By now we’ve all heard the De Beers diamond lore. In 1947, one slogan to promote diamonds as the stone for engagement rings changed everything. ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ was conceived by a copywriter in an advertising agency and it’s now widely considered one of the most influential marketing campaigns of all time. Before this, there was no particular stone always used for engagement rings. Yet just like Queen Victoria and her white wedding dress, diamonds became a trend. Tradition followed and history pretty much rewrote itself.

But, just like anything around weddings and getting married, you can opt out of what’s expected. An engagement ring can be colourful, chunky, simple, second-hand, custom-made, inexpensive or eye-wateringly expensive. It can come from an antique shop, it can be chosen together, paid for together or worn by both of you. It can also be a tattoo, a watch, a necklace or absolutely nothing.

The best engagement jewellery reflects the person wearing it. So start with your taste, your budget and the reality of what your hands do all day. The traditional diamond solitaire is not the only option.

Moissanite: Big Sparkle Without the Diamond Price

Moissanite is the obvious starting point for anyone who loves a clear, light-catching stone but feels less enthusiastic about diamond prices or ethics.

The moissanite used in jewellery today is created in laboratories. It produces plenty of rainbow-coloured fire and registers 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it suitable for jewellery designed to be worn regularly.

It also gives you far more freedom with size. If your dream ring involves an unapologetically large stone, dramatic shape or sizeable cluster, moissanite engagement rings can deliver the impact without devouring your wedding budget.

Moissanite has its own appearance, particularly under bright light, where its flashes of colour can actually be more pronounced than those of a diamond.

Sapphires Come in More Than Blue

Sapphires are an excellent choice for engagement rings because they combine colour with practicality. They rank 9 on the Mohs hardness scale and can withstand regular wear when treated with reasonable care.

Blue remains the famous option, but sapphires also appear in pink, yellow, green, orange, purple and near-black. Parti sapphires contain more than one colour, creating combinations of blue, green and yellow that look different from every angle. Montana and teal sapphires have also become popular with couples drawn to moodier shades.

Ask the jeweller about any treatments the stone has received and whether those treatments affect its care. Colour may grab your attention first, but transparency about what you are buying still matters.

Rubies for Maximum Drama

A ruby engagement ring brings instant main-character energy. The colour can range from pink-red to deeper crimson, and the stone shares sapphire’s position at 9 on the Mohs scale. Both are varieties of the mineral corundum, with red stones classified as rubies.

Rubies work particularly well in vintage and gothic designs. Try a deep red centre stone with blackened metal, a chunky yellow-gold setting or small clear stones around the edge. A bezel or halo can provide additional protection while adding visual weight.

Natural rubies vary enormously in price and quality, so ask about lab-grown options if you want a larger stone or a particular colour on a tighter budget. Lab-grown rubies have essentially the same chemical and physical properties as their natural counterparts, with their origin accounting for the distinction.

Vintage Rings With a Past

A vintage engagement ring arrives with character already built in. Old mine cuts, chunky Art Deco geometry, Victorian clusters, engraved bands and wonderfully strange mid-century designs all offer a break from the rings currently following you around Instagram.

Shopping vintage can also give you access to craftsmanship and details that would cost considerably more to reproduce today. The hunt takes patience and sizes are limited, condition can also vary and older settings may require repair before everyday wear.

Have the ring inspected by a reputable jeweller before buying, particularly if the stones move, the claws look worn or the band has become thin. Ask whether resizing is possible, as some intricate, engraved or eternity-style bands are difficult to alter.

Not All Alternative Gemstones Are Right for Engagement Rings

If you plan to wear your engagement ring 24/7, then there are certain stone which aren’t the best choice. Opals, pearls, moonstones, turquoise and emeralds can all make incredible engagement rings but they are also quite soft so require more care than diamonds, moissanite, sapphires and rubies.

That does not ban softer stones from engagement rings. It just means you should understand how the ring needs to be worn. Someone who removes their jewellery for work and saves it for evenings may happily live with an opal, but someone who wants to wear the same ring through pottery classes, weight training and a shift behind a bar may find it frustrating.

Engagement Ring Tattoos

Ring tattoos solve several practical problems at once. They cannot fall down a drain, catch on knitwear or require emergency resizing after a hot day. They can also suit couples who already view tattooing as an important part of their lives.

Designs range from simple lines and initials to symbols, ornamental patterns and tiny illustrations. Finger tattoos tend to fade more quickly than tattoos elsewhere on the body because hands experience constant movement, washing, friction and sun exposure. Touch-ups may be part of the deal.

Choose an artist with experience tattooing fingers and look at healed examples of their work. Fresh photos show the initial design but healed photos tell you how their technique holds up.

You could also pair a tattoo with a physical ring, using the tattoo as a permanent base and changing the jewellery whenever your mood, outfit or practical needs demand it.

Engagement Jewellery Without the Ring

Some people dislike wearing rings. Others cannot wear them for work, find them uncomfortable, experience swelling in their hands or simply want something else.

