I know it's a bit boring to talk about the weather but I can't help it. It is 26 degrees in London today! Amazing, right? Needless to say, we spent most of the day outside. Apart from visiting some flowery places around Victoria, we have one main agenda: wedding ring shopping (FYI: it's called wedding band here as well)! I've mentioned on this POST that my mindset for our wedding is to ditch perfectionism and celebrate every step of the way. We are not 100% perfect but we are sticking to this mantra real good. Most of my wedding items are negotiable. Except for the best possible food choices, I am flexible. Wedding ring included. We decided to go to Westfield Stratford because this means we'll have a wide array of choices in one roof. We visited three shops: H. Samuel, Ernest Jones and Beaverbrooks - all British jewellers.
Tip 1: Agree on a budget. Like pretty much everything about the wedding, it's always handy to have an agreed budget before you go to the shop. This will prevent awkward eye gazing when they ask you the same question in the shop. I have an excel sheet shared on both of our Trello detailing our budget (with lower and upper limits) for each category. From venue to wedding car and everything in between. Gosh, writing this makes me feel like a complete dork.
Tip 2: Ask for help. Shop assistants are there to help you decide. Don't feel pressured and let them know as many information as possible. Ask them nicely if it's okay for you to have your fingers fitted. Note that your size may differ from shop to shop. I thought it's a universal measurement but Gab has different sizes from the two shops we've been to. In my case, my left ring finger is size L, while my right is size K. Go figure.
Tip 3: Have a general idea of what you both want. I am not pedantic on jewelry. I just want something that's minimal. Gab, on the other hand, would like a platinum as our wedding ring metal. And that's okay. It's all about compromise and I think I can't stress enough that I am happy with any wedding ring there is. Fun fact: my first proper ring is my engagement ring.
Tip 4: It's not tacky to ask for a discount, as long as done politely. I later found out that Gab bought my engagement ring from the same shop we've chosen in the end - that's Beaverbrooks. We told Emily that we got a deal from Ernest Jones and we will appreciate if she can check if there's any available discount for us. We also told her that my engagement ring was from theirs. While they can't match the discount from the other shop, we got a pretty good deal in the end.
Tip 5: Get details about logistics. I know it's a no-brainer but it's good to have these things black and white. When is the latest date we can expect the rings? Will it be posted or collected? What if it needs resizing? Can we get a copy of a diamond certificate? These are important questions especially if you're buying something that is expensive (oh, boy, believe me it is!).
We've chosen Beaverbrooks because a) their service is brilliant; b) fit of both of our rings are great; and c) that's where Gab got my engagement ring. It's within our budget and truth be told, this is the first time I get excited over a piece of metal and stone. Maybe because this time, it symbolises more than a metal and a stone. -CMK
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