Wedding Update Wednesday: Wedding Bands

A few weeks ago Chad and I wandered into the jewelry store to get a Pandora charm for Chad's grandma, but before long we were picking out our wedding rings. While we probably didn't need to tackle this project quite yet, it's always nice to check something off the list!

I couldn't find exactly what we ended up with, but they look something like this:

A few things to keep in mind when shopping for your wedding bands:

• Your wedding rings should account for about 3% of your overall wedding budget
• Keep in mind that this is something you will be wearing for the rest of your life. Don't be afraid to think outside the box but err on the side of caution if looking at something overly trendy.
• While it is more than fine to match your wedding band to your engagement ring, as is typical, by no means do they have to match. And on that note, nor do you and your fiance's rings have to match.
• I also found this guide on Overstock.com to be helpful in terms of the types of metals you can choose from.

Finally a few notes on wedding band traditions:

• According to early Roman belief the wedding band is worn on the left ring finger as there is a vein in this finger leading directly to the heart.
• In some European countries rings are worn on the left hand prior to the marriage ceremony and then transferred to the right hand during the ceremony. "Engagement" rings for men too sounds good to me!
• Early rings were made of hemp but eventually transitioned to metal so that they would stand the test of time
• Men didn't start to wear wedding bands until around WWII. Due to the increased separation of spouses, men wanted a remind of their loved ones at home (or at least the marketing campaigns encouraging rings for men instilled this sentiment!)

Karin