Wedding Rings

WEDDING RINGS

Of all the many things you plan for your wedding ceremony, the most enduring remembrances are your wedding rings. While your wedding flowers and wedding cake will one day be just happy memories, your wedding rings are meant to be with you thru out your marriage. Because wedding rings are exchanged as you and your spouse recite your wedding vows they are a very symbolic part of the wedding ceremony. Long past your wedding day, they will endure as a token of your love and your relationship for as long as you are married. As you choose your wedding rings, there are many things to keep in mind as you search for the right wedding rings for you and your spouse.

Five Factors of Importance

Your choice of wedding rings is an important decision. There are many factors to consider to help ensure that the wedding ring you choose today will be one that you can enjoy for many years into the future. When selecting wedding rings, you will choose between styles, gemstones, metals, and cost. You will also need to decide if you and your spouse want matching wedding rings. This is a personal choice that varies from couple to couple. As you consider all your choices, there are basically five factors of importance:

• Set your budget - perhaps somewhat unromantic, but very realistic
• Your wedding ring should fit your lifestyle - so you can wear it everyday
• It should be durable - so it will endure and not wear out
• It should be well designed - so it will securely hold and protect the diamonds
• You should love the way it looks!

Even if a wedding ring meets all the other criteria of being well-designed, durable, and practical, if you don't like it, then it's not the one for you. If you keep looking, you will find just the right one.

Wedding Rings and Your Lifestyle

Remember to take your lifestyle into account when choosing a wedding ring. Not only should you love the look and style of your wedding ring since you will be wearing it everyday, but you should also choose a wedding ring that is comfortable and one you can wear all the time. One of the most basic choices is whether you want a wedding ring with diamonds or other gemstones or one without. If you choose one with diamonds or gemstones, you will want to consider the differences between prong and channel set stones. A prong setting lets in more light and creates more brilliance in the stones, but prongs can snag clothing or scratch skin. A channel setting is smoother to the touch and is not as likely to scratch or snag anything, but channel set stones usually do not appear as brilliant as prong set ones because not as much light reaches the gemstones. The height of the setting is another factor to consider, as a high set ring is more apt to catch on things. A high setting may not be practical for many professions or activities. There is not a right or wrong choice when choosing a wedding ring, the choice is just what you love and one that will continue to give you satisfaction as you wear it thru the years.

Choosing a Wedding Ring Setting

Your wedding ring setting should be durable and able to withstand daily wearing. Most wedding rings are worn everyday and subjected to all kinds of normal situations which can slowly wear away the metal - such as contact with chemicals in cosmetics, soaps, cleaning products, and swimming pools, abrasion with other objects, from silverware and steering wheels to even the sheets on your bed. For these reasons, it is important to choose a metal that will hold up to the daily wear and tear over time. The most traditional wedding rings metals have endured because they have been proven durable - 14kt gold white gold, 14kt yellow gold, 18kt gold, and platinum. Two new metals which are also durable and new to the wedding ring market are titanium and tungsten carbide, which tend to have a more masculine appeal. The long term durability of your wedding ring will also be increased if you choose a heavier design and thicker band, no matter what metal you choose.

If you choose a wedding ring with diamonds or other gemstones, you want to make sure the setting is designed to securely hold the stones. If the wedding ring features a large prong set stone, a six prong setting is more secure than a four prong setting. A stone set with six prongs is less likely to be damaged or lost than if it were set with four prongs, but this is usually only a consideration for a larger center stone, not the accenting side stones. Channel settings and bezel settings are becoming more popular and are also safe setting styles. Lower set stones are less likely to be damaged than higher set stones and heavyweight prongs hold up better than lightweight prongs. These details are often overlooked when choosing a diamond wedding ring, but they can make a difference between losing the diamond from your setting or keeping it secure.

How Much to Spend on Your Wedding Ring

Contrary to popular advertising, there is not a right or wrong amount to spend on your wedding rings. This is a decision based on your current financial situation and personal desires. Setting a budget is a valid consideration. If you decide what range you want to spend before you go wedding ring shopping, you can use your shopping time more productively. If you look at rings that cost more than you want to spend it takes time away from finding the right wedding rings that fit within the amount you have budgeted.

Your Wedding Ring - It's the One!

Just as you know your spouse is the one, when you find the right wedding ring you will have no doubt. You love the style and it meets all the other important criteria as well - it's a durable metal, a secure setting for the diamonds, quality workmanship, and it fits within your lifestyle and budget. When you know what you want, ask the right questions of your jeweler, and pay attention to the details of the ring, you will find a wedding ring that makes you happy both today and into the years to come.