Picking your perfect wedding ring
Choosing your wedding rings can be a challenge – there are so many options that it can get very confusing (and you have a few other things to organise right now!). In this post we give you some tips that you’ll hopefully find helpful. Wedding bands for grooms tend to be simpler so we’ve mainly focused on the bride’s ring - but much of the advice applies to both.
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What’s your personal style?
Start the process by thinking about what jewellery you already own and what type of designs catch your eye when you're out shopping. Do you favour white gold over yellow gold? Is there a specific cut of diamond that particularly appeals to you? Is your personal sense of style very contemporary or more traditional and timeless? Over time this ring will become very much a part of you so it’s important you go for a style that you feel comfortable with.
Have a budget in mind
Your love may know no bounds but it’s best to set a budget for your wedding rings. That way you’ll avoid the disappointment of finding the perfect ring then discovering it’s way out of financial reach. Jewellers can help you refine your search, and come up with some wonderful ideas, but it really helps if you can give them a figure to start with. About 3% of your total wedding spend is the norm. However, adding diamonds, or engraving the band, will obviously add to the cost.
Start your search early
Ideally you should start your quest about six months before the big day. It’s something you’ll be wearing on your finger for life so it’s not a decision to rush! Research online and set aside a couple of days for visiting physical jewellery stores and getting expert advice. If you’ve fallen in love with the idea of a custom wedding ring or band then you'll probably need to allow even more time. Be aware that extras, like engraving, can also take up to a month.
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Shop as a couple
Since you'll probably be buying two rings, one for you and one for him, this is an activity you can enjoy together. It’s also very useful to share opinions and ideas – this will really help you narrow the choices down.
Consider your lifestyle
Your wedding ring will become almost a part of you – so you want a design you’ll find easy to live with. If you are sporty or play a musical instrument a slimmer ring with rounded edges is sensible. If you work with your hands a simple solid metal ring may be most practical - gemstones can come loose and carvings can trap dirt.
Photo by Brook Anderson on Unsplash
Tungsten and Titanium are both good choices if you do a lot of work with your hands as they don't scratch as easily as other metals. If you want a sparkly ring, but have an active lifestyle, choose a wedding ring with small gemstones set in a channel to keep them secure (known as a pavé setting).
Personalizing your wedding rings
Many couple are now opting to have something engraved inside their wedding band – a message, their name, initials or their wedding date.
Size condiderations
It’s likely you’ll wear your wedding ring 24/7, for months on end, through summer and winter, year after year – and your finger won’t always be the same size. When you exercise, if you get pregnant or put on weight, when your hands get hot and when they get cold your hands will swell or shrink. You therefore need to bear these factors in mind when deciding on the right ring size. We suggest you arrange your final ring fitting at a time when you're calm and your body temperature is normal. Don’t book that appointment for first thing in the morning (you retain water from the night before), right after you've exercised (fingers swell) or when you're extremely hot or cold (which can cause your hands to expand and shrink). Of course, if your finger changes permanently over the years you can always have your wedding ring re-sized by a jeweller.
Also be aware that your engagement ring can fit tighter when paired with one or more wedding bands. A pair of rings can put more pressure on the blood vessels in the finger and this makes the rings fit tighter.
Think two rings, not one
Keep your engagement ring in mind (and on your finger) while shopping for your wedding band. You need to see how they look side by side. If you have a very striking engagement ring you may want a simple, no-fuss wedding band. However, a simple engagement ring may call for the added sparkle of a diamond pavé band. It’s important, however, to avoid a wedding band that overshadows your engagement ring – they should complement eachother.
You also need to consider how they physically stack together. If you're planning on wearing your engagement and wedding ring side by side every day, look for a contour or shadow band designed to interlock with the engagement ring. If you're planning on wearing your wedding ring alone, you may want a more intricate style that will look great with or without your engagement ring.
Keep an open mind
While you may start out with a fixed idea of what style of wedding ring you’d like it’s important to be open to suggestions from jewellers. They may come up with an inspired idea that you’d never have come up with on your own and it’s sensible to follow their expert advice.
Give us a ring (as in call us)
Hopefully this article has given you some useful food for thought with regard to choosing your wedding ring. If there are any other aspects of your wedding preparations you are not sure about you can always give our team a call – if we haven’t got all the answers you need we probably know someone that has!