6 wedding ring shopping tips to help you find the perfect ring

Did the love of your life recently get down on one knee, are you sitting on cloud nine and does your wedding date slowly but steadily come closer? In the hectic chaos of organizing a wedding, one would almost forget to buy wedding rings. A small – yet greatly important – detail to provide the big day with an extra dose of romance since you will carry you wedding rings with you for the rest of your life as a symbol of your love. No better place and time than International Wedding Day on February 8^th to pick you own wedding ring. We gladly give you some tips and advice to browse through the enormous amount of wedding rings. For a ring needs to fit you, your loved one and your story.

1. Let the search begin

First things first, looking for a wedding ring shouldn’t be a last-minute quest. If you’re planning your wedding day, start looking for the perfect rings about four to six months in advance. By doing so, a handmade and self-designed model can be pre-designed and can still be adjusted. Did you choose a pair of rings from a standard collection, it will take approximately one month and a half to customize, personalize and engrave them. Is the ring still too big or too small? There is still enough time left to send it back for corrections. However, the general rule says: the more personal the ring, the earlier you need to start. Did you dawdle while choosing a wedding ring? No worries, plenty of couples adjust their wedding rings after the wedding.

2. Match made in heaven

There is an abundancy of wedding ring collections. You can find rings in any color, size, material or design. But more importantly, when you start your wedding ring quest, you need to decide if you want a matching set of rings or not. Would you like the same design your partner has or do you choose a more personal approach and opt for a unique design that fits your own taste, style, lifestyle and skin type? More than ever, we notice the trend of couples with authentic wedding rings that don’t exactly match, but are close to their own character and taste. Do you both choose for completely different ring styles but do you want to make a compromise and adjust them to make them look like one another? Ask your jeweler or goldsmith what your options are. Make also sure your wedding ring matches your engagement ring to make them look like a coherent whole. Do you have a clear idea of what you want? Take pictures of your favorite designs to your jeweler or goldsmith and don’t forget to mention product numbers. By doing so, they are able to envision whether a wedding ring is the perfect fit for you.

3. Material and color

Wedding rings are most often made of noble metals. Not entirely illogical since noble metal is sustainable and strong and it beauty can last a lifetime. The perfect material for jewelry that is worn day in, day out, till death do you part. Do you prefer the most well-known noble metal gold? Than Ines Bouwen offers you the choice between 18 karat white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and unique champagne gold.

The color that fits you best, depends on your skin tone and skin type, yet warm and soft champagne gold matches with almost anyone. Do you need some inspiration? Take a quick look in our wedding ring gallery. However, a wedding ring doesn’t need to be made out of gold. If you’re not big on the material or if it doesn’t fit your budget, jewelers have plenty of other options: from platinum to silver, titanium or even stale or stoneware.

4. Decide on a budget

Not the most romantic aspect of choosing your wedding ring, yet while the amount of rings is endless your budget necessarily isn’t. Wedding rings are often last on the to-do list of future brides and grooms. Therefore, the budget that is left, is sometimes quite limited, while – besides pictures – a wedding ring is the only physical memory of your special day, the unforgettable party you threw and the love you feel for each other. Consequently, setting aside a budget that feels good for the both of you is important. Let us warn you however. While many rings might look identical, there can be a huge difference in price because of the material and personalized extras. The more unique the wedding ring is, the higher the price tag that comes with it, and the sooner you start your search for the perfect ring, the sooner you’ll see what’s in your range.

5. Say it with a personal engraving

Personal and intimate engravings are definitely the ultimate personal touch to your wedding rings. With a hand-engravement or – cheaper- laser engravement the in- and outside of your wedding rings can be customized and finished off to your taste. In the Netherlands and Belgium, couples often opt or the inscription of the wedding date and names. In Belgium, newlyweds often combine the two first names and the date of their special day, while in the Netherlands only the name of the partner is engraved next to the wedding date. However, the possibilities are endless. A personal love note, a quote that symbolizes your relationship, your heartbeat, a nickname or the lyrics of your opening dance can top your ring and love. Or eternalize your fingerprint or handwriting with a nice engravement.

6. Right or left hand?

Did you find a jeweler and did you finally decide on a ring style you both like? Than you only need to decide on the hand you want to wear you ring on. Conventionally a wedding ring is worn on the ring finger of the left hand, since this is closer to the human heart. Countries like France, Italy, Scotland, the United States, Sweden and Belgium are proponents of this catholic tradition. However, there are many differences in our country. In the East and West of Flanders, tradition states that the ring needs to be worn on the left hand. In Antwerp, Flemish Brabant and Limburg they prefer wearing the wedding ring on the right hand, like Brazil and many other South-American countries. Take into account that your wedding ring will last longer when you wear it on your non-dominant hand.

Now, you may kiss the bride/groom!