A necklace, bracelet, watch, brooch, tooth gem or piece of custom body jewellery can mark an engagement just as effectively. You could commission matching pendants, engrave a watch, buy a piece from an independent maker or choose something connected to a shared interest.

You Can Buy the Ring Together

Surprise proposals have excellent PR. They also place one person in charge of choosing an expensive object that somebody else may wear for decades.

Shopping together gives you control over the design, fit, budget and practical details. The proposal itself can still be a surprise if that matters to you. Choose the ring in advance, propose with a temporary ring or present a loose gemstone before creating the final piece together.

No matter what tradition or trends say, just remember its your ring, your rules. The conventional diamond solitaire remains one option among hundreds. Your engagement ring should work with your hands, your finances, your lifestyle and your taste.

Dressed head to toe in black, Makylah and Anthony exchanged vows inside the Little Ivy Chapel at Denver’s Fairmount Cemetery before heading into the cemetery itself for their portraits. The music video for My Chemical Romance’s Helena was their main reference.

Their ceremony rewrote a few traditions along the way. Makylah’s parents walked her in together, and the couple included a handfasting ritual alongside self-written vows. They chose not to have a maid of honour or best man, avoiding a hierarchy among the friends standing beside them. The officiant also closed the ceremony with the line, “You may kiss the groom” to flip that tradition on its head.

The couple also commissioned several piece of music for the day, beginning the processional with a version of The Legend of Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke. It then moved into Cornfield Chase from Interstellar for the bride’s entrance. Electronic music from Odesza and similar artists was played during cocktail hour.

Much of the styling came together with the help of family and friends. Makylah’s mother created the decorations and wedding-party accessories, while family friends handled the day-of coordination, alterations, setup and teardown. Those contributions helped the couple save on décor and tailoring costs, and placed the people closest to them throughout the making of the day.

One of the highlights of the day was taking the photos. “Our photographer McKenzie was honestly the best”, Makylah said. “She kept us on time and made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. When I reached out to her initially I had some inspiration photos and I gave them to her thinking we might be able to get close to the weddings in the photos. McKenzie completely surpassed my inspo pictures, she helped make me into my own inspiration.”

They also worked with videographer Austin Day, who gave them another way to relive the day. “He sent us a wedding video trailer that blew us away. When we got the full 20+ minute long video we were speechless. He really captured the love and the magic of that day.”

But behind the finished images there were hundreds of tiny choices being made. This is the part nobody warned them about – at times, the mental load was a lot! “The decision fatigue is REAL. Someone is literally going to ask you what you want to eat six months from now and you somehow need to know what you’ll want. You’ll be asked a million questions and you will want to rip out your hair because every little detail needs to be thought about and you get to decide on each and every one.”

If they could redirect the budget with the benefit of hindsight, their answer was an immediate “Get. A. Wedding,. Planner.” Managing everything themselves was the hardest part of the experience. Regardless, they wouldn’t change what they did for their wedding. It felt right for them and that’s exactly what they always wanted.

Alana and Alex registered their marriage in Los Angeles, skipped the formal ceremony and then drove into the desert. That was their full wedding plan – they settled into a villa in Joshua Tree for a few days of good food, wine, and time together.

“Our wedding was 100% an elopement, just the two of us in the desert, and that’s it”, Alana said. “We spent a few days in Joshua Tree, just chilling and enjoying the moment. We’re obsessed with this place.”

There were basically nothing to organise; no guests, traditions, schedule or décor and that’s exactly what they wanted. Alex cooked while they listened to music, drank by the bonfire and enjoyed the seclusion of the desert.

Their approach suited the way they already live. “Well, basically we didn’t plan anything, we just rented a villa and that’s it. We bought some delicious food and wine. Alex is an amazing cook and that’s actually one of the reasons we did it this way. We were way too lazy to stress out and plan stuff. In life, we prefer to chill out rather than stress!”

The legal part was also easy. “We just signed the papers without any ceremony and drove out to the desert.”

Andrew and Roma from Arrakis Films joined Alana and Alex for one day. “They were on the exact same wavelength as us from the very beginning, and during the shoot we just had an absolute blast with them,” Alana explained, “They shoot differently, bring total style, and can’t stand cheesy bullshit like nose-to-nose or under-the-veil photos as we do.”

For other couples considering a wedding outside the usual format, Alana’s advice is simple: “You don’t need to be afraid of doing things differently, you don’t need to look back at anyone or listen to anyone else’s opinion. Do what you want and how you want. This is your day and it’s only for you. My only advice: it’s better to spend money on a cool photographer/ videographer than to cheap out and end up with trashy wedding content. Take my word for it!”

At some point between booking a venue and choosing a playlist, someone will tell you to start your “bridal beauty journey”. It will probably involve buying things you’ve never needed before and worrying about things you hadn’t noticed.

This is your reminder that your wedding date is not a deadline for your face. You’re allowed to get married with the skin you have: pores, lines, spots, scars, texture and all. You’re also allowed to enjoy skincare, book a facial or spend an hour doing your make-up. The most important thing to ask yourself is are the treatments you’re doing are making you feel better or worse about yourself?

