WHO NEEDS A WEDDING BAND ANYWAY?

Ahh, the good ole days. How times have changed.

When I first started in the jewelry industry 29 odd years ago, things were so different back then. Guys would come into a jewelry store and pick out a wedding set for the woman of their dreams.

They would spend time picking out the perfect bridal set. Back then, most wedding sets were what they would call 2-piece; that’s an engagement ring and a wedding band.

Two rings:

The two rings would then fit together, usually interlocking, to form a beautiful design of diamonds and sparkle.

Rings were made back then to split apart the design. So when you were engaged, the ring would look like only half a ring. Not until you were actually married did the rings unite to form the finished product.

It always evoked an “I can’t wait to get married” anticipation.

Fiancees would be giddy for a year or two until the bond was finally made and their rings (along with them) became one again.

I miss those days. I often think:

“What the hell happened?”

Because now, things are so different. Women now come in with their man to shop. They pretty much tell the man which ring to buy (or sometimes if the guy is lucky, a choice of two rings!).

Now the ONLY surprise is WHEN she’ll get it!

Things have become too materialistic!

And here I was thinking it was all about love…

Just look at what the trend has become. It’s getting harder and harder to find a wedding set on the market. Seriously! Most jewelers are now carrying what they call a ‘one piece‘. It’s a ring that stands for both the engagement ring and the wedding ring all rolled into one.

You really want the whole finished look now?

These ‘one piece‘ wedding rings give you the entire package right now. The whole finished look. You no longer have to wait patiently for THE BIG DAY!

Maybe you’ll get lucky and find one of those wedding sets where the wedding band is just a little sliver of gold fitted up against the engagement ring? (see photo)

Shadow Bands:

Those little thing bands are called ‘shadow bands‘. They don’t really change the look of the ring, their main purpose is for “tradition only.” It’s just basically saying, “Yes I have a wedding band.” No other reason.

I always laugh at that.

So why bother? That little thin piece of metal is the incentive to get married? BAH! It’s silly! Women get the everything now and aren’t concerned about the little itty-bitty band.

What do I have to say about all of this? Bull-dookey! Bring back the surprise and romance of getting Engaged. First off, don’t take her shopping…

It’ll ruin the surprise!

If you really want to get her involved, do this: Go out and buy her the biggest, prettiest, highest-quality diamond that you can afford. Have it set in a standard simple tiffany-style engagement ring (See rings here).

Find a unique way to propose and give it to her. You’ll be happy you did so. These are things that she’s been looking forward to her whole life. Don’t take that away from her.

Have her then help decide upon the actual wedding band. She’ll be ecstatic that it was a surprise. Her girlfriends will be blown away. She’ll be excited that she gets to pick out the style and setting. And she’ll love you for not ruining the romance.

And if you can sway her into getting a wedding set that actually looks like 2 pieces until the wedding day, all the better!

It’ll have a much stronger and more beautiful meaning.

And with this ring, she will always say “I DO!“

Cheers! :)