Rony Tennenbaum's LGBT Jewelry Continues To Spread!

TAPPER’S JEWELERS ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF 

RONY TENNENBAUM’S LGBT WEDDING JEWELRY COLLECTION

Detroit, MI - Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry stamp its mark in its 37th Anniversary with the arrival of a new wedding jewelry collection from LGBT designer Rony Tennenbaum.

Tapper’s, Michigan's most trusted jeweler since 1977, is expanding its demographic reach and marketing to include the LGBT community by adding a new wedding & engagement jewelry collection created to celebrate marriage and equality. Serving the metro Detroit community, Tapper’s - a royalty in the jewelry industry -  has just announced the addition of Rony Tennenbaum’s Jewelry collection to its bridal cases in each of its three metro-area locations in Novi, Troy and West Bloomfield.

Founded in 1977 by husband-and-wife team Howard and Susan Tapper, the Tapper family considers the values of community involvement, philanthropy and equality to be integral elements in their company’s philosophy and has long taken an accepting stance and being outspoken on support for the LGBT community. 

 “We live by the Golden Rule,” says Steven Tapper, Howard’s brother and the firm’s vice president.. “Treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s real family values—caring for other people.”

The addition of Tennenbaum’s jewelry collection to include same-sex couples as part of their all-inclusive accepted family of consumers is a natural extension of the company’s ethos. Through its "Precious Lives, Precious Metals” charitable campaign,Tapper's Jewelry awarded $300,000 to AIDS organizations benefiting the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project (MAPP) and YouthAIDS.

The partnership between Tapper’s and Tennenbaum marks the celebration and embracement of today's evolving culture, ceremony, traditions, expectations and new frontiers of same sex marriage.

Tennenbaum’s ongoing contribution to the LGBT community (of which he is part) and his commitment within the context of a burgeoning same-sex wedding industry, has him positioned as a recognized and sought-after authority on LGBT wedding jewelry fashion and protocol.

An openly gay jewelry designer striving to make a difference in and for his community, Tennenbaum has been sending a strong message of inclusiveness to the LGBT as well as mainstream communities for over 25 years. His unique wedding and engagement ring styling is built with fashionable timeless features showcasing high end designs beyond stereotypical rainbows and triangles. 

A staple in the jewelry industry, Tapper’s multi-generation family-owned business has been offering an outstanding selection of the highest quality diamonds, fine designer jewelry and luxury timepieces for over three decades.  Representing high-end brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Chopard, Panerai, David Yurman, John Hardy, Escada, Scott Kay and Mikimoto, among many others, the luxury jewelry store has been committed to helping clients “mark the moment of special occasions and life-cycle events”  providing a luxury shopping experience with unparalleled customer service.

It’s no surprise Tapper's Diamonds & Fine Jewelry was voted best place to buy an engagement ring, best jeweler, and best estate jewelry by readers of Hour Detroit magazine in its 2014 Best of Detroit contest - claiming Best of Detroit awards from Hour Detroit for 11 consecutive years.

“It is an honor and privilege for me to be displayed at Tapper’s. I am a strong believer in inclusiveness and family values and I believe Tapper’s encompasses the same feelings towards everyone they cater to.  I applaud their show of support to include “every” family unit and look forward to a fruitful relationship with them and their customers”, says Rony Tennenbaum.

For more information visit:

www.tappers.com

www.ronytennenbaum.com

Kingston Fine Jewelry to Launch Rony Tennenbaum LGBT Collection

Kingston, NY - Kingston Fine Jewelry in Kingston, NY has announced the introduction of a new line of designer wedding jewelry to reach out to the ever increasing LGBT market. The family owned business is to carry the Rony Tennenbaum LGBT wedding line, joining the new generation of jewelry pioneers that are taking an accepting stance and showing support for the LGBT community. 

Kingston Fine Jewelry has been a staple in the Hudson Valley Region since 1985.  Founded by Gale Knull and Ray Bleser, Kingston Fine Jewelry has for the past four decades grown in reputation to become the premier wedding jewelry and engagement diamond destination in the region. 

The family owned jewelry store believes that adding the Rony Tennenbaum collection will allow them a wider outreach and enable them to include same-sex couples as part of their all-inclusive accepted family of customers.

