With Meghan Markle set to marry Prince Harry in only a few weeks, we thought we’d give our jewelry blog a royal slant with these

TEN PRECIOUS FACTS ABOUT WEDDINGS

1) According to Newsweek magazine, the Cartier halo tiara worn by Kate Middleton is composed of 1,000 diamonds. That’s a lot of bling! According to British etiquette, Markle will be allowed to wear a tiara on her wedding day if she wants. Think she will?

2) According to some statistics, 17 tons of gold are used to make wedding rings each year. Want to play with gold? 24K pure gold, always yellow, can be bent and twisted since it’s so soft. That’s why gold jewelry is always mixed with another “alloy” to give it strength.

3) All the diamonds on the planet are billions of years old—can you imagine? Diamonds as engagement rings really took off as a trend in the early part of the 20^th century when De Beers launched their “A diamond is forever” campaign. The power of marketing!

4) Not every bride dreams of a traditional diamond ring and matching band. Many of today’s brides choose gorgeous center stones like emeralds, tourmaline or sapphires. There are no rules. Choose your own bling, sparkle or understated magic—David Craig Jewelers can help you custom-design something truly unique.

5) Why are wedding bands worn on the fourth finger of the left hand? Legend says that the Romans believed that the “vein of love” in the “ring finger” ran directly to the heart.

6) Some traditions say that dropping a ring on your wedding day is said to a/shake away evil spirits or b/mean you’ll be the first one in a marriage to die. We like “a” much better!

7) The “something old” tradition implies continuity, while “something new” looks forward to the future. How about looking forward to a beautiful pair of blue topaz earrings from David Craig Jewelers?

8) Will Harry wear a wedding band? His big brother does not, citing personal preference. Similar to the tradition of the diamond engagement ring, the custom of men wearing bands may have become more popular thanks to another marketing campaign. The custom stuck in the early 20^th century and the “double ring” ceremony continues to be popular today.

9) Gold and platinum are the most popular metals for wedding rings. Platinum is more durable and also hypoallergenic. If you choose gold you’ll probably want 14K and not 18K which is softer and scratches more easily. Regardless of what metal you choose, David can re-polish and clean your ring to bring it back to its original beauty!

10) The bride may be the focal point of a wedding, but there are so many other folks (like the groom!) that make the event special. Some brides choose to thank their bridesmaids with gifts such as charms or bracelets, and offer watches to their husbands-to-be. Ask us for ideas– we have many suggestions!