Shopping for a men’s wedding band can be tricky: for an amateur to jewelry, the different settings, metals, and textures can be overwhelming. This is the ring that will accompany you through all of life’s ups and downs and symbolize the everlasting love you have for your future spouse, so it’s only appropriate that you take every factor into consideration here. We’ve put together this simple guide to different wedding band styles to help you choose the right ring for you.

Start with your budget.
Before you start thinking about your ring’s design, consider your budget which will be major player in making your ultimate decision. Different metal types (like yellow or white gold versus platinum) vary greatly in cost and you can save yourself a hefty chunk of change if you opt for white gold over platinum or skip on any precious stones. Jewelers can easily adapt your wedding band vision to fit within your budget—they just need to know what you’re comfortable with spending first.

Think about your lifestyle.
The kind of lifestyle you lead determines the metals you should use in your wedding band. If you’re very active or you use your hands a lot for hard work, you might want to opt for a more durable metal that will survive all the nicks and scratches of the hard contact your hands get into like platinum or stainless steel. If you want to learn more about the different types of metal that are commonly used in jewelry like wedding bands, visit our post about them here.

Figure in your personality.
Your wedding band should be representative both of your lifelong commitment to your significant other and your unique personality. Some couples may choose to match their wedding bands, but it’s certainly not a requirement. If you and your future spouse decide to have free reign on your individual wedding bands, then you should really infuse significant elements of yourself into the design. For example, if you’re a classic kind of guy looking for something low-key, a plain gold or silver ring is probably for you. If you lean more modern, then choosing a less traditional metal like rose gold or tungsten carbide might suit you more.

Remember that size matters.
Of course it’s important for your wedding band to be sized correctly, but that’s not what we’re referring to here. One thing that affects men’s wedding bands (and not women’s) is width. Depending on your style, you might be interested in a wider or chunkier ring or a small, unobtrusive one. Some styles don’t work for everyone, though: on smaller hands, the wider ring would look too big and swallow up your finger. While on larger hands, a thin ring would look underwhelming and too dainty. Try on rings of different sizes and widths to figure out which style complements your hands best.

Amp it up.
The options for men’s wedding bands are so varied these days that you can truly find the perfect ring for you, if not just design it yourself. First of all, even if you want a ring without any inlays or precious stones, it doesn’t mean it has to be plain. You can choose a ring with different kinds of textures that can really elevate its appearance: besides the typical high-shine texture, there’s also a matte brushed texture that looks masculine and luxurious and a hammered texture that draws the eye and strays from the traditional.

Inlays
If you are considering inlays or precious stones, a whole world of possibilities opens up for you. Using an inlay can really shake up the design and break up the uniformity of the metal. Choose a ring with a different texture than the outer metal for an interesting and cohesive look, or add in some wood or stone for an eye-catching, masculine element.

Precious stones
Diamonds and colored gemstones don’t have to be reserved for women’s jewelry! Whether you like a little bling or a lot of it, adding precious stones can really upgrade your ring’s look and set it apart from others. A ring with small, channel- or tension-set stones, for example, includes an element of color and shine that adds movement to the design without sacrificing any of the ring’s masculinity. Likewise, bigger, more imposing stones in a wedding band attract the eye and look impressive.