To date, 19 states plus Washington, D.C. have passed marriage equality laws and judges in an additional 12 states have issued rulings in favor of marriage equality. As we continue to celebrate the unbroken string of victories in the legalization of gay marriage, more mainstream & local stores such as Kingston Fine Jewelry, are seeking Tennenbaum’s expert understanding in the culture, tastes and needs of the LGBT community, in order to break into the fast growing LGBT wedding market.

Tennenbaum’s ongoing contribution to the LGBT community (of which he is part) and his commitment to forging LGBT wedding business one local store at a time, has now positioned himself as a recognized and sought-after authority on LGBT wedding jewelry fashion and protocol. 

His outreach to the LGBT community includes a lecture series - “Rony Talks” - which are designed to address and familiarize same sex couples with the fast growing new etiquettes and traditions developing across the country as marriage becomes legal in their states.

Tennenbaum has seen a fast growth in demand for his niche collections.  Last June, Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jeweler, owned by Warren Buffett’s holding company Berkshire Hathaway Inc., began carrying jewelry by Rony Tennenbaum.  This past April, Rogers & Hollands - one of the largest family owned jewelry chains in the country - added Tennenbaum’s same-sex bridal jewelry to its Chicago-area stores.

Already enjoying a strong local presence and loyal following, Kingston Fine Jewelry’s believes welcoming the LGBT community will only strengthen their foothold as a bridal destination.

www.RonyTennenbaum

www.KingstonFineJewelry.com

Other store carrying Rony Tennenbaum LGBT Collection include:

Ben Bridge Jeweler (Tacoma & Spokane, WA)

Rogers & Holland (Chicago, IL)

Sparkle (Chicago, IL)

Christensen & Rafferty (San Francisco, CA)

Adolf Jewelers (Richmond, VA)

Blue River Diamonds (Gloucester, MA)

Maurice’s Jewelers (Miami, FL)

Cellini Design Jewelers (Orange, CT)

LGBT JEWELRY Designer RONY TENNENBAUM To Appear In New Publication

BRAND NEW LGBT LUXURY WEDDING DESTINATIONS PUBLICATION 

EQL MAGAZINE

TEAMS UP WITH JEWELRY DESIGNER & LGBT WEDDING ETIQUETTE EXPERT 

RONY TENNENBAUM

TO DEBUT NEW COLUMN IN ITS PREMIERE ISSUE.

NEW YORK, NY - EQL, a brand new highly stylized, biannual (Spring & Fall, 2014) print magazine committed to the celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) weddings and destinations is teaming up with one of the most distinguished voices of authority in the LGBT Bridal Jewelry industry, jewelry designer Rony Tennenbaum. 

Tennenbaum is set to premiere his column on wedding jewelry etiquette in the first issue of EQL Magazine due out on newsstands this month providing readers with a fresh take on jewelry news, fashion, protocol, wedding and engagement themes, tips and advice.

The burgeoning same-sex wedding industry is fast-steadily attracting a wide range of not only businesses looking to expand into the “untapped" booming LGBT market; but is also attracting a new group of consumers.  As more and more visionary companies are taking the leap, they seek to do so by calling upon Tennenbaum’s expert understanding in the culture, tastes and needs of the LGBT community, as well as the jewelry and diamond worlds.

Tennenbaum’s outreach to both community and retailers in his public appearances called, “Rony Talks”, has been sending a strong message of inclusiveness to the LGBT community for almost a decade. More than just a designer, Tennenbaum understands the need in educating a generation of retailers as well as consumers who are facing new traditions and etiquettes.  

Tennenbaum who is also currently lending his expert voice to LoveIncmag.com, and has previously served as a contributing author for Engagement 101 Magazine and gayweddings.com, is thrilled to be bringing his expertise to EQL Magazine. 

Slotted for a Spring debut, EQL Destinations for Weddings will bring to the marketplace glorious, highly visual editorial content, brimming with comprehensive coverage of the world’s most enchanting dream weddings exclusively for the LBGT community. The 144-page, full-color glossy will showcase engaging content written by celebrated wedding experts and travel writers, exquisite photography featuring unique locations around the world, positioning itself as the go-to resource for all things wedding. 

