Love with Crystal V – How to Identify True and False Crystal?

(1) Through Eyes:

In the forming process of natural crystal, they often have been impacted by the environment and contained a few impurities, in which when viewing in the sun we can see a touch of small and symmetrical across strips and catkin shape materials, while false crystal jewelry are generally smelted by defective quartz and glass residues, and produced through a polishing and colored up process, so in which there are no symmetrical across strips and either catkin shape materials.

(2) Licking with Tongue:

Even if in the hot dog days of summer, licking the face of natural crystal with your tongues, you can feel the cold and cool feelings, while there no such feelings about false crystals.


(3) Method of illumination:

View natural crystals erected in the sun, you can see their beautiful sheens and luster regardless of which point of view, while false crystals are incapable of.


(4) Hardness:

The hardness of natural crystal is excellent, there will no marks left on if you use a gravel scratched on it gently, if streaks were left on, it must be a fake.


(5) Checking with a Polarizer:

Showing value variations when rotated by 360-degree under a polarizer are natural crystals, while showing no changes are false pieces.


(6) Two-Color Checking:

Natural amethyst has two colors, while false amethysts have no.


(7) Checking with a Magnifying Glass:

Checking the crystal with a 10-times magnifying glass, in which if bubbles could be found, it can be judged basically as a false one.


(8) Checking with Hairs:

Putting the crystal jewelry on a hair, in which if a double shadow of the hair could be seen through your naked eyes, the crystal can be judged as a true one for natural crystal embodies with the character of birefringence namely double refraction.


(9) Detecting by a Thermal Conductivity Analyzer:

When checking the natural crystal with a thermal conductivity analyzer regulated to its green 4, the instrument’s indicative frame will rise to the yellow 2, while using it to detect false ones there won't show any rising. When the detecting area of the checked natural crystal added, the analyzer's indicative degree will rise to yellow 1.

Some Useful Tips for Buying a Wedding or Engagement Ring

Guys, buying an engagement or wedding ring is very significant since it symbolizes the commitment of spending your lives together, and perhaps she's been dreaming of receiving hers for a long time. Now that you're ready to start looking at engagement rings for your special girl, it's time to do a bit of research to make sure you pick just the right one.

Your search for the perfect engagement ring, may be time consuming due to the various designs, styles, settings and sizes. In addition, many women have a very specific idea of how their engagement ring will look. With a bit of planning, you can surprise her with a ring that will be exactly as she's always wished.

If you've never been shopping for engagement rings before, it's understandable that you feel a little blank at first, maybe you would like to get some advices from those specialists, now some diamond consultants from famous jewel brand shops would love to teach you everything you need to know about diamonds and rings, but here's a bit of an introduction and a "what to watch for" , we would like to help you find your perfect engagement ring.

Key Tips:


Below are some key tips to consider during the research stage:

1. Keep an eye out for the obvious stuff. Is she dropping hints, like making sure you notice how much she loves the look of her friend's new ring? If she is, tune in and take notes, because in those few moments she may specify exactly what she likes, and what she'd prefer to be different in a ring of her own. If you miss a hint like that, then the next few steps are even more crucial; if you're lucky though, you might pick up such useful info such as whether she prefers diamond solitaire rings, or how important the size of a diamond is to her. Maybe she'd prefer a collection of smaller jewels, or a more classic, even vintage look?

2. The next thing to consider when it's time to start ring shopping is her preference for the jewelry she already owns. Does she prefer yellow gold, or does she lean more toward white gold and silver? Are the designs of her current jewelry more modern, conservative, intricate or simple? Are there any items she never takes off, like an heirloom locket or watch? A quick scan of her current collection should tell you a lot about her preferences, and even give you an idea of what will match with the ring you choose.

3. Be sure about is the correct size of her finger. This one can get a bit tricky, especially if you're trying to surprise her. There are many jewelry websits on the internet you can turn to, many of them has an online, printable ring sizer that will make it easier for you to choose the size that will fit her just right.

4. Having a bit of background on diamonds never hurt either. Here are a few quick definitions of the "Four C's" of diamond quality, to help prepare for the next step in your buying process.

Helpful Advices:

To find your perfect engagement ring, there are more points necessary you need to take for consider, there are:

First: Budget

The first thing you should do before beginning your research is determine your budget. This will help you eliminate the irrelevant rings and diamonds, and will start making your choice a little easier.

