Whilst men traditionally have one ring as a symbol of their marriage, the brides get two - an engagement ring and a wedding band. Some cultures and new preferences mean some brides only opt for an engagement ring, with the “exchanging of rings” ceremony not present in some cultures and religious ceremonies leaving no need for a wedding band. If you are opting for a wedding band in place of, or to compliment your engagement ring - here are all the things you need to know.
Wedding Band Shapes
Traditionally, a wedding band never deviated from a classic circular ring, either with or without diamonds, which wouldn’t fit comfortably on the ring finger with an engagement ring. Now, curved rings provide a comfortable fit by having a dip in the middle for the stone of the engagement ring to slide into, allowing the bands of both rings to fit snugly – and works particularly well for low set rings. The same goes for open rings, which have a gap in the front, usually embellished with stones on either side. This is also great for freshening up the look of your engagement ring.
Both of these options require an experienced hand to design the pieces around your engagement ring. At Cullen Jewellery we can custom design any of our wedding bands to fit your engagement ring, using 3D computer-aided design technology, allowing for the most comfortable (and perfect) fit.
Metals
When it comes down to choosing a metal colour for wedding bands, most brides opt for something to match their engagement ring. Gold wedding bands for women are becoming extremely popular as gold engagement rings surge in popularity. Some women are opting for stacking wedding bands in place of a traditional engagement ring as trends sway from outdated aesthetics, instead reflecting modern tastes and lifestyles.
Yellow gold wedding brands are great for those with an active lifestyle as there is no chance of tarnishing, important for those who plan to wear their wedding bands for travel and everyday life, leaving their engagement rings for special occasions. Another warm-toned metal option is rose gold which is alloyed with copper to create the wonderful fiery tone, which won’t tarnish over time.
White gold wedding bands aren’t recommended for those who have an active lifestyle as white gold has been polished, and over time the yellow gold underneath will show through. If you like the cool tones of white gold, platinum has the same look, but is the rarest metal of all, and so though also the most expensive option, it is well worth the extra cost as it won’t need to be re-plated over time.
Say Yes To Stones?
For women, wedding bands were usually restricted to a thin pavé diamond band, a channel setting [like our Christina band] or a plain metal band. Now, many brides are opting for bands which look just as good alone as with their engagement ring, like eternity bands with fun cuts of diamond, like our Betty wedding band.
Whether you opt for mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds or moissanite - all options are durable, hard stones. If you’re opting for mined diamonds, the stones required in a wedding band are small, so don’t put too much focus on whether the diamonds are D flawless, as the naked eye won’t be able to tell the difference.
To Eternity?
If you have an active lifestyle, we offer “half eternity” rings where the diamonds only wrap around the front of the ring – as opposed to all the way around. The back of the ring is more exposed to wear and tear from your daily life of carrying things, opening doors etc. Having the half-eternity band won’t hugely impact the look of your wedding band and also means you don’t need to worry about your ring potentially scratching, or the stones loosening in the setting.
If you already have a cluster engagement ring, or a ring with a high level of design, it's worth steering away from a wedding band with too many stones as this could take away from the beauty of your engagement ring, resulting in a cluttered look.
In the case of choosing a wedding band, there are no rules. Think about whether you want your wedding band and engagement ring to fit together seamlessly, or whether you want it to be bold enough to be worn on its own. If you have no idea what you’re looking for, and want to talk through all the possible options – book a virtual appointment with us here.
View our range of Wedding Rings