“At this very important time in our nation’s history, I feel honored to be introducing a non-political magazine that has one focus—to be a testament to the joy of celebrating love. We are confident that the quality of the magazine, the personal stories, and inspired feature articles will be a huge hit with readers,” says Leslie Hurd, publisher.

Celebrating the unbroken string of state victories in marriage equality, Tennenbaum - at the helm of his brand - is not only breaking the mold with his designs, but is also using his expertise and message behind his jewelry to be in the vanguard of a new generation of jewelry consumers, and including with him any pioneer who wishes to join forces with him and his message on the journey.

For more information go to: 

www.ronytennenbaum.com

www.EQLWedding.com 

@ronytennenbaum

Rogers & Hollands Jewelers Expands Into the LGBT Market

Rogers & Hollands Jewelers Expands Into LGBT Market By Adding Rony Tennenbaum Wedding Jewelry to their Bridal cases in Two of their Chicagoland Locations

Chicago, IL – With marriage equality making major strides across the country, the burgeoning same-sex wedding industry is attracting a wide range of companies with years of experience in the wedding business. 

One of the largest family owned jewelry chains in the States, Rogers & Hollands, is expanding its demographic reach and marketing to include the LGBT community by adding a new wedding jewelry collection created to celebrate marriage and equality. 

The premier jewelry chain, which operates several stores throughout the Chicagoland area and throughout the Midwest, has just announced the addition of Rony Tennenbaum’s Jewelry collection to its bridal cases in both its Woodfield Mall location in Schaumburg, and in downtown Chicago’s Water Tower Place stores.

With stores across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri and Wisconsin, Rogers & Hollandsbelieves that adding the Rony Tennenbaum collection will allow them a wider outreach and include same-sex couples as part of their all-inclusive accepted family of consumers.

Rony Tennenbaum Jewelry has been sending a strong message of inclusiveness to the LGBT community for almost a decade.  As a wedding jewelry designer for over 25 years, Tennenbaum’s unique wedding and engagement ring styling is built with fashionable timeless features and driven by a strong sense of sentiment.  Tennenbaum recognized the lack of attention the LGBT community was receiving in wedding jewelry and designed his brand to showcase high end designs beyond stereotypical rainbows and triangles. 

More than just a designer, Tennenbaum understands the need in educating a generation of retailers as well as consumers who are facing new traditions and etiquettes.  His outreach to the community on “The New Etiquettes of the Rainbow” is a step in teaching both retailers and consumers about the new options in wedding jewelry etiquette.  He also consults about making educated purchases.

As these etiquettes are being written by the LGBT community, visionary retailers such as Rogers & Hollands are seeking outTennenbaum’s expert understanding in the culture, tastes and needs of the LGBT community, as well as the jewelry and diamond worlds.

Already distributed in states such as: Connecticut, New York, Illinois, Florida, Washington and Virginia, Tennenbaum is thrilled to be adding his line of wedding jewelry to the Rogers & Hollands chain. In his opinion, the stores already have a strong loyal following and the outreach to include the LGBT community will only strengthen their foothold as a bridal destination.

At the helm of his brand, Tennenbaum is not only breaking the mold with his designs, but is also using his expertise and message behind his jewelry to be in the vanguard of a new generation of jewelry consumers, and taking with him any pioneers who wish to join forces with him and his message on the journey.

For more information visit: 

www.RonyTennenbaum.com

Announcing the First Annual Los Angeles Same-Sex Wedding Expo!

PRESENTED BY FRONTIERS MEDIA

NOVEMBER 10^th AT THE LAAC

  

Los Angeles, CA - Frontiers Media, Southern California’s most recognized brand in the LGBT market, presents the Los Angeles Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo, produced by LGBT film and television producer/director and gay rights activist JD DiSalvatore.

The full-day event, hosted by the newly remodeled, century-old historic Downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club, will set the stage for a one stop wedding shop for couples on November 10 from 11:00am to 6:00pm.

This first-ever major expo of its kind is poised to be biggest West Coast celebratory event since California became the 13th U.S. jurisdiction with legal same-sex marriages.

