After all, it’s the first thing a bride-to-be shows off after the engagement (60 percent announce the news by posting a photo of the ring to Facebook). But at the end of the wedding day — and every day after — your wedding band will have equal billing alongside your engagement ring, even if it may be a little less sparkly. You’ll want to make sure it is cohesive with your engagement ring and, of course, that it fits your style.

Start with the metal. White gold was the most popular choice for both engagement and wedding rings in 2013, according to The Wedding Report’s Engagement and Wedding Ring survey, roughly accounting for two-thirds of each. Whether your ring is white or yellow gold or platinum or something else altogether, you’d be in good company sticking with the same base metal for your wedding band.

Also keep in mind design elements. The Wedding Report study found that 94 percent engagement of engagement rings use a diamonds, and 82 percent of wedding rings also have some diamond element. Maybe your engagement ring is a full or partial eternity band, or maybe it features pavé diamonds or accent gemstones. You can carry on these elements into your wedding band.

White gold also is popular for the groom, with more than 34 percent of grooms opting for the go-to metal popular with brides. Surprisingly, it’s not platinum (14 percent) or yellow gold (11.6) that is the next popular among grooms but rather tungsten, which makes up more than 18 percent of grooms’ bands. Alternative metals like tungsten and titanium (11 percent) have grown in popularity in recent years, not just because of their unique darker look, but their lower price point.

The average spend in 2013 was $702 for the bride’s wedding ring and $488 for the groom’s.

© Brides 365