How to Shop for Your Wedding Bands

Your engagement ring has been the center of attention for a few months now, but soon you’ll be adding a new ring to your finger! Wedding bands complete your ring aesthetic and not to mention it’s the final component of transitioning from a fiancé to wifey. But where to begin – how to shop for your wedding bands?

Unless you’ve been Pinteresting your favorite wedding bands—it may be scary walking into a jewelry store without knowing what you’re looking for. That’s why we spoke with Lauren at Casa Leon Jewelers, a well-renowned Central Florida wedding jeweler to talk about all things wedding bands.

Where to Begin Shopping For Your Wedding Bands

When you’re ready to start shopping for wedding bands the first thing you should do is start to pull inspiration from what you like and your favorite styles. Also, look for rings that complement your engagement ring.

What metal is your engagement ring? Do you want stones in your band? What’s your budget for wedding bands? What do you and your partner do for a living? A lot of people in high-intensity fields prefer silicone bands over soft metal bands. There’s a lot to think about and discuss with your partner before walking into a jewelry store.

Wedding Band Options

Metals

Yellow, white and rose gold are the most common metals that we see. But there are other alternatives such as tungsten, titanium, tantalum, platinum, and silicone. Most brides chose the same metal that’s in their engagement rings, but that doesn’t mean that the engaged couples need to get the same type of ring.

Another thing to keep in mind when selecting your metal is that these rings are meant to last a lifetime. If you work with your hands, consider a stronger metal or material. A precious metal wedding band can last a lifetime if properly taken care of and checked by a jeweler at least twice a year.

• Yellow gold is the staple gold color that has a yellow hue.
• Rose gold is a blend of yellow gold and copper, giving it a pink tone.
• White gold is a blend of yellow gold and silver, giving it a silver tone.
• Platinum has the same color as silver but is much more durable.
• Tungsten can be either a silver color or black and is 10x stronger than gold.
• Tantalum is a very rare blue-gray metal and is hypoallergenic, so it’s a great option for someone with metal allergies or sensitive skin.
• Titanium can look dark gray/silver and is one of the toughest elements on the planet, which means that your wedding rings will last for a lifetime.

Styles

Your style plays a huge role in the type of wedding band you look for. Many couples utilize the addition of stones and gems to make their wedding bands more unique. After you choose your metal base you should start to ask yourself if you want a ring with stones and what kind of stones. And while pavé (small line of stones along the band) styles are most common, the stones can become loose and fall out over time especially if you have an active lifestyle (that’s why we highly recommend getting a jewelry warranty on your ring—ask your jewelry specialist about this!).

The next thing to consider is what type of fit you’re looking for. If the inside of the ring is rounded this is called a comfort fit. While non-comfort fit has a flat inner surface that fits snugly against the finger.

You can also customize your wedding band even further by adding a personalized engraving to the band. Most people put an engraving or etching on the inside of the band, but adding a little personalization to any part of the ring can turn your ring into a piece of art.

Depending on your engagement ring, you may need a curved or custom band that lays flush (next to) your ring.

Size

To determine your finger size you will have to get it sized at a jewelry store or purchase a kit from Amazon! For the engagement ring, many guys make the mistake of bringing in their significant other’s ring that they wear on their right hand, and the right and left hands are not the same sizes. Our advice is to buy the ring at the standard finger size of 6 and after the proposal let your jeweler size it.

Customized Rings

If you’ve searched and searched for your ideal ring and still have not found what you’re looking for then you should consider a customized ring. A true custom ring takes 4-6 weeks. At Casa Leon we offer in-house custom design from start to finish. First, our jeweler creates a Computer Aided Design (CAD) on our state-of-the-art computer. The client then receives renderings of the piece. Once approved we 3-D print it into a wax. The client then can see it, feel it and try it on. Make sure it’s perfect. Then we cast the wax into a metal. Once it’s cast our jeweler goes to work with his magic and brings the piece to life!

Pick the Right Jeweler

When you’re purchasing a new home you tend to shop around for a realtor that fits what you’re looking for don’t you? This should be the same when purchasing a ring. You need to shop around for a jeweler to find a place that has the style of ring you’re looking for and the best prices. Some questions to ask your jeweler include; Do you offer free cleaning and checks on the rings? Do you have a jeweler on site? How long does it take for a ring sizing? How long have they been in business? What are their google rating and reviews? Do they offer custom rings?

How to Shop for Your Wedding Bands FAQ

When should you buy your wedding bands?

We always recommend starting ring shopping as early as possible. Wedding bands should be shopped for at least 6 months before the wedding. This is not something to put at the bottom of your wedding “to-do” list. It’s one of the most important purchases and it’s something you wear every day forever. If you wait too long you could end up with a ring you don’t truly love, over-paying and possibly risking the ring not coming in time for your special day. You want to place your order at least a couple of months before the big day so you have some cushion time for any customizations, engraving, resizing, or exchanges that need to be made. Don’t look at ring shopping as a chore—make it an experience. The more time you have to figure out what looks and feels good, the better your chances of selecting something you love. Remember that your wedding band is a symbol of your forever…Pick your date then pick your band.

Who buys the rings?

Wedding bands should be shopped together since the surprise of the engagement ring has already taken place. Shopping for rings together is exciting and most couples want their spouse’s input and advice.

How much should you spend on wedding bands?

The average wedding band can range from $800 to $2,000 each. It really depends on the type of ring you’re looking for and how many details (stones, metals, customizations) go into the rings.

Should you buy engagement and wedding rings at the same time?

Though buying the engagement ring and wedding band together ensures it’s a perfect match, it’s traditional to buy the rings at two separate times. Some brides do like the fact that their band is already taken care of.  It’s a personal preference.

Can rings be modified?

Most rings can be modified, even eternity bands (bands that have stones all the way around) if you go to the right jeweler!

How do you take care of wedding bands?

We recommend that you take your engagement and wedding rings to the jeweler for a routine polish and cleaning. The jewelers will also check for missing stones and worn-down prongs. Tip: Bring your rings in a few days before the wedding to make sure it’s sparkling with beauty on your special day!

Now, you know exactly how to shop for your wedding bands.

Rings, though they are small, are a huge investment. Not just financially, but these rings will represent your lifelong commitment. Be sure to stop by Casa Leon Jewelers with one of the largest selections of wedding bands right in the heart of Orlando!