“Now that gay marriage is finally legal in California, we wanted to come up with a way to support gay and lesbian couples planning for their special day,” said Frontiers Media Publisher David Stern, “And promote Southern California as a wedding and honeymoon destination.”

A carefully curated selection of over 50 LGBT-friendly elite exhibitors covering the entire spectrum of wedding preparations will be represented all under one chic and elegant roof.  

A distinguished panel of wedding industry tastemakers and professional experts from the travel, event planning, jewelry, real estate, legal, catering, retail and floral fields will offer couples the exclusive opportunity to get one-on-one advice, choose favorites from high-end collections and find the unique and trendy resources they need to plan their own memorable, timeless ceremony.

Since the end of DOMA, the nuptials industry has been experiencing a nationwide commercial explosion, as same-sex weddings have now become a booming US industry. 

American weddings are a $51 billion industry that employs nearly 800,000 people, according to the market-research firm IBISWorld. Same-sex marriages are expected to create a financial boom for the wedding industry in California. A study conducted by The Williams Institute, UCLA estimated that LGBT weddings would generate $290 billion of new spending in California.

"We're actually at the epicenter of history now with the LGBT movement, and after all the fighting we've done for just our equal rights, I still have to pinch myself every day that we have this:  marriage.  For those of us old enough to remember Stonewall, Act Up, the AIDS crisis, Prop 22, Prop 8... to stand here today and realize we have overturned DOMA, overturned Don't Ask, Don't Tell and slowly but surely are getting marriage rights across the country...I'm not going to lie, it brings tears to my eyes,” says event producer JD Disalvatore.

This unique event, without any other equivalent in Southern California, opens the doors for select gay-friendly local and national businesses seeking to effectively court the influential power of the LGBT audience.

Attendees will have the chance to win several exclusive raffle items, including a 4 night, penthouse honeymoon package courtesy of Maui Sunseeker (www.mauisunseeker.com), and a bachelorette party VIP package from Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.

As the LGBT Wedding Industry continues to exponentially thrive, couples still seek help for their Big Day. The Los Angeles Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo, already expected to draw thousands, is a must-attend event, not only for same-sex couples planning their dream weddings but also for any and all corporate and small business supporters committed to reaching loyal LGBT audiences and their allies.

Tickets are $25 for VIP which includes a complimentary gift bag and a hosted bar hosted by Premiere Events, or General Admission at $10                                                                                 

Tickets can be purchased online at: http://lagayweddingguide.tix.com

The UK Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Today, I am so proud of my country.

I am based in Canada right now; a place where they don't care who you marry, as long as you both like hockey. AMIRIGHT?

Today, my country became a place where we don't care who you marry, as long as you both like tea and crumpets.

Okay, I'm playing on stereotypes here. (But it's true. Shush.)

At a time when only 11 countries (not including the UK) have national legal gay marriage, this is historic. Yes, the United States are one fifth of the way there, and Mexico and Brazil are following suit too, but the UK just became the 12th country to pass a same-sex marriage bill on a national scale. (Okay, not entirely true as Scotland are not included. But two of our four countries are 100% gay approved.)

Today in the House of Commons, there were intense debates on the issue. Some crazy religious people used the same old "Adam & Steve" argument, whilst others claimed they were "protecting marriage."

One MP claimed he was opposing the bill in an attempt to "protect the sanctity of marriage." Said MP has also been divorced and is now re-married. I wonder which marriage he was protecting the sanctity of?

Anyway, the best argument in my opinion came from Kate Green, an MP who represents Stretford and Urmston (a constituency within Greater Manchester).

Green - a straight, married woman dedicated to equal rights for all - used her wisdom to turn all of the opposing arguments face down. She was correct in saying that all of the opposing arguments are not valid. HELLS YEAH.

In the end, the commons voted and the bill was approved, 400-175. A huge majority!

We're still waiting to hear from the House of Lords (a.k.a. the Senate, for you North American folk), but chances are, they will not overturn the bill.

Fingers crossed!

Once again, I am so proud of my country today. Thank you all for being such awesome people.

Expedia: Supporting Gay Marriage

Hey you gays! Remember Jill & Nikki from the first season of the Real L Word?

