Though the traditional bands of gold probably aren’t going to get kicked off their pedestal any time soon, one only has to look at the comments on ours posts about wedding bands to know that silver rocks some brides’ worlds. And one of the nice things about silver is that it holds a deep dark tarnish in anything engraved thereupon – unlike gold and platinum which have to be antiqued artificially – so those words of love you’re considering having etched into your wedding rings will stand out.

So here is a handful of silver wedding-ready rings that will certainly inspire those who already heart silver and might even change a few minds!

via Tina H Dee

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Lately I’ve been coming across brides shedding weight, but instead of dropping poundage of hips and thighs, these ladies and losing bulk in their ringular regions. That’s right, I’ve been seeing slimmer, smaller, more delicate wedding bands and engagement rings gushed about on more and more blogs written by actual brides-to-be.

The warm champagne diamond ring above was crafted by jewelry artist Sara Westermark and can be found in her shop, while the simple hammered wedding band below was created by Raina Lee Scott and can likewise be found in her shop. Both are stackable, but look just as lovely worn alone.

Now this is a trend I can unequivocally say I LOVE. Big honkin’ diamonds and thick gem-encrusted eternity bands have their place, but they can sometimes seem somewhat lacking in soul when compared to a simple and pretty hammered band of gold.

What say you?

Before I launch into this week’s LOVE/HATE, I have to admit that I’m not typical when it comes to rings. I had two engagement rings, both with semi-precious stones, and I wear them when they happen to go with the day’s outfit. I sometimes wear a beautiful ruby ring I received for my birthday last year in lieu of my wedding band. And that wedding band? It’s not even the one The Beard put on my finger on the day we said our vows. So suffice it to say, my opinions regarding finger baubles for the bride probably cannot be considered normal.

That said, I really cannot stand engagement ring wraps. Big HATE from NtB’s corner! I will never, ever, ever tell someone they shouldn’t wear one, nor will I look down upon those who think they are just spiffy. I’ll even smile and say I adore your ring, because I’m a sweetie like that. It’s all a matter of preference, right? You can love them, and I can loathe them, and we can all be friends and go for cocktails.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the engagement ring wrap is basically a wedding band — with or without gemstones — sporting a hole in the middle that accommodates a solitary stone set in the usual way. They come in various metals and with various stones. They can be simple like the one shown above or rather complicated. There are single shank wraps, circumference wraps, and dual shank wraps. But whatever sort they are, their job is to make two rings look more like one for those who dislike two ring bling. Oh, and they can also safeguard more delicate rings by acting as a sort of bumper.

What say you? An easy way to customize an engagement ring? Or a great way to ruin one?

Previously, we’ve gabbed about the old wedding photography standards, like the bride applying her makeup in the mirror, the bride and groom touching foreheads, and the ringbearer sneaking a finger full of wedding cake buttercream. But how about the “look at our wedding rings” shot?

The Beard and I both thought of wedding ring photos as kind of silly, but we did it anyway and have a lovely photograph of his hand supporting my hand holding our rings on top of my bridal bouquet. And I’ll admit that I also took a picture of our wedding rings, still in their boxes, on top of our marriage license application.

While the hands of the bride and groom (or bride and bride and groom and groom) usually play a starring role in wedding ring portraiture, sometimes the rings themselves steal the show, like in this photo from Critsey Rowe Photography.

I’m leaning toward love, not just of this unique wedding ring portrait, but of ring photos themselves. Many long years ago, I didn’t really care for them, and I still don’t think that they are the kind of thing one looks back on and sighs. That’s reserved for pictures of the bride kissing her dad on the cheek before they head down the aisle or covert snapshots of quiet unplanned moments between the newlyweds. Still, I’m surprised at how much I’ve grown to like my own ring portraits, and I think they do make a fun addition to a wedding album.

What say you?

If you simply cannot bear to be away from the face of your spouse for more than a minute at a time, this might just be the wedding band for you.

The Contura wedding band by Thomas Giesen is lathe-carved from platinum, stainless steel, silver, white gold or yellow gold to resemble the silhouette of your spouse’s face. Like it? Acquiring one is as easy as submitting a profile photo along with your ring size (and $580+) to Fitzsu, which then sends your deets along to Germany where it is custom made to look like your sweetie… sort of. When viewed from just the right angle.

Is it just me, though, or would wearing this as a wedding band get uncomfortable after a while, especially if your husband or wife has a large nose or a pointy chin?

Flower girl baskets and ring bearer pillows…baskets and ring pillows…when it comes right down to it, there aren’t that many options out there for the non-DIYer. It’s not that there aren’t cool crafters making awesome wedding accessories, rather it’s that the mass-produced generic ceremony accessories get so much more play than the one-of-a-kind stuff.

That just means you have to look a little harder if you want your wedding ceremony accessories to stand out. EasterYu is on Etsy and Muscari, fighting the good fight by creating unique flower girl baskets and ring cushions out of birch wood, seashells, artificial moss, miniature birds, and velvet.

Hint hint: She also makes fabulous boutonniéres and lovely hair pins created from beautiful feather flowers.

Prices for everything from baskets to boutonniéres range from $7 to $50, and you can’t beat that!

The lovely and creative Audrey sent me a link to a rather snarky article about wedding ring tattoos that appeared in yesterday’s NY Times. While my thoughts on tattoos tend to shift with the year, I’ve always rather liked wedding “rings” made of ink. I’d never actually get one because I am a wuss about needles, but I say more power to those who have the pain tolerance for it.

The author of the article seems to disagree, even though he himself sports a wedding ring tat. When he made the decision to get it, it seems he thought he was being somewhat of a maverick. Only later did he discover that his brothers and sisters in nuptial ink include Kathy Griffin, Ashlee Simpson, Jenna Jameson, Howard Stern, Pamela Anderson, and quite recently, Bristol Palin’s intended, the self-proclaimed redneck Levi Johnston.

Squinting at a cover of People magazine, I was pretty sure I read “Linda” on Hulk Hogan’s finger. The article, which didn’t mention it, was about his divorce.

Last year, Téa Leoni and David Duchovny had theirs done for their 10th anniversary. I admire their acting. He just entered rehab for sex addiction.

I’m not really sure what the author is saying here…that precedent proves nuptial ink isn’t as strong as a traditional gold band? That all people who marry are doomed, anyway, so thank goodness for laser tattoo removal? That he feels dumb for getting his tattoo? Hey, I’m all for snark, when it actually takes us somewhere, but this article is all complaint and no substance.

In the end, the rings matter only as much as they actually matter to *you*. Some people can’t wear rings because of weird allergies or bad eczema. An uncle of mine can’t wear a ring because of his profession. Then there are the brides and grooms who just plain don’t like rings. And there are those of us who fear the tattooist’s needle. If you fall into one of these categories and find yourself taking flack from friends or relatives for choosing the ringless option, remind them that it’s the marriage that’s important, not the accessories.