Beautiful jewellery plays an enormous role in weddings and associated ceremonies - ranging from key accessories and sparkling touches for the bride, to gifts for attendants or key people.

And when it comes to buying those sets and combinations, it really does pay to know your onions - or rather, your carats.

Carats are a measure of the weight of a diamond, not its size. There are 100 points to a carat, and diamonds of one carat or more are fairly rare.

For many, the actual cut of the diamond is more important as this will influence how much it sparkles. After this comes clarity and colour.

When it comes to choosing jewellers, you'll find a good selection on this site. Many cities will also have their jewellery, gold or diamond quarters - such as London's Ealing Road, or Leicester's Golden Mile (Belgrave Road). Here you will find well-established specialists who will be only to pleased to guide your selection.

For Hindu women, the mangalsutra is likely to play special role in her wedding ensemble.

Pre-dating even rings in Hindu mythology, these decorative necklaces were originally a husband's gift to his bride as a wedding day symbol of unity and protection. Its origins lie in the leaves of a palm tree, called thaala vriksha, which would be strung together and worn by the couple to ward off evil spirits.

While traditionally consisting of two strings of black beads in a gold necklace and with a gold pendent attached, mangalsutras now come in many designs, and the inclusion of diamonds are increasingly popular with brides. Mangalsutras can be as simple or as extravagant as the wearer or giver desires - although many continue to retain the key element, the black beads.