So, you've just got engaged. Whether you are a man or a woman you have an important decision to make (amongst the myriad of other decisions) about men's wedding rings. It's this. Will the man in your relationship wear one?
Maybe that's you, maybe not. But you both need to think about it.
You see it's only since the Second World War that modern men have started to publicly display their marital status by the wearing of a man wedding ring.
Prior to that it was rare for a man to wear a ring when he married. Men were able to hide their marital status behind the tradition that required a woman to wear a wedding ring, but not a man.
However during the war many US soldiers chose to wear men's wedding rings as a public symbol of their marital status whilst away at war and that has started a tradition for the modern man. Now it's very common for a man to wear a men's wedding ring, perhaps the norm.
So, what decisions need to be made? Well the first is this. Will he wear one? That's probably the hardest decision in the process.
For a woman there's no decision. She's engaged, she wants the ring. For her she needs an engagement ring as well as a wedding ring, and an expensive engagement ring at that. But for a man it's not so straightforward.
So a very important part of the process is for both of you to talk about it. Do you both have strong feelings about the man wearing a man wedding ring, either one way or the other? Does the woman feel that if she is to publicly display her marital status then it's only fair that he do the same? Does he have any reservations about wearing a ring and if so what are they? You both need to talk over your feelings about the wearing of a man wedding ring. Establish the groundwork.
Once and if you have made a decision that he will wear a ring then that's just the start. It's perfectly possible to buy a his and hers matching wedding ring set. These are rings designed as matching sets for you both so that both your wedding rings go well together. So are you going to look for matching rings, or just buy him a ring and focus on hers separately?
Next you have to decide what type of ring. There's a whole world of designs for men's wedding rings out there. An enormous range of styles and materials. A man makes a statement about himself in selecting the ring he will wear for his wife, and she is a part of that statement if she is actively involved in the decision.
Think about his personality. Is he outgoing or shy? Is he outrageous or conservative? Is he flamboyant? Understated? When he buys clothes what does he select? Does he buy colorful flamboyant ties or ties which fit in with the style of the suit? Would he wear clothes, which make him stand out from the crowd, or does he prefer to meld in?
His men's wedding ring needs to fit his personality. All these characteristics, as well as many others, bear on your choice of ring. A man with a strong flamboyant personality would be much more likely to prefer a ring, which stands out. Which sets him apart from the crowd, which says "look at me". On the other hand a man with a more conservative type of personality would probably prefer to say "I'm married but I'm not going to shout it from the rooftop" with his ring.
Similarly, think about his stature. Is he short or tall? Is he large or small? Does he have long slender fingers or short stubby fingers? These characteristics also bear on the style of ring selected.
So size up the man before making a decision on the style of ring for him.
One of the most common forms of men's wedding ring is the simple band style. Often in gold or white gold, it is plain and unadorned. A simple statement of marital status and nothing else. But even amongst simple bands there are decisions to make. How wide? What color? What type of material? New materials such as Titanium or Platinum have broadened the choices hugely. Men's black Titanium rings really catch the eye.
Or amongst the more traditional materials sterling silver men's wedding rings look stunning. Or brushed men's white gold wedding rings. The range of choices now is enormous.
And it's not necessary to decide on a single material. Men's two-toned gold wedding rings, utilizing white and yellow gold, are popular. Perhaps match the ring material with gemstones such as rubies or sapphires or even diamonds to create a stunning effect.
It's perfectly possible to get custom made rings or even design them yourself. The Internet offers a big range of choices and also offers rings and other jewelry dramatically cheaper than your traditional bricks and mortar stores. Several online jewelers offer a design your own men's wedding ring service so that you can design a ring that's unique to you.
And if you want something really different why not consider Celtic men's wedding bands?
The range of choices is endless, enough to satisfy even the most discriminating couple.
And remember that for a man this ring may be the only jewelry he will ever wear. The choice of man ring that you both make is a big one.
So, now you're engaged, spend a little time thinking about what you are going to do about a men's wedding ring. Start talking about it with your partner. The more time you spend on it the happier you will be with your final choice.
Article written by Peter Crump
