On, 5 November 2017, we are married in front of God with the Sacrament of Matrimony in a Catholic Church. After the heartfelt, sacred vow exchange, came the time to put on the rings. The wedding rings we put on symbolize our love and fidelity to each other.
To us, it’s more than that. Our wedding rings have a sweet background story that I’d like to keep as a memoir in this blog. Preserving the sentiments. And that maybe we can share it with our children (and grandchildren) in the future.
Believe it or not, we started to get our wedding rings made approximately 2 months before the D-Day. By then, people who are close to us were already nagging about our lack sense of urgency *HA*. Well, we knew what we wanted to make. The jeweler had seen the design 6 months before and told us it’ll take about a month to make. So what’s the rush? 😛
That being said, this is not to be followed because it could go wrong.
The original ring.
One day, my husband’s father showed him a wedding ring that belonged to his late grandfather. He was intrigued by the unusual design of it. It has a geometric diamond, 3D design. He became fond of it and gushed it to me right away about this particular “treasure” he just discovered. He’s a vintage at heart. Without hesitation, he decided that he wanted the wedding rings to be just like that.
He’s dead set about it and there’s no room for negotiation LOL.
OK, not that I’m against it. I just had several reservations about it.
First, the ring is in yellow gold while my engagement ring is in white gold. I had hoped for a plain white gold band or maybe a half eternity ring because I plan to wear and stack them together. With the difference in metal, I might have to wear each on a separate finger. I didn’t quite like this idea because I feel I might be over-accessorizing for day-to-day activity. I kept coming back and forth about it and wasn’t able to reach a decision.
Photos courtesy of Dua Ritme
The day came for us to go to the jeweler. I was still unsure about it. Dimas was actually fine if we don’t have the same wedding ring. He was kind letting me know that I could choose whichever one I feel comfortable with. Afterall, this is the ring that we’re going to wear for the rest of our lives.
I tried different rings. Half eternity ring, in both white and yellow gold. Even plain yellow gold band with the same thickness as my engagement ring. They just didn’t feel right. Something was off.
In the end, though, I came to realize that I want our wedding rings to be the same and I knew he did too. How I wear it isn’t a priority and can be dealt with later. This is a very special moment for both of us. I want to be able to look at the rings and reminisce about the story behind them. The more I look at it, the more my feelings grow. The sentimental part of me won my heart above everything else.
I did ask for several adjustments to make sure that it can fit my finger and suit my preference. I asked for a thinner band, this one is around 2.2 mm. Thicker bands make my stubby finger look shorter. It is a naturally round band, so I have no need to change it (not a fan of the square band). Since the band is thinner, the jeweler said that the geometric design might not be as sharp or prominent as the original one. I don’t mind it as long as the resemblance is there. All in all, I don’t want the ring to overwhelm my finger.
Another important note is I firmly don’t want the gold to be too yellow in tone. I want it to be neutral and has just enough red in it. Otherwise, it’s going to clash with my skin tone. In my opinion, it looks cheap too 😐
The original ring has a matt finish. He initially wanted to recreate the same finish too but I told him the ring will be dull anyway as long as he keeps wearing it! 😀
Photo courtesy of Dua Ritme
His late grandfather’s ring is 77 years old. I was surprised to see that it’s stamped 13-11-40, the same month as ours. I hadn’t seen the ring previously before we brought it to the jeweler so I didn’t know about this particular element. Dimas’ brother’s wedding date is 17-11-12. Ours is 5-11-17. That made it even more special! I thought that this couldn’t have been merely a coincidence.
It is meant to be. It must be.
November has officially become a special month for our family.
On top of that, Dimas’ father gave us two of his gold rings to be melted off and repurposed for the wedding rings. I always love the idea of recycling gold. Funny story, we didn’t pay any cent to the jeweler. We actually ended up receiving refunds for the leftover gold. LOL! Another laughable moment we’d be sure to cherish for years to come.
How about that, a design that had come from his grandfather and the gold that was given by his father. We’re creating a new legacy. Defining a new meaning of heirloom.
That’s how I wear them now 🙂
I place the wedding ring after the engagement ring, not the other way around. A long time ago, I read someone writing about how the wedding ring is appropriate this way because it becomes sort of like a seal on top of the engagement. I thought it’s a lovely notion. Apart from that, I prefer how this set up looks too. The thinner band allows me to stack them together.
The unexpected outcome of this experience is not only we get our wedding rings, they’re also in eternity. The design covers the entire band. So any adjustments we make will alter the rings. Technically, we can’t resize them. To be honest, mine is a wee bit tight, but it’s not uncomfortable. I miscalculated the size-vs-shape slightly. Oh well, I guess I just have to keep my weight stable or less.
And that wraps up the story, or shall I say, history, behind our wedding rings.
Of course, I wouldn’t mind having an actual eternity band (with diamonds) one day too 😉
