The latest item I've checked off my wedding checklist is the shopping for and purchasing of our wedding bands. Tad was quick and easy. He's spent months joyfully browsing through his options (simple, unique, antler, bone, wood, dinosaur fossil - no, I'm not kidding. They exist.). I on the other hand have been a bit preoccupied with what I consider more important wedding details (i.e. finding a wedding photographer for under $1,000. I did it, believe it or not!). The nights we'd spend browsing Google and Pinterest for wedding band ideas generally left Tad excited and me, well, confused and overwhelmed.
I'm not a glitzy gal, I'll admit, but I like some sparkle every now and again. I'm still surprised with how perfectly my engagement ring suits me - 10 points to Thaddeus ;) I decided I would really love a band with some bling; specifically the half band of stones, possibly alternating between diamonds and rubies (which are our birthstone AND the month we'll be getting married in. Triple bonus points to me!). Unfortunately, sparkle costs moolah, and I certainly didn't feel like making my poor husband-to-be pay for a band that would take years to pay off, especially when he's still working on the last piece of jewelry he bought me.
So Tad and I decided we would save the glitz for a one-year anniversary gift, which suited me fine. I get what I want, but later on, which I find more exhilarating than getting all the good stuff on one day. Still unsure of what I wanted, we headed to the jeweler's. Tad looked at the few choices he had narrowed down to and within a few minutes picked out the roughest, toughest ring that would last him through his job, was comfortable, and still looked as cool as he wanted it to. I had decided I wanted a simple band, but wasn't sure what. The girl helping us quickly showed me what I thought to be a brilliant, albeit obvious, answer to my plight for wanting something simple yet still a bit unique. She asked if I wanted something to go with my engagement ring, to which I responded enthusiastically, "Yes!" She pulled out a white gold band with a slight twist and curve to it. She told me how they could shape a band to fit around one side of my engagement ring, and I was sold! I requested a slightly thicker band, as my engagement ring has a very slender one, and white gold wears fairly quickly. They simply ordered the band, and when it comes in, they'll take my ring for a few days to shape my band!
All done. So simple. I think we were there for a total of 15 minutes.
Here are my suggestions for finding the perfect wedding band (if your ring didn't already come in a set):
- Google. Google and Pinterest. See what's out there. Get an idea. There were so many more options then I ever thought there would be! Both Tad and I are getting a fancier ring that appeals to our more artistic and unique sides as a one-year anniversary gift, and going with the more practical more our everyday band. I like how because my band will be so simple, I'll be able to wear it with my engagement ring for some prettiness without being blinded. Tad went with Tungsten, which is very durable, and quite pretty too :)
- Talk with your jeweler. Wherever you or your man got your ring, go talk with them. They'll be helpful and give you a lowdown on your options. I always suggest going local, to help with those smaller businesses. I also think you're less likely to get skeezed that way.
- Know your limits and work within them. Tad and I decided that a dozen diamonds were gonna be a bit much at this point. We were both willing to compromise, and we're both very happy with our decisions!
- Remember, diamonds don't come above a grade D. Anybody who tries to sell you a grade A, B, or C diamond is lying to you. They don't exist. Grade D is as good as it gets, and D's are basically what you'll find at Tiffany's. The difference between D's and E's are tens of thousands of dollars, but the visible differences are impossible to notice unless you're a jeweler with his fancy diamond equipment.
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