You’re walking up the aisle with your much‐cherished engagement ring ceremoniously moved to your right hand to make way for a new arrival on your ring finger. The wedding ring is a public symbol of your everlasting love and commitment to each other yet many couples will leave buying them to the last item on their to do list. It shouldn’t be left too late as there are a few points to consider when choosing your wedding rings, which will hopefully be worn for the rest of your lives together.
Image from Diane & David’s real wedding
Choosing wedding ring style, metal and colour
Your style of ring should reflect your own personal style; it should also compliment your engagement ring and can be chosen to match your partner’s ring if you so wish. Wedding rings come in a variety of metals, colours and styles. If your engagement ring is white gold then it’s likely you’ll choose a white gold wedding ring to go with it, though you may prefer platinum, yellow gold, titanium or even a two‐tone ring. When choosing rings it’s best to go for a colour or style you’re not likely to get bored with, so it’s best not to follow high fashion. Consider your personality and your engagement ring style – if your engagement ring is classic, vintage, unusual or even bespoke, then your ring should probably follow suit. An engagement ring with an unusal shape such as a twist or curve to it will demand something which matches, unless you plan to wear your engagement ring on your right hand from your wedding day. Most wedding rings are bands to symbolise the never‐ending circle of your love for one another. You or your fiancé could choose a Celtic band, or these days it’s becoming more popular to have diamonds rather than the traditional plain or patterned band. Whatever you choose, it’s nice to have rings that match in some way, either in their metal or pattern.
How and when to buy wedding rings
It’s best to decide on a design at least two to three months before the big day, longer for a bespoke design; this should give you ample time for choosing, measuring, sizing and resizing if need be. Agree on your budget and then enjoy a day of window shopping with your fiancé, where you try before you buy. It’s fun going into jewellers but it’s equally fun and arguably more convenient going online. You’ll get to see more styles in a shorter space of time by looking online and can compare different ranges by different jewelers at any time of day or night. For some couples, looking online is the easiest way to choose before you go out and buy from a high street jewellers.
Bespoke wedding rings
Specialist ring makers are worth looking at as they allow you to design your own rings and have them made – the ultimate in wearing your own individual style. A specialist ring designer and maker will be able to translate your style requirements into unique wedding rings just for you.
For those wanting to put their mark on a ring in another way, having a ring engraved with a personal message for your loved one or the date of your wedding is the next best thing. Just think ‐ there’ll be no excuse for him to forget your anniversary!
Size is everything (despite what your fiancé may tell you!)
If you are buying from a jewellers then they will measure your fingers in‐store to size the rings. If you choose to buy your rings online, many companies will now send out a ring measurer before you place your order so you can be sure to order the correct size. You wouldn’t want to leave ordering your all‐important wedding rings to the last couple of weeks before the big day, only to find they don’t fit and will need to be resized! When measuring, it’s worth remembering that your fingers will swell up in the heat, shrink in the cold and get bigger as the day goes on. Most jewellers recommend measuring in the afternoon when you are warm for a snug fit and then re‐measuring again in the morning when you are cool to ensure the ring size is perfect.
Men’s wedding rings
Men’s wedding rings often match his bride’s ring although it should be slightly wider to suit a more masculine hand shape. As is the case for women’s rings, the most important thing to remember when choosing rings is that they match your style and personality.
Insurance for wedding rings
Unbelievably a quarter of all newlyweds will lose their ring within the first five years of marriage so it’s important to get it insured along with your engagement ring(s) ‐ just in case! Best to insure before you leave for your honeymoon – it’s unfortunate but many rings have been left behind on sandy tropical beaches…
