When to buy wedding rings

Congratulations on getting engaged! Whether you know it or not, you are going to have a lot of decisions to make in the coming months.

And you are probably asking yourself questions like, when should we buy our wedding rings?

Though there are no hard, set rules, you should aim to buy your wedding bands about 2 to 3 months before you intend to tie the knot.

What to consider when buying wedding rings

The best piece of advice about when to buy wedding rings is simply this: plan ahead.

Whether you choose a traditional gold or platinum band, a wood wedding ring, or an even more unique wedding ring, you will need time to get the rings.

Even gold and platinum rings made in a factory often take a few weeks to get made and shipped to the store. And then you may still need to get a resize, which can take additional time.

Wood rings and unique wedding rings can take some time because the best options out there are hand-made and made to order. This guarantees a unique ring that fits your finger.

That all said, here are some important things to keep in mind when starting your search for a wedding ring for yourself and partner.

Selections can be over-whelming

Even if you want a gold or platinum, mass-produced ring, you are going to have more options that you can possibly look at.

When you add in artisan wedding rings, it can become even more difficult to narrow down your selection.

One of the reasons for at least a 2 to 3 month lead time on rings has to do with narrowing down what you like.

Some questions that may help include:

• do you want something trendy?
• do you like a particular brand?
• are you set on getting gold?
• do you care what materials it is made of?
• do you want a couple’s matching ring set?
• do you like a certain color more than others? silver, gold, rose gold, wood, meteorite, and so on?
• do you want something environmentally or ethically friendly?
• are you thinking about an estate ring?
• do you want something timeless?

Once you start narrowing down your likes and dislikes, you can make a more informed decission.

Don’t let people pressure you into buying their ring – trust me, there is a lot of competition.

You may see something on my site you like, but if you don’t, that is fine too. You need to be happy with your choice, no matter who you shop with.

Don’t wait until the last minute to choose a wedding ring

Waiting to the last minute is not a great idea when it comes to wedding rings – or weddings in general. You would not believe how many last minute details there are in the dwindling few days and hours before your wedding – even if you “keep it simple.”

Waiting to the last minute to order a ring has several possible consequences, including:

• not being fully happy with your ring selection
• rush fees – a lot of jewelers will charge a “rush” fee to get the ring made on time
• risk it won’t fit properly (you can follow this guide to help you figure out your ring size)
• it may not be ready in time even if rush ordered

Consider shopping during holiday sales

Many jewelers – myself included – tend to put their rings on sale periodically throughout the year.

If you are engaged over the holiday season, that is a great time to buy at most stores. Many offer holiday sales, flash sales, and other discounts.

Also, look for jewelry sales around Valentine’s Day. Just about every jewelry seller – including Etsy – puts on sales for people looking for fresh styles.

Others, like my own store, offer one time deals for signing up for an email list year round.

You may also catch some deals when bigger stores bring in new inventory and want to off load their current collections.

Takeaway

In short, you should plan to start looking for wedding rings at least 2 to 3 months before the big day. Don’t wait to last minute and take your time to figure out what you like best.

If you are not sure your size, in person jewelers can measure you fingers. You can also check out this guide for finding your ring size.

When you order a ring from my site and do not know your size, I will send you a free ring sizer so that I can make your ring to your size. I won’t start work on your ring until I know your size, so you can shop wedding rings with confidence.

You can shop with me on this site or check out my shop on Etsy where I often have unique finds.

I donate a portion of each purchase to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a foundation that helps connect volunteer photographers with people who suffer a still birth so they can capture what few moments they have with their little one.