How To Pick a Wedding Band That Complements The Engagement Ring

A complimentary wedding band will enhance the beauty of your engagement ring without stealing the spotlight. Like your engagement ring, your wedding band should reflect your personality and fit your lifestyle.

There are so many considerations when choosing a wedding band – the metal, gemstone color, cut, profile, comfort, and design elements. Matching your wedding band with the engagement ring is yet another challenge.

Thankfully, we live in the internet era, and you can draw inspiration online. Do research, use creativity, and follow your heart to find the right wedding band to match your engagement ring.

Choosing a Metal

You can’t go wrong with a wedding band from the same metal as your engagement ring. Rings from the same material always look classic and elegant.

However, this isn’t a universal rule. Firstly, the metals don’t have to be the same chemically. For instance, rhodium-plated white gold is nearly indistinguishable from platinum.

Secondly, you can get creative and mix different metals for a modern look. The most common combination is white and yellow gold, but some brides mix white, yellow, and rose gold.

Sterling silver, palladium, and platinum look stylish with tungsten and titanium, while damask steel is great for platinum and any gold type.

When mixing different metals, remember to keep it simple. The more colors and textures you combine, the more minimalist the ring design should be.

If your engagement ring is extravagant, choosing a wedding band from the same material is the safest option, but if your engagement ring is relatively simple, you can play with the colors.

Know the Types of Wedding Bands

Knowing wedding band styles is of great help in matching your rings. Plain metal bands are the most popular and versatile option. They are cheaper than rings with gemstones, don’t catch clothes, and, most importantly, never look tacky.

If you’re concerned about looking flashy with two rings, a plain metal band is always a good idea. And if you find a plain band too unoriginal, consider options with engravings, texture, or facets.

Eternity rings are favored by brides fancying bling. This wedding ring style features numerous identical gemstones, typically diamonds, set around the band. Half-eternity bands or anniversary bands only have gems on the band’s upper part.

Five-stone wedding rings are similar to half eternity bands, but the gemstones are more prominent and thus better suit minimalist engagement rings.

True to their name, infinity rings feature two bands interconnecting in an infinity symbol. Curved or notched wedding bands are designed specifically for wearing together with an engagement ring, contouring its shape.

Wedding ring styles don’t end here, but these are the most popular types that look the best with engagement rings.

The Stone Cut & Color

Engagement rings typically feature gemstones that play a vital role in the design, drawing attention. The stone cut and color are crucial considerations when choosing a matching wedding band.

Round-cut diamond engagement rings are the most versatile because they go well with nearly any wedding band style, from plain metal bands to eternity rings.

Fancy-cut diamonds can be trickier. Emerald, pear, and baguette-cut diamonds are statement pieces, so choose a wedding band that complements but doesn’t clash with the engagement ring.

An eternity band with very small gemstones in a channel setting or a plain metal band are good examples. Finding a wedding band for an engagement ring with a marquise diamond is challenging, but curved bands are the best choice.

Consider U-shaped wedding bands for engagement rings with oval-cut diamonds. Keep the band simple if your engagement ring has three or more stones.

Clear diamond engagement rings look chic with nearly any wedding band. You can choose a diamond wedding band for a clean, classic look or colored gemstones for a pop of color.

Note that an engagement and wedding ring set with clear diamonds isn’t always the safest option. If some diamonds are colorless and others have a faint tint, the hue difference will be apparent.

Strive to find a wedding ring with similar quality diamonds as in the engagement ring. Colored gemstones also can make diamonds appear tinted.

On the other hand, if you have a colored gemstone engagement ring, the wedding band selection isn’t as vast. You can either combine it with a clear diamond wedding ring or gemstones of the same color.

Multi-colored combinations only look great when the metal and other elements are the same. For example, you may pair a white gold emerald engagement ring with a white gold sapphire eternity band, but not with a yellow gold sapphire band.

Match the Width

Matching the engagement ring and wedding band’s width is vital to keep the look well-balanced. If one of the rings is wide and the other is narrow, the set may appear disproportionate.

As a rule of thumb, choose a wedding band of the same width as the engagement ring. They may have a one-millimeter difference, but not more. However, there are exceptions.

Some engagement rings have a tapered band, narrowing as it reaches the center stone. In this case, choose a wedding band matching the engagement ring sides.

In other cases, you can balance rings of different widths using the design. For instance, a narrow yet intricate engagement ring can look stylish with a wide but plain wedding band.

Another instance where you can match rings of different widths is bridal sets featuring the same design elements – for instance, engravings, filigree, or facets.

Consider the Profile

Brides shopping for a wedding band often neglect their engagement ring profile. Meanwhile, the difference in profiles is the most common reason why seemingly matching rings don’t go well together.

Simply put, the ring’s profile is the center stone or band curve elevation when looking from the side. A low profile is flat from the sides. Baguette and emerald-cut gemstones have a low profile and therefore look the best with low-profile wedding bands.

On the other hand, classic old European cut gemstones have a high profile and look the best with high dome wedding bands.

The engagement ring’s profile also depends on the gemstone setting. Bezel-set gemstones have a low profile and require flat wedding bands, whereas crown-set gemstones always have a high profile and look best with rounded wedding bands.

Don’t Go Overboard

Mixing different metals, gemstone colors, and shapes has become trendy in past years, but it requires a good sense of taste. Furthermore, fashion comes and goes, and some trends may seem tacky in a decade.

The general rule is to match simple engagement rings with intricate wedding bands, and statement engagement rings with minimalist wedding bands.

For example, a classic solitaire diamond ring will look stunning with a colorful gemstone eternity band. But if you have a halo engagement ring with an engraved band, opt for a plain metal wedding band instead.

Consider Bridal Sets

Bridal ring sets significantly simplify the process of ring shopping. Designers do the matching job for you – all you have to do is pick your favorite style.

Bridal sets are not to be confused with wedding ring sets. While the former consists of an engagement ring and a wedding band for the bride, the latter consists of an engagement ring and two wedding bands for the bride and groom.

Of course, bridal sets aren’t a solution for brides who already have an engagement ring, but it’s a convenient option for couples who already agreed on marriage but are planning to choose the engagement and wedding rings together.

Even if you already own an engagement ring, you can draw inspiration from bridal sets with similar rings. Bridal ring sets often have contouring wedding bands creating the look of a single elaborately designed ring.

Draw Inspiration Online

If you struggle to pick a wedding band style to match your engagement ring, draw inspiration online. Online shops, search engines, and fashion magazines are excellent sources of ideas for your unique bridal set.

You may look at celebrity bridal ring sets or find examples on social media using hashtags. If you prefer an in-person experience, visit your local jewelry store for a consultation.

Talk to a Jewelry Designer

If you have a particular wedding band idea in mind and can’t find it in stores, order a custom design to match your engagement ring.

A jewelry designer can also help you create the design from scratch if you struggle to come up with ideas.

Of course, the designer shouldn’t choose your ring. They can advise on the color, cut, or width, but the final decision is entirely up to you.

Consider your preferred gemstone, cut, and other ring features, and ask the designer to create multiple sketches to see which style you prefer.

Note that a custom ring can be expensive and takes much time to make, but it will be unique and flawlessly match your engagement ring.