When it comes to wedding rings, the main details to focus on are: Material, Style and Personality.

Materials
While, for most religious wedding ceremonies, wedding rings of any material are acceptable to exchange wedding vows, most wedding rings are made of some sort of metal material. Traditionally, gold is the standard “marriage metal” but platinum is gaining great popularity because of its durability, stylish look and strength. For a less expensive solution, white gold offers the same sleek look as platinum. Still can’t choose? Modern designs of wedding rings incorporate both gold and platinum with two bands of one metal surrounding the other metal band.

Titanium, tungsten carbide (with gold or platinum inlays), stainless steel and nickel silver are starting to gain popularity too. In comparison to platinum, titanium and stainless steel are similar in durability but are more affordable and titanium has a gun-metal color to it while stainless steel can accept a finer finish. Less common are wedding rings of silver, copper, brass and other less expensive metals because they don’t last. Never purchase a ring of aluminum or any poisonous metal.

For those who are curious, wedding rings are made of combinations of metals. Usually the ring can begin as either a yellow combination of gold, copper, tin and bismuth (another type of metal element) or a white combination with gold or platinum. Be aware of one little caveat: in the past, slightly yellow white gold combinations are now replaced by a nickel-gold mix that is pretty cheap but is only covered with a thin layer of rhodium that needs reapplying after a few years.Interesting to note, titanium and tungsten wedding rings are not encouraged in the healthcare industry. Because these metals are so strong and durable, it would be difficult and too time-consuming to, if necessary in an emergency, cut off the ring. However, titanium rings are pretty easy to take off by using some of the gadgets jewelers use for rings of precious metal, essentially cutting off the ring. For tungsten rings, the jeweler’s gadgets won’t cut the ring but a plumber’s wrench can break it off.

Style
The most common style of wedding ring is the simple, plain, undecorated gold band. It is the epitome of elegance and is perfect for men because of its gender-neutral look. Usually these gold bands are flat and broader for the man, while narrow and ornate for the woman. Times are a-changing though! Nowadays, it is more acceptable for men to wear diamond wedding rings. Now, we’re not talking about a ring with a diamond jutting out like on an engagement ring. Instead, the most common look for men is the one of a broader ring with a diamond set into the ring itself. When it comes to the diamond, it can be anywhere from white, black, champagne or even yellow diamonds. Subtly is key with this one!

A twist on the classic style comes from France and other French-speaking countries: instead of a single ring, three interwoven rings are presented as one wedding ring, representing the Christian values of faith, hope and love. This type of ring is easy to put on and take off because the rings glide over each other.

Interesting and cute for the bride, Greek, Italian and Anatolian men receive puzzle rings from their brides. The puzzle rings are essentially a set of interlocked rings that the wearer must figure out to transform into just one ring. Okay so what makes these rings even more special? Women discreetly check on their men with these rings because once the wearer figures out the puzzle, it still takes a while to remove and put on the ring. Interesting method!

In some European countries and North America, married women usually wear both their engagement rings and a simple, elegant wedding ring on the same left ring finger. To make this easier, couples usually buy those two rings together to ensure a perfect fit. Some women actually wear three rings on their left ring finger from engagement ring, wedding ring to eternity ring. This style is usually for women who have been married for a long while and is more common in England.

Personality By personality, we mean finding or even creating a ring that is unique and reflects the individuality of the bride and groom. One way to give your ring more personality is to connect it directly to the heritage of the bride and/or groom. If one is of Irish or Scottish descent, Celtic wedding rings are perfect! These rings are usually engraved and boast the beautiful Celtic knot design, representing union and continuity. Some wedding rings can also include a Claddagh design to represent fertility.

Another way to achieve this personality for your ring is by engraving a special message on the ring. Jewelers can use laser engraving to put a message on the rim of a stone, on rings that open up or on the inside of the ring. This little detail can actually be more than just sentimental and cute; the engraving can serve as an identification method for security purposes. Check out our post on insurance for a wedding to find out more.

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