Color and sparkle may be all throughout your wedding – crystals sewn into the bodice of your dress, bright flowers in your bouquet – but did you know that you can add extra color, sparkle and personalization to your big day by using your birthstones? Your wedding ring, for instance, might feature sapphire stones interspersed with diamonds. You may wish to use faux rubies in your bright red bouquet for amazing, light-catching brilliance as you walk down the aisle. Your groom might want emerald-colored cufflinks to go with the deep green tie of his tuxedo, and your bridesmaids can wear citrine with their lovely cinnamon-colored dresses.

Don’t stop at just your birthstone, though. You can do the following:

• Combine a His and Hers birthstone arrangement, such as diamond and pearl if he’s born in April and you’re in June (or vice versa) for your wedding day jewelry.

• Have the groom wear your birthstone in his tie tack, cufflinks, even on a new watch that you’ve given him as a gift.

• Bring in your children’s birthstones to any wedding day jewelry design.

• Bring in your parents’ birthstones to a piece of jewelry, or to the frame in which you’ll display a photo of all of you from the wedding day.

• Use faux gemstones in your centerpieces for extra shine.

• Use faux gemstones glued onto your invitations, placecards, menu cards, and other printed items.

• Use faux gemstones in your shower favors, such as in charm bracelets or lockets.

• Use your bridesmaids’ birthstones in their wedding gifts from you, such as necklaces, bracelets, anklets, lariat necklaces, and rings.

• Use your groomsmen’s birthstones in their wedding gifts from you, such as cufflinks, money clips, tie clips, tie tacks, and more.

• Use your own birthstones in a gift that you give to your parents, such as a memory box for their wedding day keepsakes, or glued to the front of a wedding DVD jewel case.

• Use your own birthstones, or a combination of your birthstones, in your own wedding portrait frame, memory box or DVD case.

And here’s a favorite idea of mine: give your wedding its own birthstone. It is the birth of a new life together, after all! So if you’re May (Emerald) and he’s January (Garnet), and your wedding is held in August, peridot would become the birthstone for your wedding. Your new stone color together is then a light green, which can be used alone or beautifully paired with the deep red and darker green of your birthstones. You can then use this wedding birthstone in all the ways we’ve mentioned above, or even choose it as the color scheme for your wedding. Considering that some brides base their wedding colors on their favorite shoes, or the color of the sunrise, this is a very personalized way to base your wedding day hues on something of a deeper meaning.

MONTH	STONE	COLOR
January	Garnet	Burgundy red
February	Amethyst	Brilliant purple
March	Aquamarine	Light blue
April	Diamond	Clear
May	Emerald	Brilliant green
June	Pearl	White to cream to pastel
July	Ruby	Red
August	Peridot	Light green
September	Sapphire	Deep blue
October	Opal	Pearlized white
November	Citrine	Orange
December	Blue Topaz	Aqua