You have begun your journey to ‘forever’ with your sweetheart. Both have exchanged engagement rings and you are in your pre-wedding honeymoon phase. While everyone around is busy planning and helping you for the D-day, there is a personal to-do list which you want to tick off. Ranging from a pre-wedding photo shoot to deciding on your wedding vows, there is a lot to do. So, a quick tip – always, always make a list of things you want to do and add the silliest of errand you have to carry no matter how trivial it may seem. One such important thing is to buy the wedding bands. Even though you already have an engagement ring flashing on your fingers, wedding bands have their own sentimental value and history. While the engagement ring symbolizes that you are officially ‘taken’, the wedding bands say that you are committed and taking a journey together till end of your world and beyond. Ask the following questions to make it simpler for you as to which band rings should you should purchase and how to zero-down on the one you like.

1. When should I start looking for the wedding band?

As soon as you know the wedding date. While there will be thousands of things to do, this should be on the priority list. The process is not as simple as it sounds and there are many deciding factors which take time. It is always better to begin your search early.

2. Should I go to a local jewellery or trust online stores?

Many families prefer to go to the local jeweller as they trust him with the quality. Also, your ancestors might have relied on a particular jeweller due to the certified gold they use and want the next jewellery to be purchased from the same source. In such cases, you can have an open communication with your jeweller on what type of band you are looking for. On the other hand, online jewellery stores provide a variety of wedding bands. They use a variety of gemstones and metal and make available a lot of options. Moreover, the online stores use certified metal and are pretty fair-priced.

3. Should my wedding band be similar or different from the engagement rings? Should the partners have matching bands?

This completely depends on you and your partners choice. Considering you both are going to wear your wedding bands every day, it is nice to match them. If your engagement rings match, go for different designs of wedding bands. Opt for something which will suit your partner’s style and liking. Wedding bands symbolize the everlasting bond you share, so most couples like to have similar bands. If you have diamond engagement rings, go for gold band ring and vice-versa. If not, diamond band ring make for an obvious choice. All in all, mix and match your style and engagement rings and make sure you do not exceed your budget.

4. How do I decide on the design and gem?

Ask yourself – where is your inclination? Do you like traditional designs or are you more of a lets-try-something-trendy kind? Is there anything vintage you want in your wedding band? Does your partner like diamonds, gold, other gemstones or a mix of them? This will give you a clarity on what exactly you are looking for. You can go through the online catalog for ring designs and get a fair idea of what new designs are available in the market. The latest trend demands a mix of diamonds and yellow gold, which make for amazing combinations. Also, rose gold wedding ring is absolutely in vogue. Certain online stores like Rockrush have a home trail option on their products including wedding and couple bands.

5. Size and quality – how to measure and what to choose?

You will probably know the size of the ring finger of your partner as you would have already got an engagement ring for them. If not, you can ask their family to give their proper size. The quality is of utmost importance because the ring is literally a ‘forever’ symbol of your love. Many online stores have certified jewellery which can be trusted blindly. Always ask your jeweller for the certificate mark like BIS, IGI and PGI wherever applicable.