Lovely Wedding Ring

Money issues are everywhere in society, especially when we are all living in this troubled time of recession, with job cutbacks and unemployment rising to unprecedented peaks; the desperation to save money seems to have perforated every area of society.

We all have those friends that nip to the toilet on their round at the pub, who squirm at the sight of a shared restaurant bill because you had an extra bread roll with your soup, or who will insist on wheedling some petrol money out of you for a five minute trip to the shops; these people can be infuriating at times, but it is best just to laugh at their shortcomings and try to work your friendship around it.

However, when it comes to buying wedding rings, frugality is one of the least attractive aspects of one's personality and your prospective fiancee will hardly be impressed by your money-saving techniques as you place a budget faux-bronze wedding ring on their finger.

Here in lies that age old question of how much to spend on your loved one's wedding ring; social rules will claim one set of price boundaries, whereas your heart, (or your bank balance!) will hint towards another.

The best thing to do is to use both your heart and your head; now, the fact that you love your fiancee will not be in question, as you would hardly be marrying them if you did not, so you do not need to 'flash the cash' in that sense, however, you may want to make the extra effort in order for them to know how much of a financial sacrifice you can spare.

Tradition implies that the groom should part with 3 months salary in order to purchase a wedding ring; this is a fairly good guide, but remember that is all it is, a guide; the best thing to do is for you and your fiancee to look at rings within that price bracket and if one is higher or lower, but you both feel that it is the right one, then by all means go for it.

The most important thing is that you get a wedding ring that you both love; wedding rings are not actually about money, as they are a symbol of your love and passion for each other and the unity and bond that you are about to share, so let your heart and head, not your wallet, make the choice.

The wedding ring has been a symbol of marriage and commitment through the ages. The idea of the wedding ring is thought to have originated with the Egyptians. Life revolved around the Nile, which was the source of all their daily needs. Papyrus reeds that grew along the banks of the Nile were twisted and braided into rings. These rings were worn on fingers and wrists. The ring is thought to be a representation of eternity due to its shape. The ring is in the form of a circle which does not have a beginning or end. The ring has evolved from there and today we see the ring as a sign of (hopefully) undying love.

Wedding rings have always been and still are to an extent, associated with women. Recent times have seen the rise in popularity of mens wedding rings. Before, men were relegated to don a plain gold or silver band as a sign of engagement or marriage. Now the options available have increased in terms of designs and materials. Gold and (and rarely) silver are used along with metals like platinum, palladium and titanium are used for wedding bands. Although diamonds are still considered the wedding stone, the same is not true when it comes to men. Gem stones like rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other semi-precious stones are used to adorn men's rings.

When choosing a wedding ring there are a lot of things you need to keep in mind like the metal, the stone, the carat or karat, etc. All these things can be overwhelming when you go to the jeweler to purchase the ring. Most of us are not wealthy enough to buy rings on a regular basis. So unless you deal with jewelry on a regular basis, you are not likely to be acquainted with all the terms used to describe jewelry. Here are a few points to help make the decision easier.