ring... WITH THIS The custom of exchanging wedding rings dates back 5,000 years to ancient Egypt, and is still a custom today’s couples rarely, if ever, compromise on. The circular shape of the band, representing eternity, is thought to symbolise everlasting love. As we do now, the ancient Egyptians wore their wedding rings on the third finger of the left hand, the one believed to hold the vena amoris, or vein of love, connecting directly to the heart. With yet another important buying decision ahead of you, we’ve put together our ultimate guide to shopping for your wedding rings ensuring your own symbol of the eternal love the two of you share will be something that brings joy to your heart. AN INVESTMENT FOR LIFE As with any element of your wedding day, decide first how much of your budget you want to invest in your wedding rings, or indeed if this will even be part of your big-day funds – perhaps you have a separate pot? After all, unlike many features of your big day, which will come and go, these will be with you for life. The average cost of wedding rings in the UK is around £950 but ultimately what you end up spending depends on a number of factors including materials and whether you decide to go bespoke or readymade, which we’ll address shortly. But, what you’re really investing in is the metal your rings are crafted from, everything else is down to your preferences. It’s the metal though that will decide whether your rings last a lifetime or barely make it to your first anniversary! TEST YOUR METAL While the ancient Egyptians wore rings fashioned of woven reeds or leather, with other early examples being crafted from iron, the best advice we can offer you today is to opt for the best quality metal you can afford at the time. Most people never take their wedding rings off, so consider the amount of wear and tear they’ll be enduring. Do you have a manual job that involves working with your hands? If so, we recommend looking at the hardest metals out there for your wedding ring – titanium, platinum and tungsten carbide (known for being highly resistant to scratching) are your go-tos. The metal your engagement ring is crafted from will also be a deciding factor, as your wedding ring will need to be made from the same to avoid uneven wear. Yellow gold has traditionally been the most popular choice for wedding bands with its history dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome. It’s not for everyone though, so if you’re not typically a yellow gold wearer, look into beautiful alternatives such as white gold, rose gold or our hard-wearing friend, platinum. You may even decide to go off piste and explore other materials such as wood. READY MADE When you start shopping for your wedding rings, you’ll find you have a choice of two main options to take: buying from a jeweller’s readymade collections or going bespoke. The main high-street brands might be your first port of call when it comes to shopping ready-made, although your local, independent, family-favourite will likely have a core range for you to look at too. Here, there’ll be a wide range of styles to suit most preferences. You may decide on a plain, classic band to keep your engagement ring centre stage, or perhaps you’d prefer to create similarities between the two by choosing a diamond-set wedding band. You’ll want to find something that complements your engagement ring, rather than competes with it, so bear in mind band width, profile, materials and colour. Most importantly, look for a ring to suit your style. Some trending themes to look out for are eternity rings featuring a continuous circle of gemstones, channel set rings, shaped designs and oh-so modern textured or patterned metals. Jennifer Kalenberg on Unsplash Jeongim Kwon on Unsplash Our ultimate wedding ring buyer’s guide JEWELLERY & ACCESSORIES 31
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