15 Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Ring

Isn't the fact that your wedding ring encapsulates the moment in which you exchange vows and say your precious "I do's" so special? It's a piece of jewellery that will be cherished for the rest of your married life, and is a symbol of eternal love and happiness. It's also a symbol of the unique union and relationship that you have with your partner.

Which is why choosing a wedding ring isn't as easy as picking an outfit for a special event, or even having a final say on your dream wedding venue. It's a decision that'll influence the kind of ring that you'll love and adore forever.

So, by now, you may already have a beautiful engagement ring on your finger. This might make the wedding ring decision easier or more difficult, depending on your taste. But at the end of the day, finding a wedding ring that pairs effortlessly with your engagement ring is the ultimate goal.

For that reason, we've compiled a list of 15 important things to consider when choosing a wedding ring. This guide will help you to narrow down your choices, and give you the chance to really think about the kind of jewellery you're after.

As mentioned, if you've already been graced with an engagement ring, it may make this step a bit easier. It involves narrowing down the kind of wedding ring you're looking for.

First things first, ask yourself the following questions:

• How would you like your wedding ring to be decorated? Do you hope to have a wedding ring with diamonds or gemstones?
• What kind of material are you looking for? Rose gold? Silver? Perhaps platinum?
• Do you want your wedding band to be a simple style, or are you looking for any kind of embellishments?
• Are you and your partner looking for matching wedding rings?

Once you've answered these questions, you'll be able to gain a better idea of what you're looking for, which will ultimately help you loads in the shopping and buying process.

This of course depends on you and your partner, but if you have a very specific vision in mind, perhaps buying your engagement ring and your wedding ring at the same time may be the best idea.

This way, you can narrow down your favourite ring attributes, and make sure to get an engagement and wedding ring that pairs together effortlessly.

If you're set on going this route, you can ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you planning on wearing both your engagement ring and your wedding ring at the same time? If yes, you will have to put in some thought as to how the two rings will match together.
• Are you planning on only wearing your wedding ring? If so, perhaps you'd like a wedding ring that is more intricate.
• Do you want a gorgeous sparkling engagement ring and a simple wedding ring to match?

If you have a very specific design in mind, and are consulting a jeweller who is helping you to achieve this design, you should give yourself at least six months in which to have your wedding ring prepared. The truth is, choosing a wedding ring requires a lot of time, patience, and thought, and there may be nothing worse than feeling rushed when it comes to being ready for your big day.

On the other hand, you may find online wedding ring stores that will allow you to design your own special wedding ring and have it delivered within a few weeks.

Then, when it comes to wedding ring engravings, you may want to set aside additional time. This is because some jewellers may take up to one month to get an engraving complete.

Read in our guide how you find the perfect wedding ring engraving.

Something that could cause a bit of stress on brides and grooms-to-be is if they believe that their wedding rings should match. Of course, if this is something that both you and your partner want, then that's perfectly fine and both rings will surely look beautiful together.

But if you're more inclined to choosing different wedding rings that fit you and your partner's individual styles respectively, that is totally okay too.

There's no rules when it comes to choosing your wedding ring style, and the main thing is that both partners have a ring that's not only special to them, but also comfortable.

Yearning for a wedding ring is one thing, sticking within your budget is another. We strongly suggest setting your budget before ring shopping as to avoid disappointment.

A simple yet gorgeous platinum wedding ring can be an affordable option, but once you start looking into embellishments and engravings, the price can go up considerably. Keep this in mind when deciding on a wedding ring budget.

Tip: A rule of thumb is that around three percent of a wedding budget is usually used on the rings.

And did you know? AURONIA offers a free engraving service for your rings.

While you may have had elaborate thoughts and wishes about your wedding day since you were a kid, daydreaming of a big shiny ring, it's important that you are grounded when it comes to choosing your wedding ring.

Take into account your general fashion style and lifestyle when ring shopping, as your wedding ring is a piece of jewellery that you'll be wearing for the rest of your life.

For example, if your job or your favourite hobby requires you to use your hands a lot, a solid metal ring that doesn't have (many) embellishments may be the right fit for you.

Additionally, if you don't fancy looking like a fish fresh out of water, consider choosing something that suits your style and personality.

Another thing to consider here is the long term. While you can always change or alter your wedding ring, the one you choose now should hopefully be something that you'll still absolutely adore in say 40 years.

The shape and size of your finger, of course, will have the biggest influence on your wedding ring size. So if you have a more tapered finger, then finding a snugger wedding ring is advised. This is because it is a lot easier for a wedding ring to fall off on a tapered finger.

