Picking your wedding bands seems like an easy task, but where should you start? We can help you with every step along the way. Where to look, how to budget, customizing jewelry, wait times, and more secrets are revealed in this post. Here is the inside scoop from one of our staff members who previously worked in a fine jewelry store
How to Pick Your Wedding Bands
Establish boundaries with your significant other.
This is the first and most important step in our timeline. Before you start looking for wedding bands, be sure you have a conversation about your budget, styles, financing, and the stores you want to browse. Ask your partner if you want to surprise one another or pick out your own. Communicating your strategy thoroughly before you go will ensure you have a pleasant shopping experience.
Plan your Budget.
Wedding bands can start as low as $200 and go up from there depending on if you have stones or a higher quality metal. Before you go have a talk about how much are you prepared to spend on your wedding bands. Check to see if your jewelry store has layaway or financing options.
Is there a way you can save money when purchasing?
Absolutely! Most jewelry stores have sales throughout the year where you can save a ton of money. It is also important to know, some jewelry stores spike their prices just so you can talk them down. Basically, you can ask for a lower price before you say yes to the wedding bands. It never hurts to ask your sales associate for a better deal.
Where should you look for wedding bands?
Is there a difference between purchasing your jewelry from a big box store or a small family-owned store? What about shopping online or used jewelry from a consignment store or marketplace? Each one of these options has its own pros and cons.
You can absolutely purchase a used ring, just be prepared to have it serviced or sized right away and pay out of pocket. The person you bought your ring from on the marketplace may give you the warranty paperwork that comes with the ring, but most don’t know warranties aren’t generally transferable. Do your research and ask questions to the seller before you purchase. If you are looking at an auction or antique store for your jewelry, you can purchase a diamond tester online for around $100.
What about purchasing jewelry online?
Purchasing jewelry online comes with its own set of rules. You will have to have your ring shipped to you and possibly shipped several other times for repairs if the company you purchased from offers a warranty. This means you could be without your ring for several weeks when it needs to be repaired. If they don’t offer warranties with an online purchase, be prepared to pay for repairs out of pocket. Always be sure to research the seller and company, and make sure you are buying certified diamonds.
How to pick out your wedding bands without other’s opinions on style.
Our next best tip on how to pick your wedding bands is to make sure you buy what you like and think looks good. You will be the one looking at it for years to come so make sure YOU enjoy it. Don’t allow a salesperson or your maid of honor to sway your opinion on style. Pick what you love!
Big-name jewelry stores or small family-owned jewelry stores?
This will be a personal preference, but I always find it better to shop locally. The family-owned stores generally pay their employees a better commission rate and take better care of their employees overall. Small jewelry stores generally have one or two jewelers dealing with repairs, so you know exactly who is working on your sentimental items. if you buy a mass-produced ring from a big box store, they may be less likely to repair your ring and just give you a new ring. It will look the same, but it is not the original ring you were married to. Some customers are okay with this, and others want to keep their original ring for sentimental value. It’s all up to you. No matter what, make sure you are buying certified diamonds and ask for an appraisal right away. Always keep your paperwork and take always take your jewelry in for inspections to keep your warranty valid.
Read the fine print in your warranty paperwork and ask questions.
You do not want any surprises 5 years down the road when you lose a diamond or crack a stone. What about basic maintenance such as polishing, buffing, rhodium dipping, prong repair, etc.? Please keep in mind warranties do not generally cover loss and theft. You would need to add your rings under your homeowners’ insurance to cover loss and theft.
Here are my top 5 questions to ask about warranties when purchasing jewelry:
- Does the warranty cover the diamonds, stones, and metal and how long is it good for?
- What are the conditions to keep my warranty valid?
- Is this warranty transferable?
- What repairs does the warranty cover, and does it cover materials and labor?
- Will my warranty be void if I solder rings together from different jewelry stores?
How soon should you purchase your wedding bands?
This is a quite common question we get, and the truth is you need to start earlier than you think. You may look at several stores before you pick out your wedding bands especially if you have an incredibly detailed engagement ring or you are looking for a specific type of ring.
If you have a straight band on your engagement ring you will have an easier time finding bands to match. I always suggest you start at the jewelry store your engagement ring came from because they might have a matching band for your ring.
If your engagement ring is more detailed, you might have to have a band customized. Be prepared for the cost to go up and have a longer wait time. Customized work can take 8-16 weeks to complete, and you might have to send your engagement ring in for a few weeks so they can be sure to match it. It is worth it if you have a particular taste, and they will match the diamond quality and color for you as well so your ring will look flawless.
As for the men, a lot of jewelry stores only carry stock size, and you might have to order your band if you are not a size 10 or 11. Some alternative metals cannot be resized so you must order a new one every time you need a new size.
Here is the general timeline for purchasing wedding bands:
- Customized: 8-16 weeks
- Special Order: 2-16 weeks (depending on vendor!)
- Sizing & Soldering: 2-4 weeks
You may think you only need a month or so before the wedding to shop for bands, but you should start much sooner in case you need to order something. This will keep you from feeling like you had to settle for something that was not your favorite because you were running out of time.
If you a person big on symmetry, and want two of the same bands on each side of your engagement ring, be sure to buy two matching bands right away. It is common for stores and jewelry lines to discontinue products. When you come back to purchase the other band in a few years, they may not make it anymore and you will have to pay double the price to have it customized.
Check to see if your jewelry store has a diamond trade-in program.
Some jewelry stores will let you trade-in your diamond rings for an equal value of the original purchase price towards a new ring. Keep in mind the catch is you generally must spend double what you originally spent. Meaning if you spent $1200 originally, you would have to find a new item for $2400 or over. Then you will get $1200 off that price for trading in your old jewelry. However, this is a great way to keep the cost low during the wedding planning process and in the future, you can trade in for the upgraded version that we all know you really wanted in the first place.
Have your rings and wedding jewelry cleaned the week of the wedding.
Stop in your jewelry store to have your jewelry deep cleaned and boxed. You will want to box them so it stays free of fingerprints for photos. If you must wear your rings before the big day, grab a jar of jewelry cleaner from your jeweler. It is sometimes free or low cost, and it will definitely save you in a pinch.
We hope you enjoyed our tips on how to pick your wedding bands, and you can now have a much easier experience. Be sure to have a plan before you go shopping, and always ask a lot of questions so you can keep your jewelry looking great for years to come.
All photos are from Complete Weddings + Events.