The Complete Guide to Custom Wedding Rings

Published by Claire Gould on January 21, 2019January 21, 2019

Header image credit – Emily Black Photography

Choosing an engagement ring is a massive deal – it has to be perfect, and whether your guy chooses the ring or you head to the shops together after he’s popped the question, it’s a biggie! In contrast, shopping for your wedding rings (often simpler designs than your engagement ring) is a quieter affair for you both. While the engagement ring can be taken as an independent piece of jewellery, most of us want a wedding ring which goes with our engagement ring AND matches the one on our partner’s finger. That’s why so many people are now deciding to design their own.

So how do you go about designing the perfect wedding rings? Where do you even start?

What You Need to Know About Creating Your Own Custom Wedding Rings

The thing about wedding rings is they’re the one thing you own that you will wear for the rest of your life. They’re heirlooms and created to last, so it pays to put time into your early choices.

The Prep

For ladies, it’s a good idea to start by looking at your engagement ring. If you’re wearing two rings, you need to know that they will fit comfortably. You don’t want a design that could see your flesh being pinched between two inharmonious bands. You also don’t want designs that clash. You’ll be looking at these rings every day for years and years to come, so they need to be visually congruous. These are the questions you should be asking yourself:

1. What metal would you like?

Do you want it to match your engagement ring, or contrast with it? As a couple, are you looking for twin wedding bands, or do want something that reflects your individual tastes – rose gold vs platinum, and could you compromise with a twining mix? You don’t only need to consider your preferred colour, but the style of the ring – some metals are heavier than others – and your budget.

2. Plain or ornate?

There is an assumption that wedding bands need to be plain, but there’s no reason why they can’t be ornamented. You might like smaller stones to match or compliment your engagement ring. Men are now often looking for something a little different – not necessarily gems, but an intricate design, like this stunning a steampunk-themed band. The beauty of bespoke wedding rings is that you can have what YOU like. There are no rules.

3. Will the style last?

Everything moves in trends, so while you might think a snake coated in hot pink gems looks amazing now, are you still going to want to wear it on your finger in 15-, 25- or 40-years’ time? If you are, then great, we’ll find a way to make it work for you. If you have doubts, then tone it back a bit. You can always add to it in future years

4. What does your lifestyle demand?

If you work with your hands and don’t want to be endlessly removing your ring, a plainer design may be better for you, being less prone to damage. Likewise, if you’re sporty or play an instrument, you need a design that doesn’t inhibit movement. Finally, think about how much maintenance you’re prepared to do. Stones require much more TLC than a simple gold band.

The Process

The actual creation of bespoke wedding rings is the easy bit from your point of view, because you can just leave it all to us. Once you’ve arranged your design consultation, we’ll take all of your ideas to create a series of possibilities. Producing detailed CAD drawings, we’ll set your imaginings down on paper, so you can see exactly what your rings could look like, enabling you to tweak and change, or start again before anything is set in metal. Once you’ve reviewed your design and are ready to proceed, we’ll give you another chance to make sure that you’re 100% happy, by producing photo-realistic renders. Then we’ll begin to craft it. Crafting usually takes 4-6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the design.

Any wedding rings you choose – whether bespoke or off the peg – will be special to you. But, in creating something original, you are creating an heirloom. Not necessarily something of astonishing monetary value, but of immense and personal emotional value. Your rings will tell a story of their own, not just of unwavering commitment, but of the effort you’re prepared to bring to that commitment. It’s a way of telling your story, your way.

If you dream of wedding rings that are beautiful, bespoke and utterly you, please visit our website or call Durham Rose to arrange a design consultation: 0203 627 7368.