Even if your budget is not as high as you would like it to be, know that you can always reset and add stones later on.

Second: Personal Taste

If your engagement ring is a surprise, you should do some research, the best thing you can do is to pay attention to the hints she leaves, try to observe her jewelry and notice if she likes white gold or yellow gold, big flashy jewelry or more delicate jewelry and etc. She might be obvious about it, and even if she's not meaning to. and give you nothing at all to work with, so follow the guidelines above as closely as possible. Maybe you could ask her close friends for advice always helps - they usually know.

If the engagement ring is not a surprise, or it’s an upgrade to a prior ring - we suggest making the decision with her.

Third: Learning about Diamonds

Learning about the 4 C’s - Carat, Color, Clarity and Cut, is an easy way to learn basically everything you should know before purchasing diamonds.

* Carat
The last and most obvious characteristic that a diamond is measured by is its Carat weight (abbreviated "ct.") which is usually a shown as a decimal point, e.g. 0.72 carat. The majority of diamond engagement rings are less than 0.5 carat.

* Color
The whiter the diamond, the more valuable it is. Even the slightest hint of color can have an effect on the cost of a diamond. There are also various colored diamond choices available today, but when it comes to the white ones, their quality is rated on scale from D-Z. A "D" is pure white, whereas a "Z" would be visibly yellow.

* Clarity
The clarity of a diamond refers to the number and nature of inclusions or blemishes that are visible when you view it under a microscope. Some diamond professionals refer to clarity as "purity" or "quality," but neither of those start with "C," so we'll stick with clarity.

* Cut
Nothing is more important to the brilliance and sparkle of a diamond than its cut, as it is responsible for around 40% of a diamond's price. A well cut diamond will reflect light from one facet to another and back through the top, creating a dramatic sparkling effect that only a diamond can emit. Only the most skilled diamond cutters can shape a diamond with exacting precision, to release its full brilliance, taking into account such factors as proportions, finish, and of course symmetry.

The information above listed will help you understand the cost and quality of diamonds.

Fourth: The Diamond
Now that you have learned about the 4 C’s, it’s time to choose your diamonds.

Diamonds come in many shapes and sizes. A very popular shape in diamonds is the round brilliant.

Fifth: Settings
Now that you have chosen your diamond, you can choose a setting to mount the diamond on. Some of the most popular settings for engagement rings include the solitaire, the side stones setting and the three stone setting. These are available in white gold, yellow gold and platinum.

Last, I wish you good luck and have a wonderful wedding!

Love with Crystal IV --- Select Your Special Lucky Crystal

Having viewed several pieces of beautiful crystal jewelry, aren’t them have made your mouth watering? Do not be anxious, the suited crystal for different person is just diverse, so it’s necessary to pay more attention to select a most proper crystal for you. In Hong Kong, many stars also love crystal jewelry much, who have put up a variety of crystals in one and wearing it according to his or her characters or constellation. If you also believe this, you may take a look at this table and to find the special lucky crystal just belongs to you.

* Aries (March 21-April 19)

Lucky Stone:

Red Hair Crystal: Red hair crystal could enhance one’s personal beliefs, self-confidence and determination, and it’s also a symbol of keeping with a powerful ascendancy, so it’s the right talisman for those people who seemed relative timid, weak and lack self-confidences.

Purple-Yellow Crystal: This type of crystal could not only bring you more chances to earn money, but also be acted as a safeguard for your wealth, it could also draw on more lucks for you, and improve the human relationship and empolder your wisdom too, in other words it’s possess double virtues of the amethyst and citrine crystal.

* Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Lucky Stone:

Ghost Quartz / Garden Crystal: Garden crystal is on behalf of wealth, which indicates wealth in generalized sense moreover, so it’s the best lucky stone for seeking wealth.
Tiger-Eye:

Tiger-eye could arouse your confidence, courage and the ability to carry out the tasks, and golden tiger-eye is also a symbol of money, it could help to bring you unexpected money or income.




* The Crab (June 22-July 22)

Lucky Stone:

White Crystal: One of the "Severn Treasures" in Buddhism, white crystal has powerful positive energy and efficacy of deity guarding energy for people with chi-training, Buddha worshipping, avoiding bad fortunes, home guarding and divination, it especially has most powerful efficacy on cleaning up the negative energies around you.




