After deciding to get married, one important step to take when preparing for your big day is choosing the wedding ring.

These special symbols show your ongoing love for each other, so you’ll want to feel comfortable wearing them daily.

Before selecting your bands, ask these questions, then look forward to successful shopping.

1. What Metal Colors Do We Like?

Jewelers create wedding bands in a wide variety of colors.

Yellow, white, and rose gold are popular choices for single-color rings. When choosing a single color, consider varying the traditional styles of wedding rings for women by adding rubies, emeralds, or white diamonds.

Incorporating exterior or interior engraving by machine or hand will create a ring as unique as your relationship.

If you want to combine colors, pairing yellow with white makes a sophisticated statement. Designing a white gold or platinum band with rose gold trim offers a warm glow.

Jewelers create rose gold by blending yellow gold and copper. Shades of rose gold range from soft pink to deep red, depending on the percentage of copper jewelers use.

Adding more copper produces a deeper color. An 18K gold rose-color band contains approximately 75% gold, 22.5% copper, and a small amount of silver, which lightens the copper.

2. How Much Should We Spend?

When planning your budget, consider your ring purchase as a lifetime investment. You can expect to spend more on customized women’s and men’s wedding rings than on simple, plain gold bands.

Customizations can include adding sapphires or black diamonds to a matte finish or selecting a hammered finish that gives the band a dimpled texture.

Yellow and rose gold are less expensive than white gold, which costs less than platinum. Platinum is the world’s most rare metal, so it costs much more than the others.

Platinum rings offer resistance to tarnish and wear, and they are hypoallergenic. Their gray-white color enhances the whiteness of diamonds, and because platinum is more dense than gold, the rings feel heavier than other rings of the same size.

Jewelers charge for metal by weight, so heavier designs and wider bands are more expensive. However, wedding bands last for decades, and they don’t need much maintenance.

3. Do We Want Matching Rings?

Sets of coordinating wedding rings for couples make attractive displays, and some engaged couples love them.

Choosing a matched set can represent your compatibility and oneness. Or, you and your spouse-to-be can highlight your distinct personalities by mixing designs. You might opt for one band in yellow gold trimmed with white and the other in white gold trimmed with yellow.

Another consideration is whether you want the wedding band and engagement ring to match. Some brides choose to have the two soldered together.

Consider whether you plan to wear the engagement ring all the time. One option that offers flexibility without soldering is a shadow band, which fits an engagement ring like two pieces of a puzzle.

If you don’t want to solder the engagement and wedding rings, another option is an eternity ring featuring a circle of diamonds.

With this style, you don’t have to align the engagement and wedding band diamonds when you wear both rings.

Pay attention to how the band looks with and without the engagement ring. The appearance will guide you in choosing a wedding band design.

4. What Bands Fit Our Lifestyles?

Lifestyle can influence the style and number of wedding bands you want. If work or recreational activities involve exposing your hands to rugged conditions, consider choosing a sturdy band to meet the challenge.

A comfort-fit ring offers a slimmer profile featuring rounded edges, which works well for individuals who play musical instruments or various sports.

Consider a smooth, solid metal ring for jobs or outdoor activities requiring bare hands. You won’t have to worry about cracking or losing stones or getting dirt in crevices.

Purchasing multiple bands is another solution. You might wear a fancier gold band when you’re not on the job and replace it with a titanium ring for work.

Titanium is lightweight, yet it is the strongest metal in the world. These bands are available for men in silver and black. A wedding jewelry store in Houston offers numerous ring styles perfect for stacking or wearing solo.

5. Do We Have Allergic Reactions?

If either of you experiences allergic reactions to metals, consider a hypoallergenic alternative.

Options include platinum, and cobalt chrome, a lightweight, durable white-colored metal that costs about two-thirds less than white gold.

Black cobalt is another attractive hypoallergenic choice for men’s bands. Titanium and tungsten steel are tough, gray-toned metals offering lightweight comfort with minimal maintenance.

Once you answer these questions, you’re ready to select the perfect rings for your wedding day