BANDING TOGETHER

The wedding band is one of the most important symbols in a marriage, representing eternal of love—a circle that has no beginning and no end. It’s a token that, like your betrothed, should be a perfect fit.

“The wedding band is an emotional purchase,” says Hunaida Shamieh, a graduate gemologist with GIA and the district office manager for Royal Maui Jewelers in Fashion Valley and Carlsbad. “Just like when a woman finds the right man, when she finds the right ring and setting, she knows it’s the one.”

So what is the perfect wedding ring?

“Today, there is no right or wrong,” Shamieh adds. “If a man likes blue sapphires, he can have blue sapphires in his band; if a woman doesn’t want a wedding band, she can go without it and just have a single ring.”

With so many options, from metal types to gemstones, wedding bands are often as unique as the couple wearing them. For men, the choice is often between metals: white or yellow gold, platinum or titanium, tungsten carbide or palladium—all depending on what he’s looking for in the long run.

“Platinum is pure, so it will always be fine white, while white gold is mixed with other alloys and if it’s not rhodium-finished, the yellow gold will show through eventually,” Shamieh explains. “The other metals are all hypoallergenic; plus, tungsten doesn’t scratch and it’s more matted and muted, so if someone doesn’t like things too flashy, it might be right for him. Still, all metals need to be maintained and polished.”

There’s even a wedding band for jewelry-shy men. Comfort-fit rings are designed to be solid on the outside and rounded on the inside to provide a more comfortable fit for men who need to get accustomed to wearing a ring.

While men are concerned with metal, women often focus on designs and detail. While colored gemstones aren’t as popular as they once were, Shamieh says that colored diamonds are increasing in popularity.

Another wedding band trend that is consistently popular is design engraving.

“It’s very sentimental for couples to engrave the date, a special saying or a term of endearment,” she continues. “In Hawaii, for example, the tradition is for men to engrave the bride’s name on his band in black enamel, and vice versa.”

Perhaps the greatest beauty of the wedding band, especially at Royal Maui Jewelers, is that it can be custom made to match even the most exquisite engagement ring.

“Besides the designer lines that we carry at Royal Maui, we can custom make any piece from scratch as well, to match an engagement ring or even a picture that someone likes,” Shamieh concludes. “There really are a lot of choices for men and women these days.”

For more information, call 619-294-8160 or visit www.royalmauijewelers.com.

    
 
 
   
   


COUPLES GET COOKING

If the couple that cooks together stays together, then the recipe for romance must be found in the kitchen. Learn the tricks of the culinary trade and turn up the heat in your newlywed kitchen at one of these San Diego cooking schools:

  • Kitchen Witch Gourmet Shop and Cooking School in Encinitas holds a variety of monthly classes for 20 students, including a Friday Night Dinner Party, which caters to couples that share a passion for cooking. www.kitchenwitchonline.com.
  • Couples who aren’t quite ready to get their hands dirty can attend any of the observation-only cooking classes at the Balboa Park Food and Wine School, held at the House of Hospitality. From sushi to Indian fare to Italian feasts, couples can take a culinary trip around the world, even after the honeymoon is over. http://balboafoodwine.com.
  • Get back to basics at Great News Discount Cookware and Cooking School in Pacific Beach, where new cooks and newlyweds can learn the A to Z of cooking for all abilities. www.great-news.com.

    
     
   


FINISHING TOUCHES:
LABELS OF LOVE

Raise a glass and toast to matrimony with wine from your very own bottle. Ramona-based business winelabel.com offers customized wine bottles for every occasion and from every varietal.

Labels can be color-coordinated with the hues of your wedding or personalized with a photo of the happy couple. Etching designs are sandblasted into the glass and then hand-painted, so even after the wine is long gone, the memories of your special day will live on forever.

For more information, visit www.winelabel.com.