If a wedding ring goes above the knuckle but shows potential to slide, you could incorporate a few add-ons, such as sizing beads. These will go on the bottom inside of the ring, and will help to keep the ring in place.

Apart from that, here are a few other things to note:

• A thicker wedding band will run smaller than a thinner wedding band.
• Remember to keep international sizing in mind, as they may differ from country to country.
• Measure your wedding ring finger in the middle of the day to gain an accurate size (this is when your body temperature is most natural).

You can try the Paper Technique, which is when you wrap a thin piece of paper around your ring finger, close to the knuckle, at the position you're likely to wear your ring. Allow it to feel comfortable. Then, use a pencil to mark the overlapping paper. Take this length and compare it to the wedding ring size guide.

You can also order one of our free ring sizers to find your ring size. You do not have to send this back to us either.

The design of your wedding ring will dictate how much maintenance you'll need to undergo to keep it looking shiny, clean, and beautiful.

For example, if you choose a ring with stones, you would use a mixture of warm water and soap, then a soft toothbrush to clean it with care. If too much pressure is used, there is a possibility that the stones may come loose.

In this case, you are looking at more ring maintenance than if you were to choose a gold or platinum ring, which simply needs to be rubbed with a lint-free cloth.

Choosing a wedding ring should be a fun and exciting experience. And you can enhance the buying process in a number of different ways…

For example, if you're more comfortable with having a jeweller come to your home, you can most certainly request it. Alternatively, the visit to the jeweller in itself can be a fun activity to do with your partner.

If you're not a big fan of in-person meetings, you can buy your wedding ring online. For some, the process of "window shopping" and exploring online is more exhilarating, and can be done in the comfort of your own home, at any time.

Choosing your wedding ring is also an intimate and special thing to share with your partner, so why not allow the experience to be something both of you can enjoy?

If you're a lover of all things "online" there are a couple of perks available to you. For one, some online jewellery stores offer wedding ring configurators that you can play around with in your own time.

In this way, you can customise your dream wedding ring by choosing every single aspect from a list. From the material, additional add-ons, band width etc. you can take a look at various kinds of designs and materials.

This is not only a fun process in itself, but will also help you to visualize and get closer to finding the perfect ring.

If you were the one who was proposed to, and your fiancé surprised you with an engagement ring, now is the time for you to shine! You may not have had control over what your engagement ring looks like, but you surely do have the ability to choose a wedding ring that is exactly what your heart desires.

For that reason, use your time wisely. Read up about, look at, and try on various rings and allow yourself this special time to find something that you truly love. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and a piece of jewellery you'll be wearing forever… make it count.

When it comes to your engagement and wedding ring, there really are no rules. You can literally choose and wear whatever makes your heart happy.

But, professionals do have a few guidelines for soon-to-be-married individuals to consider:

• Engagement rings and wedding rings that are of the same width tend to go together more than those that are two different widths.
• Try to incorporate at least one thing in both rings. For example, the shape, metal, stones, or design is similar or the same in both rings.

If you're somewhat worried about your wedding ring becoming too big or too small later on, it is almost always possible to have the ring re-sized. In fact, it's quite normal to have a wedding ring re-sized two or three times. This doesn't mean that a re-sizing doesn't take some kind of toll on the metal in question though.

Additionally, certain kinds of wedding rings are a little trickier to re-size than others. For example, an eternity band (one that has diamonds or gemstones that cover the entire surface of the ring) is much harder to re-size, and can usually only go up or down about a quarter of the size.

When faced with too many choices and opinions, it's easy to become lost and overwhelmed. Which is why it's recommended to include only a few of your nearest and dearest in your wedding ring decision-making process.

Once you begin asking every person you meet what their thoughts are, you are bound to have mixed feelings and perhaps change your mind a few times.

If this is the case, remember that a wedding ring is a personal decision and that everyone has their own taste and preferences. What one friend may adore might not be your style, and that is okay. The design of your wedding ring is completely up to you.

By now, hopefully you have some clarity when it comes to choosing your wedding ring. And once you're ready to make the final decision, remember that taking out wedding ring insurance is always a good idea.

You too can include your engagement and wedding rings on your household insurance, which can protect you if they ever get stolen or go missing.

Ready to find your perfect piece of jewellery that'll signify two beautiful people coming together? Remember to enjoy the process and cherish every minute, because your love story really is one-of-a-kind.