Wedding beauty advice has a habit of turning every normal thing skin does into a problem: six months to sort out your texture… three months to deal with your lines… Two weeks to achieve a perfect bridal glow (whatever the hell that means!) It’s an impressive amount of admin to create for a face you’ve lived in your whole life.

Perhaps you want to change your routine, or improve your skin and the wedding is a convenient excuse to finally start taking care of yourself. Or perhaps you love getting ready and want to make an occasion of it. Those are perfectly valid reasons to spend time on skincare. A fear of being photographed from the wrong angle deserves shouldn’t be the main reason.

Start with what you already do. If you wash your face, moisturise and use sun protection, you have a routine. If you’ve found products you like, the arrival of an engagement ring does not cancel their effectiveness. Frøya Organics blends this idea into an anti-aging skincare routine, so you get more from fewer products.

If you do want to think about your skin before the wedding, start with comfort. A long day in make-up, a dress that rubs or a chilly outdoor ceremony can make dry or sensitive patches feel harder to ignore. Stick with products you already know your skin likes, and give anything new a trial run well before the day. If a balm is part of your routine, you could look at options such as calendula balm from Frøya Organics for areas that feel dry. Check the ingredients and try it ahead of time, especially if your skin is reactive.

Think about the practical stuff, too. Will you be outside for the ceremony? Put sunscreen on your getting-ready list. Are you wearing a new perfume, body shimmer or adhesive under a dress you haven’t worn for more than ten minutes? Try the whole combination beforehand. If your hands get dry, put a product you already use in your bag. None of this requires a dramatic before-and-after photo. It’s simply a way to make a long day more comfortable.

Your make-up trial should be thought of in the same way. Tell your artist how you normally like to look, what feels strange on your face and which features you enjoy playing up. Bring the lipstick you actually wear. If you rarely wear foundation, you don’t have to start because the word “bridal” has entered the chat. If you want a full face, a killer winged and glitter then go for it! Take photos in different light, wear the look for a few hours and notice how it feels. That tells you more than a rule about what a bride is “supposed” to look like.

And can we retire the idea that everyone getting married is 28? People marry in their fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond. Some are doing it for the first time; some have a whole previous life together and are finally making it official. They deserve wedding beauty advice that speaks to them without treating age as an emergency. If your skin or the products you enjoy have changed over time, this guide to the best skin care routine for women over 50 might give you ideas. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

The same rules go for everyone around you. Your mum might want false lashes. Your gran might have the best red lipstick in the room. Your best mate might want bare skin and a sharp suit. Nobody needs a polite suggestion to “freshen up” for the photographs. Ask people if they want to get ready together, make space for anyone who needs a mirror and let them decide what goes on their face.

If looking after yourself sounds appealing, you can make it enjoyable. Take an evening off from seating plans. Wash your face, put on something comfortable and do whatever helps you unwind. That could involve a favourite moisturiser, a bath, a film or an early night. It doesn’t need to buy a million new products to produce a visible result to be time well spent. Rosehip oil is an great, natural option for more mature skin.

Your photographer is there to record the people getting married, not the result of a six-month skincare project. The photos will catch your expression when your favourite song comes on, the person who made you laugh during the speeches and the way you looked at each other. Let your skin come along for the ride.

Vintage lace, hand-dyed details and haunting silhouettes come together in Percacciolo Collection’s latest range of veils and accessories.

Based in Beacon, New York, designer Nicole Percacciolo creates handcrafted pieces for nearlyweds who want something bolder than traditional bridal. Her work brings together two distinct sides of her personal style: the harder edge of her darkwear line and the softness of lace, draping and classic bridal silhouettes.

Nicole began working in fashion in 2013, building experience as a pattern cutter, Fabric Research and Development Coordinator, Knitwear Design Assistant and Director of Design and Product Development. After years of developing collections for other companies, she launched Percacciolo Collection in 2020 as a space for her own ideas.

“I had an edgier, non-traditional style that I wanted to express but always felt afraid to showcase,” she says. “I decided to stay true to who I am as a designer and finally use my voice.”

Her latest collection was created in response to the speed and constant consumption of modern life. Nicole found herself drawn back to nature, taking inspiration from floral forms, aged trees and the contrast between light and shadow. These references appear alongside vintage lace and reimagined bridal silhouettes, viewed through a darker, romantic lens. “This collection was born from a desire to reconnect. In a world being shaped by AI, endless scrolling and constant consumption, I found myself returning to nature; where time slows.”

Every piece is designed and made by hand in Nicole’s Beacon studio. Lace is dyed in small batches to create custom fabrics, while floral appliqués are cut, rearranged and individually stitched to build depth and texture. Collections are produced in limited quantities, with a focus on craftsmanship and pieces that can become future heirlooms.

Prices range from $150 to $800 USD. Visit collectionbynp.com to shop the collection and follow @percacciolocollection on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to see their latest updates.