Just about everything about your wedding is based around that single day.  The one big exception is the wedding ring that will grace your finger for years to come.  Because this piece of jewelry will be with you for ages, and possibly passed down to future generations, care should be taken to ensure you get the best that money can buy.

The first part of wedding jewelry is the all-important engagement ring.  Grooms-to-be needn’t worry about choosing something perfect for their bride; there are ways to make sure you get something she will adore.  While some couples ring shop and choose the engagement ring together, there is something especially romantic about a groom making the final decision and surprising his beloved with his gift.

If the groom isn’t certain about this task, he can ensure success by taking his bride’s mom or friend shopping for rings.  Those closest to the bride will have the inside track on her likes and dislikes like no one else.  For a true surprise, he should take one of his fiancé’s rings to the store for proper sizing before presenting her with her engagement ring.

When choosing styles of rings, both engagement and wedding, it is important to choose something that you will both like; but also something that will be comfortable and long lasting.  What this means is that trends come and go, and certain wedding rings will follow suit.  If you want to always look down at your hand and smile, choose a wedding ring in a style that will stand the test of time.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that your wedding band must be plain gold, just like your parents’.  Different metals are now used in wedding bands that are classic and modern all at once.

Yellow Gold is the most traditional metal used in wedding rings.  It symbolizes warmth and love to many.  Yellow gold is graded either 14k, 18k or 24k, with 24k being the most pure.  While most pure, 24k gold is also the softest of the three.  This is an important fact because it affects the rings durability, especially for those who work with their hands.

White Gold is super popular because it lends a neutral look and therefore blends well with all other sorts of jewelry.  White gold looks like platinum, but can be purchased for less.

Platinum is the hardest metal and also quite beautiful.  Because of the purity of platinum, it makes an ideal wedding ring metal for individuals with allergies.  However, it is a more expensive option.  So if you like platinum merely for the look but want to stay within a budget, consider white gold.

Here’s a trend that many people may not be aware of yet:  tattoo wedding rings.  While this practice is actually not new at all, it is just coming into the limelight because of the popularity of tattoos in general.  Tattoo wedding rings are perfect for those who work with machinery, or cannot wear a band at work.  They cannot get lost and show a true adventurous spirit and commitment to love.  Fingers, however, are tricky to tattoo.  Even if you find a very experienced tattoo artist, the finger may heal in a way that makes the tattoo somewhat blurry.   For this reason, designs should be carefully chosen.