There’s often a lot of confusion and ambiguity around wedding rings, so we are here to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions by our couples and pass on just a bit of knowledge we’ve gained over the years!
How to Choose your Wedding Ring
As with everything when it comes to your wedding, the choice is absolutely yours. You will be the ones wearing your wedding rings for the rest of your lives, so it is wise to do some research and settle on a few things first: What metal will you choose? What style will you choose? Will the bride need a special ring to fit around her engagement ring? Will you have matching wedding rings? Will you have them engraved prior to the big day? You see, there’s actually quite a lot to think about when it comes to these unassuming bands.
Where to Buy Wedding Rings
There are a few options when looking for somewhere to buy your wedding bands. Firstly, you can head to your favourite jewellers to pick rings out, where you’ll likely be given a nice presentation box (this is ideal for when the best man is left in charge of the ring!).
Secondly, you might see one online that catches your eye, whether sold by a jewellery store or an independent maker. If ordering from the Internet, it will be left up to you to measure your ring size accurately.
Finally, and to reiterate the fact that every last detail should be down to your choice, you can even make your own rings! You have the option of designing your own ring using software and jewellery experts but there are even some workshops available where you can actually create your own wedding bands.
In contrast, some couples opt for no rings and others go for tattoos on their ring finger.
Who Buys the Wedding Rings?
Traditionally, the groom buys an engagement ring for his fiancée from his own pocket, but what about the wedding ring? Wedding bands are, let’s say, a less exciting (but arguably more meaningful) aspect of the wedding, and most couples will simply reserve some of their collective budget for these items.
Wedding Ring Budget
Wedding rings vary quite significantly in price. You can get them fairly cheap if that is your only option, however we’d suggest going for at least a middle-range option to ensure that they will be durable. After all, it is with these rings that you will pledge to stay together forever, so you ideally want them to stand the test of time!
Your choice of metal will affect the price of your ring. Platinum comes in most expensive yet choosing a diamond wedding band will bump the price up too. The average price of a small-sized diamond and gold band is just over £1000, but plain designs will be considerably cheaper.
Wedding Ring Styles
As we’ve touched upon, you can choose the colour, metal and stones that make up your ring(s). Gold, white gold, rose gold, silver and platinum are among the most popular choices of material, however, some are drawn to copper or titanium bands.
Since wedding bands are traditionally worn on the same finger as engagement rings, brides with unusual-shaped rings may need to have a custom-made ring or search for a band that curves with their engagement ring (if the ring didn’t come as part of a set, which is also a good option when selecting unique engagement ring designs).
How to Make your Wedding Rings Personal
Jewellery is very personal as it is, but there are ways you can make your wedding bands all the more special and meaningful. Choosing your wedding rings together is a simple way to make the item feel special, but you can also have it engraved with a message, lyric, name or date that is important to you both.
Alternatively, if you have been handed down a family heirloom and want to customise it, then you could redesign the ring itself or you could take gemstones or metal from the vintage piece of jewellery and have them inset in a new wedding band.
As you will see, there are a number of different things to consider when choosing your wedding bands and a range of factors that come into play when budgeting for them.