Red Agate: Agate is considered as “the third eye" in gems, it is a symbol of friendly love, and represents hope too.

* Leo (July 23 to August 22)

Lucky Stone:

Hair Crystal / Rutilated Quartz: Hair crystal has a great vibration frequency, it possess considerable efficacy to enhance one’s belief and self-confidences, it even is helpful for you to build a more accurate sense.

Olivine: Olivine is known as "The Emerald in Dusk", it is the birthstone of people who were born in August, and stands for "A happy marriage".


* Virgo (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22)

Lucky Stone:

Green Hair Crystal: Green hair crystal is a sort of actinolite, as the name suggests it is helpful for men’s sexual ability, it also can draw on more money for you, and itself is very rare in the nature.

Blue Agate: For those people who are often away from home, blue agate is a good amulet.


* Libra (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22)

Lucky Stone:

Gold Hair Crystal: Gold hair crystal is the real Crystal King in deed. As for promoting one’s wealth fortune, gold hair crystal dominates the economic fate and controls those unexpected money too, it is the most powerful crystal in the crystal family, and endowed with super energy for recruiting honor, dignity, potency and wealth.

Green Agate: One of the "Severn Treasures" in Buddhism, green agate has been regarded as a good talisman and amulet since ancient times, it's helpful for you on eliminating pressures and fatigues.

* Scorpio (Oct. 23 to Nov. 22)

Lucky Stone:

Titanium Crystal: One of gold hair crystal, titanium crystal could help to one’s career, it is also helpful for your economical fate and brings you unexpected money, in addition titanium crystal could improve your fortunes and give you chances to meet with your savior, it also has efficacy on avoiding bad fortunes and meet lucks.

* Sagittarius (Nov. 23 to Dec. 22)

Lucky Stone:

Amethyst: Amethyst crystal also known as "Feng Shui Stone", Japanese called amethyst crystal as "energy stone". "Social Stone", "Guarding Stone for Love" are also its aliases.

* Capricorn (Dec. 23 to Jan. 19)

Lucky Stone:

Smoky Crystal: Smoky crystal is a good amulet and talisman and suitable for wearing along with you. Wearing it on the left hand is helpful for filtrating the foul airs in your body.

Black Agate: Black agate is known as the stone for longevity, it possess the energy of promoting your conditions on well-being and prosperity. It could also bring you good luck, and help you to ease pressures and improve your courage and plucks. It also could cut down one’s bad moods of hostility, jealousy and frustration.

* Aquarius (Jan. 20 to Feb. 19)

Lucky Stone:

Lapis Lazuli: The color of which is same with the body color of the pharmacist Buddha in Tibetan Buddhism, wearing it regularly could bring yourself a safeguard for the safety and health, and keeping you be apart from various diseases and disasters.

* Pisces (Feb. 20---March 20)

Lucky Stone:

Pink Crystal: Pink crystal has undoubtedly efficacy on improving your human relationship, love or marriage, as well as good at increasing charms own by you.

A Holiday Gift Idea List for Gardening Enthusiasts

--- Give a Gift the Gardening Enthusiast will Love!

Highlight :This article is a holiday gift idea list for the gardener, ideas for a holiday gift basket or unique gardening gift.

Gardening Gift Idea: Buying a holiday gift or holiday gift basket for a gardener.

Pleasant Holidays – The words means different things to everyone, the holidays are a season of giving, pleasant holidays for a gardener means a holiday gift basket filled with things a gardener lovers. You could fill your holiday gift basket with a gardening tool or gardening accessory, gift certificates for seed companies and gardening centers, or subscriptions to gardening magazines.

Giving a holiday gift basket like this might seem mundane to you – but to the gardener enthusiast, it will be a treat! For great ideas for your holiday gift basket from Christmas and Easter, to New Year's (or even birthdays, etc.) to spur your imagination and aid in your search for the ideal gardening gift, read on...


1. Gift Certificate

Find a gardening holilday gift and gardening gift certificate online. Many customers have found the gift certificate a unique present for gardening friends and relatives. Click on the amount of gift certificate you want to order, and enter the recipients name in the shipping address field on the order form. There is no shipping charge for gift certificates.

2. Seeds

What gardener wouldn't love a holiday gift basket containing money to purchase all the seeds his or her heart desires? A purchase from Brooklyn Botanic Garden not only delights the recipient but also gives again by supporting BBG's education, science, and community programs, as well as the Garden itself. The wide array of unique treats in BBG's Garden Gift Shop complements a garden lifestyle and will bring joy to anyone on your list!


