Discount Wedding Bands
Metal Choice

If you decide to go for discount wedding bands you shouldn't assume that your choice will be restricted.

There are many types of metal available both online and locally and each has its own unique pros and cons. So before you go dismissing a particular metal because you instinctively feel you can't afford it carry out a little research by first reading this article and then checking my related articles to see if there's a way of getting your first choice for less.

Only when you have exhausted all your options should you consider alternatives to your first choice.

The information below should help you decide which metal is best for you and your budget when trying to choose discount wedding bands.

• Titanium - this is the hardest metal in the world. It's actually three times stronger than steel but it' actually very light. It's a silvery-grey colour and in its purest form is (like gold and platinum) hypoallergenic so it won't cause skin allergies. A titanium wedding ring is also more resistant to scratches and marks than gold, silver or platinum.

• Gold - this option is still popular with many couples, however the white metals like platinum, palladium and white gold are overtaking it. The normal choices for gold are 9ct, 14ct or 18ct (the higher the number of carats the more gold in it and therefore the higher the price). An 18ct. gold ring is also harder than a 14ct. ring and will therefore wear better. You can even choose the colour of the gold for your ring i.e. white, yellow or rose. White gold is more expensive while yellow and rose gold cost approximately the same. White gold however, is rhodium plated which will wear off over time meaning you will have to get it re-plated from time to time.
• Platinum -this is currently very popular for wedding rings. It's a white metal, very hard wearing and very dense. Because of this it will feel heavier than an 18ct. gold wedding ring and it will be more expensive (like for like platinum is approximately twice the price of gold). At the current pace platinum wedding rings could soon become the most popular choice with young couples.

• Palladium - this is a precious metal from within the platinum family. It looks and feels like platinum but it is quite a bit cheaper (around ⅓ the price of platinum). The down side is that it's also softer and won't wear as well as platinum. (I got a platinum ring and, as my other half wasn't as fussy about his cheap wedding ring he got a palladium ring to help keep our overall cost down). It's worth remembering men's wedding rings tend to have more metal so can be quite expensive
  

• Silver - this is the softest and cheapest option. It can oxidise i.e. turn black, it scratches more easily than the harder metals here and will therefore mark during every day wear. However on a positive note it is a great metal choice for discount wedding bands if you're on a very tight budget as it's the cheapest you'll get. Plus as it's easy to work with you could get your own unique or custom designed wedding rings made up for a lot less than you'd think.
  

• Gemstones -when deciding whether or not to use gemstones in the rings you should consider your lifestyle; as sports or manual labour etc. could cause gemstones to become loose and fall out. Also the overall strength of the metal will affect how strong the mounting for your gemstones are. So silver isn't a great choice as its mounts would be very soft.
  

Your first step towards getting your discount wedding bands is to decide the colour of wedding ring that you want, then figure out a style and finally choose a metal that you can afford and will work with the design that you want. Alternatively, if your budget is your priority the cheapest option will always be silver wedding rings.

Then in the future you can decide if you want to upgrade your rings (perhaps as anniversary presents to each other). That said I know my other half has told me that he wouldn't want to upgrade his discount wedding band because then it wouldn't be the ring that I gave him on our wedding day (Ahh, bless him).

Oh and don't forget to take your time, do your homework and haggle. Oh yes… I almost forgot… ENJOY YOURSELF! It’s supposed to be fun.

Return from discount wedding bands design to Cheap wedding Rings.

Return to the home page.