Already I’m getting amazing responses to my call for Afrobella Brides — thanks for sending in your pictures and questions and businesses that cater to brides! And YES – non-traditional weddings are completely welcome. Love is love. I hope you all know that Afrobella.com is a judgment free place where you can feel free to share everything about your happiest day!
So what exactly IS an Afrobella Bride? She’s a woman in love, who wants to celebrate her special day in a way that also celebrates her unique style and beauty. Maybe she’ll wear white. Maybe she won’t. Maybe she’ll wear a traditional dress and veil. Maybe she won’t! Maybe she wants the whole two-months-salary a diamond is forever type of ring…and maybe she doesn’t. This post is for the woman who doesn’t believe that every kiss begins with Kay, and that celebrating love doesn’t mean sacrificing your unique tastes and interests.
Engagement Ring by Studio of Ptah
I might be in a small, quirky camp here…but I don’t always go gaga for diamonds. Of course they are beautiful. Of course if someone were to give me some diamond jewelry, I would NOT be mad. But if I can be honest here…there are a whole lot of really typical engagement and wedding rings on the market. I’m not completely convinced that a ring you can find at any department store can or should truly represent the unique beauty of your love. When the time came for my husband and I to choose a ring, we went to his aunt Patty — check her out at TheGoldsmith.us — and we designed something customized and special for us and for our relationship. We’ve been married for nine years and to this day, I get gushing compliments and where-did-you-get-thats on a regular basis. All I’m saying is, it’s fun to think outside of the box. And your wedding can be as funky, fun, cool and AFFORDABLE as you want it to be! Allow me to share some amazing wedding and engagement rings that I’ve discovered.
By Studio of Ptah
The Studio of Ptah Jewelry company is based in New York City, but the soul and inspiration for their designs come from African art. If their style looks at all familiar, it might be because of the pieces they’ve crafted for celebrities — Studio of Ptah has made signature ankh rings for Erykah Badu, and have also created unique pieces for Andre 3000 and other such sartorially splendid celebs. If you love ankhs and are afrocentric and self-expressive at heart, these will be the PERFECT rings for you. Click here to browse engagement rings and wedding bands.
For anything truly unique for your wedding, I strongly urge you to familiarize yourself with Etsy.com. You can find truly creative handcrafted designs made by jewelers around the world. And in many cases you can even contact the jeweler to customize something special for you.
By designer Arosha Luigi Taglia
Italian jewelry designer Arosha Luigi Taglia makes some of the coolest contemporary engagement rings I’ve ever seen. Made from sterling silver and various karats of gold, his rings do more than stand out of the crowd. In some instances, they stand up – proud and high on your finger. Take for example his Freedom ring, made with 9K gold and a freshwater pearl that is meant to be movable and make contact with your skin. His gold ring is carved into “beehive lace,” and I think it’s one of the coolest wedding bands I’ve ever seen.
wedding band by Nurit Design by Nurit Levak
Another Etsy vendor, Nurit Design by Nurit Levak, hails from Israel and makes amazing, ornate wedding bands from white and yellow gold. How beautiful is this royal ring with ruby stones? What a beautiful symbol of love.
Fabuluster fingerprint rings by jewelers Brent and Jessica Williams
For something less ornate and more personally meaningful, check out Fabuluster. Jewelers Brent and Jessica Williams hail from Maine and specialize in fingerprint wedding bands. Your fingerprint on their ring, and vice versa. You can get fingerprints on the inside or outside of your ring. I think this is such a beautiful and loving concept. Love is in the air 🙂
wedding band by Jewelry by Johan
And last but not least, maybe you’re over gold and diamonds altogether. If you’re looking for a wedding band that’s made of completely different elements, check out Jewelry by Johan. He specializes in unusual combinations. Rings made of meteorite and titanium, deer antler and wood. Absolutely gorgeous, extremely unique, and totally customizable.
Those are some of the coolest wedding and engagement rings I’ve seen lately! See anything you like? Would you wear something so out of the box? Or are you more of a traditional bella?
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