Whether you’re a romantic or a pragmatist, buying a wedding ring will take you out of your comfort zone. It’s one of the major decisions that you have to make as a future husband or wife. For most couples, the price of the wedding rings is 3% of the total budget of their wedding. A wedding ring is a big deal since you’re hoping to wear it for the rest of your life.
There are plenty of wedding rings to choose from. You can opt for silicone rings for women, platinum, or gold rings. You can go with precious metals such as gold and silver. You can have it with a diamond, or you can have it plain. There is no hard-and-fast rule on choosing the right wedding rings for you and your partner. It all depends on these four things: price, preference, lifestyle, and quality.
Price
A simple wedding band for men will cost about $350 to $550. Depending on the style and the materials used, a pair of wedding rings can set you back by at least $500 to $2,000. A plain wedding ring made of 14K white or yellow gold will have a starting price of at least $250. A platinum wedding band is priced around $850. If you want a shinier ring, an 18K white or yellow gold will cost roughly between $600 and $1,000. But if you want the rings to have good quality diamonds, these will cost more, of course. A 1/5 CTW diamond costs about $250 each.
Preference
What do you prefer? This is an important question that often gets ignored by the couple. You need to choose rings that you will want to see on your fingers for years to come. Do you want one with diamonds? Do you want a plain band? Do you prefer gold over platinum? How about silver or silicone? If your tastes are more traditional, you might want to go with a ring made of gold. But if you’re more modern, you can check out platinum bands.
There are many styles of wedding rings—semi- and full eternity bands, comfort-fit bands, black diamond bands, and two-tone bands. You won’t have a hard time finding something that fits your personality. All you have to do is to spend enough time shopping for the ones you want.
Lifestyle
Do you work with your hands? Are you a nurse, caregiver, teacher, or therapist? If you work a lot with your hands, you might want to rethink your choice of getting a wedding band that has elevated diamonds. This might cause accidents in the future. You may unintentionally scratch your patient or lose the stone while you’re cooking a big pot of stew.
It’s important to ask yourself if, in your line of work, you would have to remove your ring. If you’re into sports and the like, that might force you to take off your ring. This opens up the possibility of losing it, so why not wear a simple band instead?
Quality
Wedding bands are investments. Make sure that you are buying from a trusted jeweler. It doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune on the ring, but it ensures that you’re getting good-quality ones. You might also want to look for a jeweler that only sells conflict-free diamonds, which means that they were mined ethically. You should also look for one that offers a certificate of authenticity and have hassle-free return policies.
Choosing a wedding band is one of the major decisions that you have to make even before you get married. It’s a test of your camaraderie and teamwork. Use this opportunity to learn how to compromise, listen, and consider your partner’s choices.