Before saying "I do" we need to say yes to the perfect wedding ring. Firstly if you are here its probably because you are engaged, a huge congratulations from me!

This is an exciting time in your journey together and I am beyond happy to help you along the way! There are lots of decisions to make when planning a wedding, and this guide will help make choosing your wedding bands wedded bliss. 

5 things to consider when choosing your wedding bands

1. Start looking now

There us no time like the present! Choosing a wedding band takes time; time for you to find the one that you love and want to wear forever, but also time for it to be made by your chosen jeweller.

An insight into time-frames: If you are looking for a plain wedding band, it will likely take 4 weeks to receive it. If you want something more fancy it can take up to 12 weeks, if not longer, it's all dependent on the design e.g. if you want stones etc. 

Try not to leave it to the last minute just in case there are any delays. With the pandemic world we are in at the moment, some things are taking longer than usual in supply chains and you don't want to be left to the wire worrying if the bands will be ready in time. 

I promise you it is never too early to choose your wedding bands. 

2. The devil is in the detail

What are you looking for in your wedding ring;

Would you like a traditional plain wedding band? Do you and your partner want to match? Do you imagine stone set or perhaps texture on your ring? Do you have an existing ring you want the wedding band to sit with? What metal would you like? 

Have a look around in different jewellers and get an idea of what you like and don't like. Trying different rings on is the best way to know, what you like the feel of and look of on your skin, but you can also use websites like Pintrest to see what catches your eye. Once you have given these questions some thought it will make it so much easier to find what you are looking for. 

3. Choosing the metal

This is one of the most important questions to answer, what metal would you like? You might already have an idea of the colour of metal you want; gold or silver, but what about the metal itself?

If you are sitting the ring alongside an existing ring, like an engagement ring, I would always recommend you choose the same metal. This will help ensure the rings will wear evenly together. If you go for a different metal to what you already have, you might find that one ring will damage the other ring, In the long term it will mean more maintenance costs.

Yellow gold, white gold and platinum are traditional choices, however palladium has seen a rise in popularity. Great thought should be given to the choice of metal as they all wear in different ways and require different maintenance levels.

4. Lifestyle

How do you live your life? are you a careful person and will follow all care instructions to the letter or are you a bit more care free and don't want the hassle of cleaning extra cleaning to keep stones sparkling and secure? 

Your wedding ring will be with you for the next 40 years or more, now of course you can change it in time or potentially alter the wedding ring in the future, but its good to know how it will wear and that it suits your life style. 

Your lifestyle should influence the type of wedding ring that you choose. Different styles and designs will require different levels of care. This ring is for a long time, you want to make sure you pick a ring that you are willing to care for in the right way to maintain its longevity. 

If you want more in depth knowledge about the different types of metal to choose from have a look at the 'Differences in metal" blog post.

5. Cost

Weddings can be expensive and most couples have a budget in mind for their nuptials. It is really important to think about the cost of your wedding ring early on as it can be a significant portion of your overall budget. A single wedding band in the UK can cost anywhere between £100 and £3000, a big difference. If you have thought about tips 1-4 you should already be able to tell which end of the spectrum your ring is on.

The more complex a ring the higher the price tag will be. Choosing stones, engravings or more complex contours will elevate the price, opting for a more traditional plain band will bring you toward the lower end of the price range. But, the thicker and wider a ring, the more precious metal that will be needed to craft it, which will in turn elevate the price as well. 

After the big day has been and gone, you will have memories to cherish forever, photographs to remind you of the day and your wedding ring. The ring is one of the only physical attributes to stay with you for the duration of your marriage, so it really is worth taking your time to think about what it is you want and what it is worth to you. Perhaps you can trim back on the flower costs to get the ring truly of your dreams. 

There is a lot of information to take in when planning a wedding and even more for choosing your wedding bands. Start early and take your time.

If you have any further questions or are ready to begin your design journey do not hesitate to contact me and we can have a chat about what your looking for and what might be a good choice. 

contact@memorjewellery.com