Wedding Bands – A Primer

By Author: Shimon Sandler
Total Articles: 15
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The act of solemnizing a marriage is often done by exchanging wedding bands or rings. This act or tradition was originally practiced in ancient Egypt, where sections of plants were worn to symbolize love and courtship. Engagement rings were often used to symbolize love and courtship in the later days, with wedding rings being used for solemnizing their union in matrimony.

It is interesting to note that both these rings are worn, till date, on the fourth finger of the left hand. Folklore and ancient beliefs state that this finger is directly linked to the heart, as a vein from this finger directly flows to the heart. Given that engagement rings and wedding bands symbolize love, an essential emotion of the heart, wearing it on this finger is supposed to strengthen these emotions. Modern day wedding bands and engagement rings are often engraved with the date and names or initials of the couple, making it a symbol of eternal love, which is meant to be passed down for generations as family heirlooms.

Whilst traditionally, gold wedding bands were the norm, it is no longer true with these bands being available in different ...
... metals. Akin to engagement rings, wedding rings have also undergone tremendous changes, with silver, platinum as well as other alloys of metals ruling the roost along with gold rings.

Given the fact that you actually wear your wedding bands daily when compared to your engagement rings, it is important to choose the right one. In other words, most people tend to wear their wedding rings more regularly than their engagement ones. This means that although the latter is more expensive, the former has to be well chosen. Whilst choosing rings to solemnize matrimony, two factors play a significant role, the type of band you want and your budget.

Given the popularity of such bands today, you can opt from traditional and antiquated designs to contemporary ones, depending on your preferences. Simple designs are often chosen by those who are not much into jewelry, especially men. Even when opting for design bands, you can choose designs that are elegant yet beautiful like the Celtic design, hammered design, paisley or braided designs. What makes it more special today is that you need not conform to the old and antiquated designs for these bands but can actually create your own. Jewelers often help you in designing your own bands, depending on your personal preferences, budgetary and other needs, making it a great way to symbolize your marriage.

Similarly, when looking at rings for your wedding, you should ideally determine a budgetary limit and ensure that your chosen rings fit into that budget. In other words, customized designs created by world famous jewelry designers are going to be more expensive than your simple traditional bands bought from your neighborhood jeweler. Therefore, it is important to decide the exact amount you would like to spend on these bands before searching for them.

The concept of matching wedding bands is still a popular concept with most couples today. Where some couples opt for existing designs of matching bands others might want to create their unique design based on their preference. The fact that matching bands can have one ornate and the other simple, especially when creating customized design, makes designing these bands more interesting. Jewelers today are increasingly designing unique designs for couples that not only symbolize their love but also add a special touch to their union.

Another factor to be considered while selecting matching bands is whether or not these bands should match with your engagement rings. Traditionally, however, this was not the case as men chose the rings for announcing their engagement on their own. However, with changing times, most couples choose their rings, both for engagement as well as their wedding together. Hence when opting for matching bands, they prefer to ensure that the design for their bands matches with the design chosen for their engagement ring so that they truly complement one another.

With the advent of the internet, online jewelry stores are some of the hotspots for wedding jewelry shopping, including wedding bands and engagement rings. Not only do these stores offer a wide variety but some even allow you to see your customized designs before actually ordering them. With shipping being their only overhead cost, buying rings online is almost always a bargain. Moreover, this is great option for those who either do not have the time or do not like shopping in brick and mortar stores. However, if you are choosing a diamond ring and want detailed information on the 4 Cs, then it is best to visit your local jeweler.

Before buying engagement rings or wedding bands, it is always advisable to do some research. This should help you decide on the style and design of the rings or bands, the metal that you prefer as well as whether or not to use stones. Moreover, research will also help give you an idea of the pricing of these rings, which will help determine your budget. Finally, you can also decide whether you want to buy from a local jeweler or an online store.

World Jewels is an excellent website that prides on showcasing and selling the best variety of engagement rings, solitare rings, and diamond wedding bands that are the best in terms of quality and total value for money, truly a woman’s best friend.