3. Personalized Garden Stakes

It's a beautiful accent to any garden, garden stakes are a perfect way to mark that special tree, rosebush, or pet memorial. These sassy stakes provide reminders - gentle or not so gentle - for your plants to keep on growing, while their colors help you remember what's planted where. Personalize them with names, dates or special message. Your gardener friends will love the encouragement!

4. Plants
- Plants as Presents or Commemorations

Warning: Regulations and restrictions may apply to sale and/or movement of seeds, plants, plant material (living or dead), potting media or soil, even locally. Please check with appropriate authorities.

New Gardeners: A plant you know is easy to grow (avoid specialist plants like bonsai, orchids, cacti)

Housewarming: Fruit tree, Extra-special feature tree (suitable for the size of garden), Topiary, Plant chosen to suit decor of new home (Mediterranean, Tropical, Traditional, and/or colour scheme etc).

Apartment-warming: Indoor plant, Balcony plant (suitable for balcony conditions), Herbs in pots.

Birth, Birthday, Christening, Naming Ceremony: Shrub with same name as recipient or other meaningful name, Feature tree.

Anniversary: Named variety or type of plant for year (gold, silver, emerald, etc. )

Commemoration: Favourite plant, flowers in favourite colours, flowers/foliage in club, national, state etc colours, floral emblem of country, state, association, plant native to region of birth, any beautiful tree planted as a feature (provided it is suitable for the location on a practical level), plant with same name or other meaningful name.

5. Garden Ornaments

Over the years we have seen that certain items would come up and be requested to be sent out as gift items more often than others. As a result, there are a variety of ornaments designed for garden decoration, they has become more popular home décor products that would make lovely garden gifts and home accents for anybody, which will complement the gardener's home and garden décor setup.

6. A Pair of Foxgloves


Foxgloves make for great home décor garden gifts. This product has been featured in over 17 major magazines proving that they are the ultimate in home décor garden gifts. A pair of gloves were developed with comfort and durability in mind in the gardening environment. Constructed out of contemporary fabrics such as lycra and supplex nylon, foxgloves give the feel and sensitivity of 1950 style dress gloves, but are built to last. Now foxgloves are available in original style or grip style. These comfortable glove products are resistant to abrasion and fit snugly on one's hand to protect fingers, nails, and cuticles.

7. Special Cosmetics

Another popular choice for garden gift ideas would be a cosmetic for skin protection. You can find an extensive supply of Burt's Bees products ranging from carrot complexion soap to foot cream to carrot nutritive lotion in many Garden shops. For, example, A carrot complexion soap is blended with aloe vera and beta-carotene to clean the pores, improve the skin tone and color and aid in the rejuvenation of mature sun-exposed skin, and a piece of foot cream product is a lightweight moisturizer that is fortified with vitamin E and beta-carotene that is also conducive for healing and soothing sun-exposed skin. As for our carrot nutritive lotion, this product is a lightweight moisturize enriched with vitamin E and beta-carotene.

8. Gardening Tools

How about a well-engineered gardening tool? At the other end of the spectrum, you could pay to have their lawns for mowed for them for a year!and there is a wide selection of garden tools and gardening related items that would make wonderful gifts for your friends, loved ones and co-workers, such as bulb planter, cultivator, carrying case, trowel, transplanter, 3-prong fork, digging fork, hose fittings, foam kneeler, pruner, hose nozzle, weeder/cultivator, all these choices are great for the green thumb in your life.

9. Garden Accessory such as a bird house, bird seed, bird feeder, bird bath, gazing ball, and "welcome to my garden" signs, garden statues.

Last, if you are near the downtown for the holidays, be sure to check out their wonderful train display, upside-down hanging tree, and other special holiday events and attractions running from late November to January 7th.

* Garden Gifts for Distant Friends
Following are gifts which are easy to send:

- gift vouchers with a garden centre close to your friend
- subscription to magazine or club- books, videos, DVDs, CD Roms
- clothing, gloves
- hand tools
- donation to horticultural or environmental charity
- almost any item by mail order
- have it sent directly from the supplier to your friend with your friend's permission.

Make it clear to the vendor that you're paying for the goods and give your contact details also in case there's a problem with the order. There may be restrictions on movement of plant material or other items to certain areas - check first!

