In the past there has been little to say about men’s wedding rings, as they have generally been fairly simple affairs; a plain and relatively low cost gold or silver band that sometimes even comes for free with the bride’s ring. Recently however, grooms wedding rings have become more elaborate in design, that is, of course, if the groom chooses to wear one in the first place.
Should Men Wear Wedding Rings?
Although the exchange of rings has only been a standard part of the marriage ceremony for the last forty years or so, the tradition of married men wearing a ring had been around for much longer.
If your fiance really doesn’t want to wear a wedding ring, you will probably have to respect that, but you could always suggest that he has one for the wedding itself, and perhaps to keep and wear on special occasions. If, on the other hand your husband-to-be hasn’t made up his mind whether he wants to wear a ring or not, here are some of the reasons you could give to convince him that he should:
A physical reminder of you
When you and your husband need to be apart for any reason, be it at work during the day, or for a longer period of time, your wedding rings act as a reminder of each other, and every time he looks at his ring he will think of you. In some ways your wedding rings are a physical connection between the two of you, as long as you are both wearing them.
A symbol of his love and commitment
A wedding ring is an outward sign of your husbands inner feelings for you, and by getting married and wearing a ring he is expressing those emotions publicly.
A sign he’s unavailable
If someone takes a fancy to man they believes is single, they are perfectly entitled to make a move on him. It can be very awkward and embarrassing for both parties if it then turns out that the man is married. Something as simple as wearing a wedding band can avoid this type of situation as it is a clear sign that your husband is not available.
Trends in Groom’s Rings
Traditionally a groom’s wedding ring has been a simple gold or silver band. However, as it becomes more fashionable for men to wear jewellery, wedding ring designs are becoming more elaborate and stylish. Here are three key trends in male wedding rings:
Mixed metals
A very fashionable choice for modern grooms is to have a combination of metal bands making up their wedding ring. Silver and gold, two tones of gold, or brushed and polished platinum are combined to create a striped effect, adding interest to the classic wedding band.
Brushed platinum
From a practical point of view, brushed platinum is the perfect material for a groom’s ring as it is durable and hardwearing, and does not mark or tarnish easily. It is a popular choice for men that do a lot of manual work where a softer metal ring could easily be damaged. It also gives a very masculine look for those that are worried a polished ring could look too feminine.
Diamonds
Perhaps grooms are rebelling against the majority of the ring budget being spent on the bride, because many are now choosing to incorporate diamonds into their wedding rings. Most are still understated with perhaps a line of tiny diamonds around the centre of the ring, or a single square diamond embedded into the band so that it is flush with the surface.
