Wedding rings can be traced back 5,000 years ago to ancient Egypt. This tradition is not fading out anytime soon. In fact, the exchange of wedding rings is one of the most popular wedding ceremony rituals, and arguable one of the most important. Choosing the perfect rings for the perfect moment is easier said than done. Let’s explore tradition and all the rules of wedding rings so you can make an informed decision.
Should Wedding Rings Match?
Traditionally, wedding rings match. This does not mean everyone has matching wedding rings. It is very common to find a man sporting a rugged tungsten band, while his soulmate rocks yellow gold and a near colorless diamond. Your wedding rings should express creativity, personality and match your skin tone and the color of your stones.
Choosing the Metal
You must narrow down the type of metal you choose to wrap around your finger. This is a band you will wear for the rest of your life. It should be comfortable. If you are someone that constantly goes up and down in weight, choose a softer metal that can be easily sized. If you are allergic to nickel, avoid wedding rings that use nickel as an alloy. The color of the metal should match your skin tone. Keep in mind that the choice of metal should be matched with the color of your stones.
Matching the Stones
If you want your wedding rings to be part of a set with an engagement ring, you should match the metal with the stones. Platinum or silver bands require a near colorless diamond due to the bright appearance of the metal. Yellow gold is visually appealing and compliments tinted diamonds that would not be compatible with silver and platinum bands. Almost anything goes with color and rose gold. Rubies, pink sapphires, garnet and anything with a pink hue create an eye-catching match with any type of metal.
Width of Wedding Rings
The thickness of wedding rings is an important decision. A smaller and wider finger will look awkward with a wide band. It is important to try on wedding rings to achieve the perfect look. If you will be pairing your wedding rings with another ring as an engagement set, you should consider how the two rings fit together.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is probably the most popular precious metal chosen for wedding rings. It is visually appealing and compliments tinted diamonds that white gold, silver and platinum bands cannot pull off. Yellow gold is an expensive metal; however, the price decreases with alloys that create 10K and 14K gold.
White Gold
White gold can be a little bit of a mystery, since gold is not naturally white. White gold is achieved by combining other metals, such as platinum, palladium or silver. The application of rhodium plating creates the final touch. Rhodium is another rare and expensive precious metal; however, electroplating only requires a thin layer of rhodium in the process.
Platinum Wedding Rings
Platinum is one of the most desirable metals and one of the most expensive. It is a strong and durable metal that becomes beautiful with age. Unlike silver wedding rings that require constant polishing to prevent tarnishing, platinum maintains a bright luster.
Silver Wedding Rings
Fine silver is a soft precious metal that is commonly preferred with intricate designs. Fine silver is also known as pure silver or 99.9% pure. Sterling silver is a pure grade of silver, composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Copper is added for durability.
How Much Should You Spend?
We should never go insanely in debt to purchase the perfect wedding rings. Wedding rings tend to be an emotionally driven purchase, but always keep that emotion in check with common sense spending. You have probably heard the old income rule for engagement rings that says they should cost twice a month’s salary. That old rule is a faded trend that fails to calculate a budget realistically. Instead, spend a comfortable amount on wedding rings that does not start your life together in unnecessary debt.
Crystal Ballroom BeachPlace
Finding the perfect wedding rings is just the beginning of the happily ever after story. Bring imagination to Crystal Ballroom BeachPlace and exchange your wedding rings during a ceremony designed from fantasy. Let the designers bring your fairy tale to life in a ballroom designed just for you. Choose your theme, colors, flowers and décor where dream weddings come true. Make your wedding day everything it should be at this all-inclusive wedding venue.
