Fairy Tales, Legends and Romance

The fairy tales and legends of old still influence today's modern romances. Famous marriages throughout history have been symbolized by a platinum and diamond engagement ring and famous jewelry houses have been offering a wide assortment of these rings for over one hundred years. Over on Bride Pop I wrote an article about the unique relationship between these designers, platinum & diamond and modern romance. Have a look.

Gifts For The Entourage

Photo: GumuchianOver on the Wedding Aces site you can see an article I wrote about brides maid gifts along with a few ideas on what a girl can get for her best friends on her special day. Necklaces and earrings are the popular choice amongst brides with 60% of brides giving jewelry as a gift. Have a look at the full article on the Wedding Aces site.

Your Questions Answered

Photo: Simon G

Over the last few weeks, readers of Celebrity Bridal Guide submitted questions about bridal jewelry and fashion trends for me to answer. CBG compiled the questions and I answered some really great submissions. Have a look at the full article over on their website.

Here's a sample:

I’m wondering how much to spend on an engagement ring. I’ve often heard the groom should spend about two months salary. Is this a good starting point?

A: The notion of a two months salary guideline is a commonly held belief in the cost of the engagement ring, Dan. Personally, I believe that this should not be a hard and fast rule to be applied. I believe that the man or the couple must determine what they are comfortable spending for an engagement ring within the following framework. An engagement ring is a couple’s unique symbol of having found the perfect soul mate. As such, the quality of the ring (diamond and setting) should reflect the rarity of finding something that special. Additionally, the engagement ring is a piece of jewelry that will be worn daily for life, being subjected to continual wear and tear. As such it needs to be made from materials that will last a lifetime and be able to stand up to the rigors of life – hence the idea of a diamond and platinum ring being the most appropriate ring. Diamonds are an extremely durable gemstone and platinum is a very dense metal and will not wear down as quickly as other metals, making it perfect to not only last a lifetime, but to hold diamonds and gemstones securely.

Julie Benz Engaged!

Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty ImagesJulie Benz and Rich Orosco were engaged recently with an $80,000 platinum and diamond ring by Kwiat. Julie's ring is following a popular Hollywood trend of a center diamond surrounded by a halo of diamonds. Julie's ring also has a vintage flavor to it with platinum milgrain included. This gives the illusion of a floating center stone and this design was first made popular all the way back in the 1900's.

You can read more at Us Weekly where I commented on this fantastic ring.

Photo: Kwiat

Man Registry: Figuring Out Her Ring Size!

I have helped countless friends with advice for their engagement ring purchase. There are some very important details that go into making sure the ring is the right choice. One of the most important parts of the proposal process is figuring out what her ring size. But how do you do this if you're trying to make the proposal a surprise? Do you have to sneak around to figure it out? Check out my article on the Man Registry.

WeddingDresses.com: Celebrity Style For Your Wedding

Head over to WeddingDresses.com to check out my article about how you can get celebrity looks and style for your wedding. The trends I've been seeing for 2011 have been color -- Lots of color! Long hair and subtle cues to the past are also really big this year.

Recent Press Clips For Michael O'Connor

Just thought I would take a couple minutes to add this blog entry. Some great publications have featured me and my observations recently and I wanted to share them. Enjoy!

The Daily Jewel: Royal Wedding Forecast

The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is right around the corner. I'm being asked by family and friends about my predictions for the wedding and analysis of the jewels. The Daily Jewel asked me a few questions and I was only too happy to give my take on the wedding and the fashion we'll see.

My sense is that with Kate's modern and sophisticated fashion sense, she won't want to be seen as just another "fairy tale princess bride." I'm really excited to see what dress she wears. While we've already seen her amazing engagement ring, the wedding band is rumored to be a rare Welsh gold band. The tradition of wearing this type of band dates back to the 1920's. Check out more pictures and predictions at The Daily Jewel.

Man Registry: Engagement Ring Setting Advice

Photo Credit: TacoriCheck out The Man Registry for my blog post giving advice to men about engagement ring settings. Let's face it, buying an engagement ring might be the single most difficult purchase in a man's life. There are so many options out there. Luckily, women drop hints and if you're listening, you'll get a good idea of what her style is like. Read more on The Man Registry's site.

Royal Wedding Inspired Jewelry

RoyalWedding asked me to weigh in on how the upcoming wedding of William and Kate will influence jewelry trends. While William is rumored to have opted not to wear a wedding band, Kate most definitely will. She'll be sporting a ring made of rare Welsh gold, a tradition dating back to the 1920's.