The Wedding Bands, significance and selecting - Artistique Photography by Nicolette

The Wedding Bands

 

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The wedding ring has symbolised love and devotion throughout the ages and has changed over the ages so that it looks more beautiful today.  The circle of the ring means “forever” and often a marriage celebrant will explain the significance of the wedding ring when it is being placed on the ring finger during the ceremony.  Many couples will have the inside of their wedding rings engraved with perhaps initials and a date, and my wedding ring has our initials and date engraved inside. 

 

You may wonder why the third finger of the left hand is the traditional finger for the wedding ring to be worn and it is because of a belief that the vein in the third finger of the left hand moves straight from the heart, so women would wear their rings close to their heart.

 

 You may decide as quickly as I did when I chose my wedding band on a trip to Hawaii three months before we were married.  I went into Na Hoku Jewellers in Maui (fabulous shop – Google it!), and my eyes immediate fixed on a beautiful gold wedding band engraved with the Maile vine leaf.  I asked the significance of the leaf and was told that it symbolises “respect and honour” and that the vines were often used to bind the hands of the bride and groom at the marriage ceremony symbolising their commitment to each other. 

 

There are a variety of choices when you decided to select your engagement and wedding rings, ranging from Gold, White Gold, Platinum, Titanium.

 

 

I have listed a few tips to consider when selecting your rings:

Gold

Gold in its pure state of 24 caret, is thought to be too soft for every day practical use and is often alloyed with other metals which increase its durability.  Gold rings when manufactured are coated with rhodium, another white metal and this is similar to platinum and also includes its white colour.

 

Titanium

Titanium is very strong and there are three colours available which are silver grey, blue moon and sunburst.  Often you will see titanium wedding rings with a striped inlay of either silver or gold and perhaps diamonds added.

 

Platinum

Platinum is very long wearing and is a white metal and is made in approximately 95% of its pure form, it does not need to be rhodium plated like Gold.

 

Finger types and what suits you best

Long fingers will suit a flowing design, not being too restricted and if you have short fingers then a slimmer straight wedding band would best suit you.  I have noticed that white and gold wedding rings are becoming more popular with men’s rings.   Yellow or white gold looks good on olive skin tone and white gold looks best on very fair skin.