This month we talk to the lovely Steph from SGJ - her incredibly beautiful bespoke wedding jewellery is thoughtful, meaningful and eco-ethical.
Steph and I connected through the Less Stuff More Meaning Wedding Directory and we are also collaborating on this years styled shoot. (more of that soon!)
Make sure you check out her social media pages and website below - this is one talented girl-boss to watch.
Thanks for taking the time to talk with us Steph!
As always I wonder how you got into what you do - wedding jewellery and bespoke pieces?
Basically – my friends started getting married and asked if I could make wedding rings for them! So I said I’d give it a go, and since then I haven’t looked back! I adore making pieces that people will wear and cherish forever, it’s such a special opportunity!
How can we make jewellery fit in with a more sustainable eco wedding?
My favourite thing would have to be recycling jewellery, and not just fine metals, anything! I think a lot of people get caught up ‘having’ to buy the biggest, most beautiful NEW ring in the most coveted metal they can find. My own wedding ring is my grandmothers wedding ring which I was wearing for years before I got married. I resized it to fit my wedding finger – easy peasy and now my whole engagement/wedding ring set has such a special meaning. My engagement ring has a ruby and gold from my great grandmother, and diamonds and gold from my grandmother – if you find the right people they can re-make pretty much anything.
What are your favourite materials to work with?
I seem to attract people who want rings made of unusual materials – antler has been the most challenging so far! I do love a good challenge, but after working with materials like that I do love going back to working with metal. I love the colour of a pretty pink gold or red gold! And I love mixing different coloured metals and materials.
I think when it comes to ‘favourite’ materials though, it really is about the story attached to those materials. I melted down a lady’s parents wedding bands to create three sets of beautiful stud earrings for her and her two sisters. I have a string of vintage pearls that I am slowly using up by adding adorable little charms to custom bracelets and earrings. I also have a pair of lawn bowls balls from 1924 which I use for my wooden rings - they are made of lignum vitae, which is the second hardest naturally occuring wood in the world! I love the stories that come with these materials, and giving them a second life in something beautiful!
What would be your most memorable piece or client?
Perhaps the first set of wedding rings I did YEARS ago. Each person is different, and each story I get to be involved with is beautiful in their own ways, so its hard to pick just one! Attached to my memory of the first set I made is the weight I felt of having to get it just right. It was a beautiful, custom made engagement ring and the couple needed something simple to fit in with that, so as not to over-shadow it. I felt such a huge sense of responsibility, knowing that this was something they would look at every day for the rest of their lives! I still feel that with every piece I make, but that first set was quiet overwhelming, and I look back on that now and am so glad I said yes to helping them out because I loved it.
What do you love the most about your job?
The more I grow as a jeweller and as a business woman the more I realise that what I do is deeply intertwined with stories. I am a story-teller at heart, and I love being able to be part of peoples stories, and being able to add something precious to each individual story. I love connecting with people, being trusted to carry their story, and to put that love and friendship in to pieces of jewellery. Each piece I make truly is a labour of love, I am so involved with everythig I make, so being able to understand where and who it is going to, and where it fits in to their lives ad stories is so important.
What should we be looking for in a wedding jeweller?
Find someone you connect with. Someone who makes you feel at ease, and like they understand how special these pieces are for you. If you message or call the jeweller you’ll get a feel for them pretty quickly through a few minutes of speaking or a couple of emails, and go from there. Each jeweller brings a slightly different style to the table too. So if you find someone and you love pretty much every piece they’ve made so far, chances are that you’ll create something perfect together for you too.
Plans for SGJ this year?
Making more beautiful jewellery for gorgeous couples!
Which platforms or directories can we find you on?
