Alternative Wedding Rings: Should You Get One?

Move over gold, platinum, and silver, alternative wedding rings offer unique looks at a much more affordable price. But alternatives to traditional wedding bands are not for everyone. This guide will help you decide if an alternative wedding ring is for you and what to think about before you pick one.

What Are Alternative Wedding Rings?

Alternative wedding rings include wedding bands made of materials other than gold, platinum, or silver.

That’s not to say that these precious materials are not found in any alternative wedding ring. Rather, these rings feature other materials and designs making them unique and often more affordable than traditional wedding bands.

Some examples of alternative wedding rings include:

• wooden rings
• bent wood rings
• antler rings
• ceramic rings
• silicone rings
• tungsten rings
• exotic material rings

LMNA Wood Rings also offers other styles, including glass and composite rings, but many styles and materials can come together to create unique, alternative rings.

What to Consider Before Buying an Alternative Wedding Ring?

Getting ready for a wedding is already very stressful and full of lots of tough decisions. Buying a ring shouldn’t be one of them.

If you are considering choosing alternative wedding rings as a couple or as an individual, here are some things to keep in mind.

Cost

Alternative wedding rings, while generally more affordable, run the gambit from dirt cheap to several thousand dollars.

You can generally get a good quality alternative band for about 300 to 500 dollars, but this can vary some based on:

• materials used to make the ring
• whether it is handmade
• quality

In general, mass produced rings tend to be cheaper, while hand-made and artisan rings made with quality materials tend to be more expensive.

Most of the time, though, you will find pricing is much lower than gold or other precious metal prices.

Materials Used

Alternative wedding rings can include dozens of different materials in their construction – I’ve seen people make some rings that feature human teeth.

Yes, it’s a thing.

Some common alternative materials include:

• wood – moderately durable, best for light work with the hands, and guaranteed to have a unique grain in every ring made
• bent wood – moderately to quite durable, like solid wood, these offer a unique look in each ring
• ceramic – scratch resistant and quite durable, these cores add strength and visual interest to rings
• tungsten – very durable and nearly impossible to scratch, these ring cores add a lot of strength and interest to other materials
• glass – not suitable for heavy hand work, these offer beauty and a unique look, but are much easier to break with force
• opal – a shiny, often lab grown stone that adds sparkle and shine to rings
• meteorite fragments – material from the stars that adds a shiny, metallic look to rings
• glow powder – powered with UV light, the addition of glow means the ring will glow in the dark for a short period of time
• pigments – several different powdered pigments help to add visual interest to ring designs
• epoxy – a strong, crystal clear binding agent that allows for different added design elements
• copper – pipes, wires, or shavings, copper helps to add visual appeal to any ring
• non-precious gems – several gems, like quartz or topaz, have very little “value” but add sparkling brightness to rings
• sea shells – abalone shells and other sea shells make for an interesting, unique, and natural look to a ring
• silicone – these simple rings make great “place-holder” rings for couples who want to wear their bands while doing heavy work with their hands, frequently hit the gym, swim regularly, or do other activities that can put stress on traditional wedding bands

Unique Styles and Looks

Not all gold rings look the same, this much is true. But if you purchase a gold ring from a large company, your ring is a cloned copy available to anyone.

If you are looking for a unique look, alternative wedding rings, preferably hand-made, is the way to go.

Rings made with unusual materials, like wood, glass, opal, and so on, offer patterns that are guaranteed to be unique.

In other words, alternative wedding rings are a great way to stand out from the crowd.

But if getting married is not for you, alternative rings make for great pieces of jewelry to express your individual style.

Durability

Durability of alternative wedding rings is one of the few negatives to consider.

Wood rings, for example, have a chance of breaking or cracking when stressed.

They can also be more susceptible to water damage, like warping.

Other alternative material rings may crack or scratch more easily than other types of materials.

However, durability is not a unique concern to alternative wedding rings. Pure gold and rings that contain mostly gold can easily bend, making them lose their shape or to get stuck on your finger.

Resizing Issues

One advantage of wedding rings made with gold and other precious metals is the relative ease of resizing them. Often, a jeweler can resize a gold ring, for a variable fee.

A wood ring, tungsten, and many other types of alternative wedding rings cannot be resized. So if you gain or lose finger size, you will need to a new ring to get created for you in your new size.

Thickness

Thickness of alternative wedding rings is another consideration.

A solid wood ring needs to be thicker to avoid accidental splitting. Wood rings with another base material can be a bit thinner, while not compromising strength.

Other types of materials may also add thickness to a ring.

Many types of alternative wedding bands have a similar thickness to traditional wedding rings, but you may notice they tend to be a bit thicker.

Why Choose LMNA Wood Rings?

LMNA Wood Rings offers several different types of alternative wedding rings to choose from.

More than just wood rings, LMNA offers several different types of rings made with different materials, like glass, opal, shells, metal filings, and more.

Each ring is hand-made when ordered, guaranteeing a unique look for your ring.

You will also likely find the prices much more attractive compared to traditional wedding rings.