Gardening gifts may be a good option for those hard-to-buy-for men in your life. If you're stumped for present for Father's Day, a brother's birthday, or your husband at Christmas, whichever gardening gift you include in your holiday gift basket for the gardening enthusiast, be sure they will prefer it above a tie, socks, or a fruit cake! I hope these holiday gift ideas will help you select the perfect gardening gift for the gardener on your list!

Love with Crystal III --- Find Your Perfect-Match in the Assortment of Crystal Jewelry

* Imitated Antique Crystal Jewelry in Rich Luxurious Style

Suitable Occasion: Dress-up Banquets

Suited Fit: Suitable to wear with a single-colored dress of smooth and glinting fabric. The design of crystal jewelry will make you brilliant and outstanding much in a black cloud of black dresses. The crystal necklace worn on your neck made of square and round crystal beads, and these large and small crystal beads embedded in an antique silver metal base, is so elegant and classic just like a crystal chandelier in an ancient palace.

Tips:

1. For its characters that grand too much, this type of crystal jewelry is only suitable for wearing on large-scale banquets, and to which the suited apparel also calls for an evening dress with excellent quality and simple style.

2. The piece of crystal jewelry could be color clasped in a small area with the evening dress.

3. As Chinese women are generally smaller and more slender in the body, so if you choose to wear a piece of gorgeous jewelry of crystal in a variety of colors, it’s best to focus only one point on the body, for example, between the earring and necklace, select only one. If you choose a finger ring or a bracelet, you’d better to remember that the color of which should be same with the crystal you wearing over the shoulder.

* Crystal Jewelry in Elegant Style


Suitable Occasion: Dinner or Meetings with Colleagues

Suited Fit: Wear this piece of crystal jewelry with your coat in the color of light beige. For gentle ladies, banquets are too grand to them, they does not enjoy for those resplendent crystal chandeliers, and will feel uncomfortable in the spouts on the party, while to have a dinner with her colleagues, which is more freely and casual, is a chance cherished to relax themselves. So in this year you should choose a piece of crystal jewelry instead of a traditional pearl necklace to fit your clothing that simple and light-colored.

Tips:

1. As casual and comfort cardigans and high-collar sweaters are most familiar in this season’s gatherings between you and your colleagues and friends, so it’s most general to choose a piece of crystal necklace or a pair of crystal earrings to match your clothing.

2. As to the design of cartoon style, a piece of crystal jewelry with a more feminine design is more suited for you. Since as a finest lady you are bound to show your ladylike manners and elegance, so it’s an inadvisable choice for a piece of lovely style jewelry, and it’s far better to choose a flower pattern jewelry which looked more feminine.

3.Not to choose a piece of jewelry that is designed too exaggerated. After all, colleagues are not your close lady friends, in front of who you should keep your ladylike manners as a real lady, so it’s best to choose jewelries that more moderate, while an over-exaggerated jewelry will do nothing but to break your integral beauty.

4. Being away from those jewelries with garish colors.

As a lady you need elegant and gentle temperaments, whether to choose your clothing or the jewelries fitted with, it’s best to choose a single-colored or light-colored clothing, which could bring tranquil feelings to peoples around you, so, when to choose a piece of crystal jewelry that matched with your lady manners, you should avoid choosing jewelry with strong contrasted colors .

* Crystal Jewelry in Exaggerate Style


Suitable Occasion: Crazy Parties

Suited Fit: Wear with colorful and gorgeous clothing. Such as a tight T-shirt in bright red, or a piece of half-shoulder bared design clothing, are both right choices.

Tips:

1. In recent years, many jewelry brands all went to great length to promote their golden or dark line crystal jewelries, you may take upon yourself to try these jewelries with deeper colors, even to match with clothing in black and white, it could display the unruly but moderate characters you own fully, it is the main color that just represents "Man Show".

2. The field of crystal fashion accessories has been focused on all along in recent years, it is valuable and a good chance for you to use these sparkling crystal ornaments to display yourself properly. The only thing you should remember is to choose relaxed and leisure style clothing to fit with the crystal jewelry in such a style, only in this way you could perform your alternative features fully and perfectly.

* Crystal Jewelry in Delicate and Lovely Style


Suitable Occasion: Sweet Dates

Suited Fit: Wear with clothing with high chest lines and puff sleeves, especially those skirts set with laces or bows, all these adornments are featured elements that go well with girls who are gentle and cute.

