After a year and a half of planning every little detail, I got married on Aug. 25, 2024. The intimate outdoor ceremony and reception had a whimsical garden party theme with 40 of our closest friends and family in attendance. It was perfect if I do say so myself.
I planned the entire event – a feat I will not stop talking about anytime soon. Having never done this before, I spend hours putting together every element of the special day, from the tablescape to the ceremony layout, the day-of timeline, and the menu. And, of course, my bridal look. Over the last 18 months, Pinterest became my best friend – especially as I tried to figure out what I wanted my bridal hair, makeup, and wedding nails to look like. But there was one detail that I hadn’t quite nailed down yet when we were just a few months out: my wedding jewelry.
With four months left before the big day, I learned about a company called Verstolo, a full-service NYC-based jeweler that specializes in rental pieces (and ships nationwide). After connecting with the brand, I decided to go into the showroom to learn more about its services, and I was immediately impressed. I had no idea that you could rent diamonds for your wedding day; I always thought that you had to shell out thousands to purchase those items. Learning about Verstolo was game-changing, and I knew I wanted to use one of its pieces on my wedding day.
Ahead, keep reading to learn more about my experience with using Verstolo’s diamond rental service on my wedding day.
After booking an appointment online with one of the sales associates, I got to come into the showroom for an hour-long appointment (they do virtual consults, too). During that time, I browsed tray after tray of diamond earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. The brand carries studs, tennis bracelets, cluster-style earrings – the list goes on and on. There’s something for every type of bride (or mother of the bride/groom).
I had a full consultation with Lauren Grunstein, the vice president of sales and marketing, and she helped me find styles that matched my vibe and wedding dress. I tried on a couple of different pieces, which made me feel like a princess, and ultimately – after confirming the style was available on my day as they’re first come, first serve – landed on Eden, a hanging diamond earring in a floral design. It best matched a reference photo I had brought with me and felt the most complementary to my half-up, half-down hairstyle and the square neckline with spaghetti straps on my dress.
Eden is 5.58 carats and retails for $18,000, but the rental price is only $450 for the weekend – a steal if you ask me. At the time of booking, a 50-percent deposit is needed and the remaining balance is paid the week before the event. Then, it was time to hash out the details, which took mere minutes. I filled out a few forms – where my venue was located, when I’d need to pick them up by, and when I’d have to return them – and signed on the dotted line.
Fast forward to my wedding week, I was able to drop by the Verstolo showroom on Wednesday to pick up my earrings for the big day on Sunday. (If I wasn’t based in New York, I could have arranged to have them ship me.) They were packaged in a substantial padded box with a jewelry cleaning cloth inside and a handwritten note from Lauren.
The standard rental period is five days with the option to extend for a fee; we agreed that it would be best for me to ship the jewelry back rather than drop it off in person because I was traveling the day after my wedding and the piece was needed back by 5 p.m. on Monday. Because Verstolo ships all over the US, this was not a problem for the brand. I simply paid the company a $50 shipping fee to get an expedited, insured label from UPS or Fedex (which they print and give you at the time of pick-up), and they provided me with the necessary shipping supplies (two boxes) and detailed instructions for returning the item. (It’s worth noting that the brand currently doesn’t ship internationally, but they allow international travel with the pieces.) With that, I was off to celebrate my wedding weekend with the Eden earrings in hand.
On my wedding day, I felt like royalty wearing the jewelry. They completed my entire look and I got so many compliments on them. The hefty retail value of the item didn’t make me feel nervous about wearing them at all, and if anything, it added to the appeal – I felt like a million bucks. Plus, the item is insured for the duration of the rental, so as long as you’re careful with your item, there’s no stress. The style came with two ultra-secure backs that didn’t budge, and I was able to dance the night away without a worry.
As suspected, returning the earrings by mail the day after the wedding was so easy. We wrapped them in the packing material provided by Verstolo, drove to a UPS location down the road from our hotel, and dropped them off within 10 minutes.
The entire experience was so easy and made me feel so special on my wedding day. I’ve already recommended the service to many of my newly engaged friends – that’s how you know it’s good.
Jessica Harrington is the senior beauty editor at PS, where she writes about hair, makeup, skin care, piercings, tattoos, and more. As a New York City-based writer and editor with a degree in journalism and over eight years of industry experience, she loves to interview industry experts, keep up with the latest trends, and test new products.
