To do lists. To do lists are my absolute favorite thing in the whole entire world. There is something about the smell of the new sticky note pad I often use to make these lists. When I check off an item I feel a rush of accomplishment. I feel productive and confident. My own to do list while planning my own recent wedding constantly grew larger day by day. I followed the timelines of so many different wedding bibles I loved.  I made sure I had checked off every big box and when I did I felt totally in control. As the months wore down and my big day inched closer my to do list seemed to shrink and this I completely welcomed. It wasn’t until I was chatting with a close friend over coffee one day that I realized I had forgotten something. A BIG thing. A really super duper important thing.

I didn’t have a wedding band.

And oh boy did panic ensue. I immediately called my calm, cool, collected fiance and word vomited this huge oversight. I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth fast enough. We needed to get my wedding band immediately, like yesterday. I was out of town at the time and begged him to go down to the local jewelry store to look. While he indulged my panicky plea I still felt unaccomplished. My control freak self wanted to be there to pick out the perfect addition to my engagement ring. What if what he picked didn’t match? What if the diamonds were too big (yes, I feared that!)? What if the band took away from the beauty of my engagement ring? So naturally, when I got back in town a few days later I took us on a mission to find my wedding band.

Now I would love to say that this shopping trip was one of the highlights of the wedding planning process but, sadly, it was not. We went from store to store, each time a little more disappointed. Nothing quite fit. Nothing really matched my setting, or personality. They weren’t what I envisioned myself wearing for the rest of my life. By the time we left the fifth store I was completely defeated. My poor sweet fiance felt helpless as he knew I would not rest until we (I) found the one. I felt annoyed and annoying. Why was this such a big deal to me? I should just pick one and call it a day. We decided to take reprieve and go grab a diet coke. While we were driving out of the parking lot I suddenly shouted, “wait, let’s try over there!” A jewelry store we hadn’t tried yet? I thought we looked everywhere.

Walking into the store with a massive chip on my shoulder I immediately asked the saleswoman two questions: 1) how long do wedding bands take to size (mind you this shopping trip was only weeks before our big day) and 2) do they carry platinum bands in the store (both my fiance and I had a hard fast rule that we only wanted one metal for both of my rings). Her answers were music to my ears. With a smile growing across my face I looked up to my fiance with a new found sparkle in my eye and exclaimed, “let’s look!” I showed the saleswoman my engagement ring so that she could show us some wedding bands that would coordinate. As she pulled out the first band and I slipped it on my finger I instantly knew. I had finally (at the sixth store) found my wedding band.

As you make your journey to find your perfect band remember these little nuggets of wisdom:

• Shop around. Now while I wouldn’t recommend hitting up six jewelry stores in one afternoon, getting to try on different styles is important. This is the ring you will wear for the rest of your forever. Get a feel for what you truly want and kindly tell your fiance your preferences.
• Planning on wearing a family heirloom? Make sure to get it properly sized well before the big day.
• Don’t forget about the groom! Shop around for styles for him as well and make sure you know his ring size. Will the groom not wear a ring? See if he would like another piece of jewelry or memento to remember your union by.
• Store both rings in a safe place until the big day arrives. Slip them into your boudoir or a safe if you have one. Give both rings a little cleaning a few days before the ceremony so both are in tip top condition.
• Once the big day arrives place both rings in the safe keeping of a trusted friend, relative or member of the bridal party.

Here are a few bands that I love for all different types of brides

As we wrapped up our purchase at the store I felt a rush of adrenaline knowing that we were one step (one big step) closer to officially being married. It donned on me that I wasn’t being picky, I wasn’t being unruly or over demanding. I simply wanted the ring that I would wear, the symbol that legally and spiritually tied me to my husband, to be mine. When I finally found my ring I knew that it was not only an expression of the woman I am but also of the marriage we were going to build. It was the reminder of the covenant we were about to enter into. And that, I took very seriously.

With love and wedding bands,

HP