Yes, the "normal ones", you remember correctly.

Well, you may or may not know that Expedia recently followed Jill's path to marrying Nikki in one of their adverts.

I knew about the commercial but only just got round to watching it... So in case you haven't seen it either, I've decided to post it here on my blog too!

Adorable, right?

Oh, and just for a bit of fun I've decided to share with you the hilarity of some of the comments the ad has received on YouTube:

Because there is clearly only one opinion on this matter...

Tell that to Bob & Carl next door who used their sperm to create two beautiful baby daughters.

Ah, the old "gay people are perverts" argument. Blah Blah.

There was a time when everyone became gay?... SHOW ME THIS MYSTICAL LAND OF RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS!

And then there was one legend who replied to the above comment with the argument "Well my dear, if everyone become a catholic priest or nun, how the hell we gonna have next generation?" I've never heard that argument before. KUDOS.

UK Prime Minister Threatens To Cut Aid To Homophobic Countries

Hey gays, here's another step up the UK have made this week: Prime Minister David Cameron seems to have explicitly stated that he will "cut aid to countries who refuse to overturn their bans on homosexuality."

Cameron, who has in the past been dubbed homophobic himself, seems to have changed his attitude completely - and the Ugandan Government are already furious.

As homosexual acts are illegal in Uganda and the majority of other African countries, this could be a huge threat to their continent. However, the fact that Mr. Cameron is standing up for gay rights on a worldwide scale appears to be one of the best things he's done for the country.

Furthermore, although he once said that legalizing gay marriage was not an option, there have now been several reports implying that Cameron wishes to make same-sex marriage legal by the year 2015.

Personally, I did not support him in the last UK election, but it seems that I am changing my mind about him. I wouldn't consider myself a Conservative party member, yet it is clear that Cameron's intentions are positive for the LGBTQ community.

Now we just have to see whether he lives up to his word...

What do you gays think about Cameron and how do you think he will go about handling these issues in the future?

Canada or the US?

I'm guessing, as most of my readers are of American origin, that most of you are screaming: WHOA WHOA WHOA, AMERICA IS SO MUCH BETTER.

However, I - a wholly British citizen - am on a much more unbiased debating ground and therefore feel I should express my opinion here.

"What does this have to do with gays and lesbians?" you ask.

Well, the more literature I read about gay marriage in both Canada and the United States, the more I am pushed away from the US and pulled toward Canada.

Of course, we all know that gay marriage is legal everywhere in Canada, not just in 6 poxy states like it is in America. But there is more to the matter.

For instance, in the article I just read by Clifford Krauss, (click his name for a link to the article), he explains that once gay marriage was legalized in Canada, there was little concern or backlash against it. I mean, of course there was some when it came to super, super Catholic parts of the church, but it was nothing compared to the States.

Krauss writes "When Massachusetts' highest court ruled for gay marriage, the issue loomed over American politics." He also reveals how even the most democratic, liberal Presidential candidates vowed to be unsupportive when it came to homosexual marriage.

All this makes me think of how closed-minded America seems. A lot of the opposition against gay marriage's legalization wasn't even from the opinions of those Americans who were overly religious. Some of the opposition came from people who had just been 'brought up that way'. That is, brought up to hate, or at least dislike, gay people.

With Canada's current social and politic state, it seems relatively easy to conclude that Canada would be a much more welcoming place for gay people and their families to live.

However, I wonder if this is not the case, and some of the things I've been reading are misleading?

If you're from either Canada or the United States, please comment and tell me your thoughts on this issue. I am extremely curious, but to me, Canada seems to be winning here.

Please prove me wrong - or right!

Prop 8 is overturned!

As I'm sure you've heard, Proposition 8 - the gay marriage ban on the state of California - was overturned today.

Well, you've either heard or you haven't got tumblr.

Anyways, as I'm constantly battling against this ridiculous proposition in one of our supposedly most 'gay friendly' states on my blog, I thought I'd post this celebratory post to inform the (few of you) of the good news.

We're making giant steps, you gays!

But remember, this proposition was overturned once before and we all know how badly that ended...

So I encourage you to keep up the fight and most of all...

STAY GAY!