You're engaged, and you love your engagement ring (we hope so, anyway!). However, it's not the only piece of the puzzle when it comes to your perfect wedding stack. When you're thinking about how to match a wedding band to your engagement ring, you may come across fitted wedding bands. These can be a great option, especially if your engagement ring won't sit properly with a straight wedding ring, but also if you just like a very cohesive and seamless look.

Today we're taking a closer look at fitted wedding bands so that you can weigh up the choices available.

What is a fitted wedding band?

A fitted wedding band is a ring that has been designed to contour and match the shape of an engagement ring so as to sit snugly against it, creating a seamless pairing.

You may hear them referred to as shaped wedding rings, shaped-to-fit wedding rings, a customised wedding band, or even a 'fitted wedder'.

Because fitted wedding bands are able to fit with an engagement ring like a puzzle piece, allowing space for any stone or design to sit, they differ from standard or traditional wedding rings which are often straight. Straight bands can work well if you have a wedfit engagement ring, or you simply like the look it creates, but they can also cause friction between the two rings.

If you have an asymmetric or unusually shaped engagement ring, you may be particularly unsure about how to pair it with a wedding band, in which case a fitted wedding ring can often be the ideal choice.

The benefits of choosing a fitted wedding band

One of the main reasons that people choose a fitted wedding band is for wearability. The precious metals of engagement and wedding rings will be stacked together constantly over a long time period, and very gradually, this presents the potential that they wear each other down by a small amount.

If one or both of the sides of the rings aren't sitting together perfectly, then these are the areas likely to show wear first. For example, if your engagement ring has stone settings that extend quite far beyond the edges of the band, then wearing it with a straight wedding ring could cause friction between the two.

It's worth noting that in most cases it may be decades in the future that this becomes noticeable, but if you are hoping that your wedding set will become an heirloom one day, it is a consideration.

Fitted wedding bands limit friction by minimising movement, which is best done by having the rings sit very snugly together.

Sometimes, people will even choose to have their engagement and wedding rings joined together as one ring, but opting for a fitted wedding band from the start is a great alternative.

There are other benefits to choosing a fitted wedding band too, including:

• A seamless appearance: the look created by a wedding ring that is perfectly fitted to your engagement ring is neat and cohesive.

• Comfort: because the fitted wedding ring limits movement, it's a great option for ensuring comfortable everyday wear.

• Symbolisation: the perfect pairing of your engagement ring with a fitted wedding band is sometimes said to symbolise how well the pair of you fit together, so if you like a subtle hint of sentimentality, it's a beautiful option.

• Customisation: not all fitted wedding bands are bespoke, but between ready-to-wear options and those that are custom-made, you can find one that works perfectly to your engagement ring's shape and style.

• Uniqueness: if you choose a bespoke fitted wedding band, the idea of no one else having the same ring as you can be a really special feeling.

Types of fitted wedding band

You have a couple of options if you're looking for a fitted wedding band; something ready-to-buy that has been designed to work with multiple engagement rings, or something that is custom-made to specifically fit perfectly for your engagement ring.

Shaped, notched or contoured

There are lots of brands who offer ready-to-buy wedding rings that have been designed to sit alongside an engagement ring. These tend to be shaped or contoured in some way in order to allow space for a centre stone to fit, or they might be notched, where the band appears straight, but some space has been carved out. You can also find open wedding bands, like our Yellow Gold Diamond Open Wedding Ring, which leave a 'gap' for the head of an engagement ring to slot into.

These types of rings can be a great option if your engagement ring is quite a standard shape, as you will likely find that there are choices for bands which will sit against it well. If you are making your choice based on visual elements alone, then ready-to-buy options are great for preventing gapping. However, it might not be that it fits your engagement ring completely perfectly.

Custom

This is why some choose to go for a bespoke fitted wedding band that has been created just for you and your engagement ring. This is where the wedding band is made to fit perfectly with your engagement ring, taking into account the exact shape.

Custom fitted wedding bands can be created in several ways. Some companies will need to borrow your engagement ring for a while in order to make sure they get the fit just right, and others may produce a mould your engagement ring and then use that to ensure the perfect fit, allowing you to take your engagement ring home with you and continue wearing it after your consultation.

At Wild Fawn, we use a machine to produce a 3D scan of your engagement ring which allows us to design with the exact measurements and without the need for a mould. Again, this means that we don't need to keep your engagement ring during the process of making the wedding band - and it's incredibly accurate, creating a very snug fit.

How to choose the right fitted wedding band for your engagement ring

The style of your engagement ring will determine the style of wedding band that can sit comfortably alongside it, so this is the best place to start when choosing a fitted wedding band. If the stone of your engagement ring is very large, or a deep shape such as a marquise diamond, then you might need an equally deep contour or notch to accommodate the stone - or an open style may work better.

Remember that you will be wearing this pairing for many years to come, so comfort and practicality have to be important considerations, as well as your personal style, for the same reason.

If your engagement ring is fairly simple, you are more likely to be able to find a ready-to-wear fitted band to complement it - although you may still prefer the uniqueness and experience that comes with a custom design! Our best advice is to consult with your jeweller, who will be able to give you some suggestions about both what will work visually and also what is possible.

At Wild Fawn, we create beautiful and ethical fitted wedding rings as part of our bespoke wedding rings service. We love working on these pieces because of the significance they bring to you as a couple - and we also have nesting, curved and open ready-to-wear options in our range of sustainable wedding rings.