If you’re looking for a wedding ring that’s unique, personal and undeniably you, you may have thought about going bespoke - but knowing where to start with this route can feel confusing. We’ve broken down everything you need to know about choosing to exchange custom rings on your big day.
What is a bespoke wedding ring?
A bespoke wedding ring is one that has been made especially for the wearer; a custom piece that suits their own tastes, size and specifications exactly. Often it is created in collaboration with you, allowing you to input on the design until it’s just as you want.
A bespoke wedding ring may be shaped around any other rings either partner may wear (such as an engagement ring), and also around your lifestyle and preferences. Many people who choose a bespoke wedding ring do so because they want their rings to express something personal about their life or relationship. This is just one of the benefits of opting for something custom made.
What are the benefits of a bespoke wedding ring?
It’s a bonding experience before your big day
The process of having a bespoke wedding ring designed is an exciting one; often it will involve a discussion with your jeweller as well as looking at various visuals and designs. This makes for a meaningful way to spend time together ahead of your wedding day and enhances the wedding planning journey.
Your wedding ring will be unique
A custom wedding ring gives you the opportunity to give or receive a symbol of marriage that is as unique as you are. No one will have the same wedding ring, which for some people is a really special feeling!
It can be made to reflect your relationship
You’re about to marry the love of your life; you may as well have a ring which perfectly encapsulates your relationship. This could include taking inspiration from family jewellery, experiences you have faced, or just in a style that feels natural and organic for the bond you share.
It will suit your tastes and preferences
At the most basic level and symbolism aside, one brilliant advantage of a bespoke wedding ring is that it can be made to suit your personal style and in line with your tastes. If you’re finding yourself wishing you could change little things about all of the ready-to-wear rings you’ve seen while shopping, opting for bespoke is the way to make sure it’s exactly what you want.
It can be made to fit around your engagement ring
Having a beautiful engagement ring you love to see on your hand is one thing; but once you’re married, you want to have the exact same feeling about your new ring pairing. Going bespoke means your jeweller can factor the style and shape of your engagement ring into the desired look and ensure a beautiful pairing that looks cohesive.
It’s made with craftsmanship and care
Handmade wedding rings are made just for you by a skilled jeweller, so you can be sure that craftsmanship worthy of something you plan to wear every day has gone into it.
You’ll receive expert advice as part of the service
When discussing your wedding ring design, your jeweller will be able to make suggestions based on your tastes and lifestyle. Whether it’s to do with metals, finishes, stones or processes, having this advice from an expert can leave you with a ring that is perfect for you but that you may not have considered before without the right information. This can help you to avoid common pitfalls and make sure you’re left with something that will work perfectly for you and your lifestyle.
It’s a more transparent option
The jewellery industry is full of practices that are detrimental to the people in the supply chain and the planet.
At Wild Fawn, our bespoke wedding rings are handmade right here in our London studio, where we also host our consultations, so our customers are able to see exactly where their ring will be made and meet our talented staff.
How long does it take to make a bespoke wedding ring?
In general, the time it takes to make a bespoke wedding ring varies from around 3 to 10 weeks, but it really depends on the design and on your chosen jeweller.
At Wild Fawn, our bespoke wedding rings tend to take between 3-6 weeks to make (depending on the design) - however, we’re always happy to chat if you have a specific timescale in mind and are often able to work to your deadline.
Are bespoke wedding rings more expensive?
Weighing up the cost of bespoke versus ready-made wedding rings depends on the design you choose and the jeweller you buy from - there will be situations in which a bespoke but simple wedding ring costs less than a ready-to-wear luxury wedding ring.
However, it’s still fair to say that in general, a bespoke wedding ring will cost more than the equivalent design and materials straight ‘off the shelf’. A large part of this is down to the time to design the ring according to your ideas and tastes, as well as the craftsmanship involved in making a one of a kind rather than a mass produced item.
Is it expensive to design a ring?
You might be surprised by how well a bespoke ring fits into your budget, however; a lot of the cost will depend on the design, including the metals, stones and processes that will be used to create it. We often find that we are able to work to a variety of budgets and still create something beautiful, personal and of course ethical.
As with any element of your wedding, whether something is considered expensive really depends on how much value it holds for you personally. A bespoke wedding ring is something that stays with you for life and can be perfectly created to suit your tastes, so if that is important to you, as it is to many of our customers, opting to build the cost of bespoke wedding bands into your budget (perhaps instead of other elements that don’t feel important to you as a couple) may be the way to go.
How much does it cost to custom make a wedding ring?
In general, custom wedding rings can start from several hundred pounds and increase upwards from there depending on the design, materials and supplier to several thousand pounds and beyond.
At Wild Fawn, we make bespoke wedding ring commissions that cost anywhere from £400 to £3000.
Can you make a new wedding ring from an old one?
It is often very possible to make a new wedding ring from an old one, or indeed another old piece of jewellery that may be sentimental or special to you. It’s not unusual for us to be asked to incorporate special stones or precious metals from the wedding or engagement rings of relatives, or from other much-loved family jewellery.
Of course, there are considerations depending on what you are looking for - there may be some cases where there is not enough metal to form your new ring in the size that you need, or where doing so would leave the new ring very delicate or open to damage. There tends to be a solution for this though, such as using some new gold as well as the gold from the old piece.
The best starting point is always a conversation, as once we know more about the piece of jewellery you have and the wedding ring you want, we’ll be better positioned to advise. We love making a bespoke ring even more special by reusing pieces that are meaningful to you, your partner and your family, so never be afraid to ask the question!
Are bespoke wedding rings better?
Any wedding ring that you and your partner love is going to be a great choice, since the most important thing is that it symbolises your love and commitment to one another. There’s certainly no easy answer as to which is the better choice, but if you want full control over the design of your ring and to enjoy the process of bringing it to life, then bespoke is certainly the better choice for you.
Where is the best place to design your own wedding ring?
If you’re looking to design your own wedding ring, you’ll want to find a jeweller that takes the time to understand your requirements, aligns with your values and tastes, and who you feel is going to make something truly personal. We find it’s important that you ‘gel’ with your supplier - you’re going to be speaking to them in the lead up to your wedding, so part of their role is to make it a pleasant and enjoyable part of your planning! It’s also important to consider the ethics of the piece: have those involved been fairly paid and treated at every stage of the supply chain, and are the precious metals and any stones sourced from sustainable and ethical sources?
At Wild Fawn, we think we do a great job of bespoke wedding rings; our rings are individually handmade to your exact specifications following a collaborative design process, using ethical gold, in our London studio which is home to our independent female-founded brand. If that sounds like what you’re looking for, get in touch; we’re always happy to talk bespoke wedding rings with you.
