-skating is an important part of my Christmas. Sadly the outdoor ice rinks in London are only open around Christmas time, so, they can only be a Christmas experience really. It is worth making the most of them whilst they are here.
My favourite ice rink is Somerset House presented by Tiffany and Co. This ice rink is especially magical after dark inside the courtyard of Somerset house. You can do anything from Club nights to children’s stories. This Rink is open from 22 November 2011 - 22 January 2012 to book tickets go to http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/ice-rink
Be warned that this is a very popular and busy ice rink. I would even suggest going early in the morning if you need plenty of space. I would also recommend booking early as the tickets sell out very quickly.
The National History Museum is also a personal favorite of mine. Though it is not quite a picturesque as Somerset House, it is still a wonderful experience. The National History museum doesn’t have as many specific events and sessions as Somerset House, but this should make it easier to for those who really just want to ice skate. This ice rink is open from 4 November 2011 – 8 January 2012. To book tickets go to http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/ice-rink/tickets/index.html
When going to the Natural History Museum, do be prepared to wait in line and have your session very strictly timed. It does have a lovely café and I always have a lot of fun there. Again do book early.
If you wanted to have a longer winter/Christmas experience than just your allotted hour on the ice, the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is a fun day out. It is also good for people in your party who don’t fully appreciate ice skating and tend to make very good friends with the side of the rink when they go. Winter Wonderland is open from 18th of November until the 3rd of January. To book tickets go to http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/tickets.
Be warned that Winter Wonderland does not have the same picturesque elegant feel that the other two rinks have, however it is a full on Christmas experience and probably better for parties with Children.
Posted in General: November 22, 2011 03:30 PM
November 17, 2011
Notable Pearls
Pearls have been around for thousands of years, and like diamonds, there are some very old and significant pearls in the world. These include:
The Abernathy Pearl
This 44-grain freshwater pearl was found in Scotland in the River Tay in 1967. The Scottish often refer to this pearl as ‘Little Willie’.
The Arco Valley Pearl
This pink and brown pearl dates back to the 11th Century and was supposedly a gift from Marco Polo to Khubilai Khan, the emperor of China. This pearl is an impressive 2301 grains. The pearl gets it’s name from the aristocratic Austrian family it was owned by during the 20th century.
The Hope Pearl
The Hope Pearl is one of the most famous salt water pearls. It is so named because it was owned my Henry Philip Hope, who is also recognized for owning the Hope Diamond. This pearl is gold and white and weighs 1,800 grains. It is currently residing in the British Museum of Natural History. Go and take a look at this amazing pearl.
There are many other notable pearls out there, so keep your ears open for news of them.
Sources
Pearl-Guide.com. (2011). Famous Natural Pearls. [Online]. (URL http://www.pearl-guide.com/famous-pearls.shtml). (Accessed 17 November 2011).
Internet Stones.com. (2006). The Arco Valley Pearl. [Online]. (URL http://www.internetstones.com/arco-valley-pearl-genghis-kublai-khan-marco-polo-575-carat-natural-saltwater-pearl.html). (Accessed 17 November 2011).
Anderson, K. (2008). Scottish Pearls. [Online]. (URL http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/scottish-pearls.html). (Accessed 17 November 2011).
Posted in Pearl Jewellery: November 17, 2011 12:01 PM
November 03, 2011
Arabic Weddings
Whilst I spent time in Dubai, I was lucky enough to learn a lot about Arabic wedding traditions. Arabic weddings are very different from the English weddings I am used to. Here are a few examples of the differences:
1. Marriages are often planned by the parents of two families having similar wealth and social standing. If the families of the couple getting married do not like each other, there is little chance of the couple being allowed to marry. Therefore, there is no option to dislike your in-laws.
2. The marriage is officiated by the signing of a marriage contract stating what both parties should expect financially during their marriage.
3. There are sometimes gifts of heavy gold jewellery given to the bride to wear on her wedding day. This is similar to a dowry.
4. Even though couples are technically married after the contract is signed, there is still a wedding ceremony. However, this wedding ceremony is split into separate female and male parties, so, there is no chance of meeting anyone at your friends weddings.
I learnt these wedding traditions from various people I talked to in Dubai. These traditions may not be the same for every family, but they give an interesting flavour of a different wedding experience.
Posted in Wedding Jewellery: November 3, 2011 10:00 AM