Contenders for the ring

In the category of things that I probably don't need to worry about for another couple months but I'm researching anyway because it's fun, my current frontrunner for my wedding band is this Mobius Loop ring from greenKarat:

(I'd get it without the diamonds)

As I've posted previously, I seem to like rings that are mostly unfussy but with some kind of twist that symbolizes something about marriage. This Mobius loop ring fits in well with that, with its one surface, and it's the first ring that I think fulfills both the "interesting enough to wear on its own" and "goes well with the engagement ring" (I haven't decided if I'll want to wear both after the wedding). I don't think I've posted a photo of my engagement ring before? It's also from greenKarat, with all lab-created sapphires (yup, even the white one in the center):

There's a funny part to our "engagement story" in that it took ages for greenKarat to make and ship the ring, and then when Dan went to pick it up, it was in a recycled cardboard box with recycled paper stuffing. He spent some time that afternoon running around trying to find a jewelry store that would sell him just a regular ring box, but was unsuccessful.

Here's another ring from Etsy that I'd favorited awhile back:

"I Promise, 14k Palladium White Gold Infinity Ring" from seababejewelry

I really appreciate when you can see the ring on an actual finger/hand, because here this makes me think it wouldn't go all that well with the engagement ring...it's not sturdy looking enough?

I've also been in contact with the folks at bario-neal, because I'd like to support an APW vendor whenever I can. They had a nice survey to fill out if you were interested in a custom design, and I sent them a link to my engagement ring and they suggested the following designs:

Channel Band

Crescent Ring

Milla Shoulder Band

Stackable Band

Stackable Diamond Band

I still like the Mobius loop ring better than these options, but the Milla Shoulder Band might work as Dan's band. He lost the engagement ring I got him, helped in part by the fact that its rough edges irritated his skin, so I think for his wedding band, we should stick to something simple and comfortable. I think it'd be nice to have it engraved or have some minimal design etched in it, to echo the loop, perhaps?

Incidentally, one of my favorite fashion bloggers put up a post recently about how she's changed her designated wedding band throughout the years, which isn't something I'd considered at all, but it's interesting.

She had me at 'lollipop bouquet'

I'm glad I stay subscribed to The Storque, even if I skip over many of the posts because I want to resist the urge to acquire stuff. Mostly I enjoy their News in the Craft + Style Blogosphere roundup, but today, they had this awesome, awesome 'Candy and Cowboys' wedding:

(freaking lollipop bouquet!)

Wise words to keep in mind for reducing waste:

Whenever I found something to buy or make for the wedding, I asked myself, “Where will this end up after the reception?” Sticking to that thought process with every decision saved SO much money. It gave me a benchmark NOT to buy into extras like a dance floor decal or go overboard with decorations. We gave a second life to nearly all of the elements of our day, down to the retro tissue paper balls that decorated a second reception back in Indiana and entertained gobs of toddlers.

(bunting)

In case you're not wrapped in the crafty/wedding blog world, bunting = the strands of triangles of fabric in the top of this photo. I almost certainly will have some, even though it's a slight 'indie' wedding blog cliche, because I've got so many scraps of fun fabric prints around and it'll be a quick project with my spring-loaded pinking shears and sewing machine. I might make some as decoration for the new apartment and then take them down for the wedding and put them back up afterwards, haha.

(vintage-inspired handkerchiefs to reserve seats for family)

(bow ring--I think I want something more minimalistic but I admire this choice anyway)

(custom illustration from franceslovesyou, I would love this as a first anniversary gift for paper)

And my favorite part by far...wait for it...

(A RING BEAR)

(get it???)

Although I do call Dan my bear as an inside joke and also because I like to make fun of him (one of my more appreciated ways of showing love, I'm sure) and as my friend Diana once said, 'but Dan is so not bear-like'--exactly--I think in this case my joy is really largely due to the pun. Punny indeed.

Fingerprint wedding bands

custom fingerprint rings from fabuluster

Unusual wedding bands

I came across this TimeOut slideshow in the course of legitimate working at work, actually. A surprisingly good roundup of cool rings. My favorites are:

Interlock/Entwined from Camille Hempel ($535, $1,140)

Gold Swallowtail from Sundance ($698)

(more band-y but still cool)

Similar to the Entwine/Interlock are these from beyondtherockz at Etsy, both $70 in sterling silver, but I've asked and you can upgrade to 18k gold for around $400 depending on the metal market at the time.

Embraced

(I figure this one as a 'for her')

Endless

(and thus, 'for him')

I like the symbolism, not as much necessarily the knot or being tied but how there's no end to the pieces, it's a continuous loop.