Tips:

1. Crystal jewelries with fresh and clean colors such as sky blue, fruit green or light pink, which are very sweet and beautiful, are right choices when you are going to date with your lover.

2. Designs of cartoon style, heart-shaped pendants or earrings in small flower patterns are right choices that worth for consideration, to choose a brooch in flower shape to break through traditions occasionally is also a smart decision.

3. When the necklaces, earrings we worn become humdrum someway, we may turn to consider crystal ornaments, clever and cute as you, it’s to smart to place some crystal hairpins or hair ornaments in your hair (whether straight or curly), which could bring you more charms.

4. As the fresh and pink makeup styles are so popular in this winter, combined with pink crystal ornaments, a cute lady’s loveliness and purity thus to be displayed fully and extremely, so you has become so attractive that it’s difficult to escape the sights focusing of peoples around you.

Modern Wedding Customs and Traditions in Western

Before the Wedding

In the west, if the couple of lovers going to marriage, firstly the boy should proposed, and the boy should present an engagement ring to his girl. So when people referred "he gave her a ring", it commonly means"He proposed to her, she accepted, and they are now engaged".

Then the engaged couples should make a notice to their parents separately, and the engagement and wedding notice will be declared by the bride's parent generally. As per to the traditonal customs, the bride's family should pay most part of the wedding fees, while the groom’s family should in charged with the rehearsal feast and other accessories. There's a rehearse should be hold one or two days before the wedding, thus to make everyone who will attend the wedding become more familiar with the routines and procedures on the wedding.

The wedding is one of a most important occasions in the west countries, the siblings and friends of the bride and groom will received invited letters several weeks before. The wedding will be held in the church by daylight, if you have received an invitation, you should dressed very formal on the wedding. Ladies usually wear cocktail lounge dresses or wear long shirts plus a festival coat or sweater, while gentlemen should wearing robes. And you should pay attention that a pair of trousers(no matter what colors) for lady is not proper.

Presenting is a common custom that many nations conceived as a habit, then what is a suitable gift be given on a wedding? Here we provide some principles for your consideration: First of all, it is should be a favorite to the bride and the bridegroom, secondly it should not be too expensive, last is the gift should be practical. There's a "grace period” of one-year for you to send out your wedding present, that means that it is permitted as long as you send out the wedding present before the newlywed’s first anniversary. Traditional wedding gifts include silverwares, porcelain wares, crystal products, as well as some durable articles. However, today's wedding gifts also include electrical appliances and some utility items.

On Wedding Day

Modern wedding customs and traditions have their origins in the past, many coming from the Middle Ages. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a girdle fastened with many tiny knots. The groom had the pleasure of untying all those knots before he could bed his new wife.

Up until the 1400's, the bride usually wore her best dress regardless of the color. It was Queen Victoria (1840) who began the present day fashion of wearing white as the wedding dress. It is also considered unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.

The idea of having bridesmaids, pages, a best man and ushers originated with the belief that evil spirits, envious of the couple's happiness, would be out to harm them, but would be confused by so many similarly dressed people.

The custom of the best man probably goes back to the days when the groom took a friend with him when he went to kidnap the bride from her home. Bells were originally rung at weddings to frighten away the evil spirits, and noisy celebrations were held beforehand to try and drive them from the community. These were the ancestors of our stag and hen parties.


Some Interesting Traditions

The giving of an "engagement" ring was first practiced when the groom "purchased" his bride. By giving a token, such as a ring, he pledged to marry her in return for her dowry and social status, among other things. The tradition of giving a diamond began with the Italians. It was believed that diamonds were created from the "flames of love" and represented everlasting love.

The Wedding Kiss dates back to Roman times. The kiss was to seal the marriage legally between the couple and must be witnessed by another person. In addition to the groom not being allowed to see the bride before the ceremony, the veil was also used to protect the bride from being seen by evil spirits and jealous suitors. To this day, it is considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride on her wedding day before the ceremony.

The rowdy bachelor parties were the invention of the Spartan Soldiers. It became customary for the groom to feast with his friends the night before the wedding, often celebrating his last night of freedom by getting severely drunk (not much has changed it seems). In modern times, women have decided they also want their night of fun, so now it is traditional for women to have Stagette or Bachelorette parties as well.