Because the wedding industry is all about that bling, most of the effort behind jewelry marketing is for engagement rings (dolla dolla bills, y’all). Which you probably know all too well, unless you were hiding under a rock for the holidays. As a result of these marketing efforts (and society at large), the engagement ring process can be fraught with pressure and expectations (do you get to have input? Is it supposed to be a surprise? What if you don’t know what you want, but neither does your partner?) Wedding bands on the other hand are, for the most part, blissfully free of these complications. (Thanks for leaving that one alone, WIC!) With a wedding band, you usually figure out how much you want to spend, what style you like, and then you buy it. (Kind of like how shopping goes for basically everything else in your life.)
The best part of this process is that without expectation, you can get any kind of wedding band you want and not have to worry whether people are going to think your marriage is “real” enough (or whatever bullshit we’re being fed about engagement rings this month). You can keep it ultra simple with a plain band, find something non-traditional that speaks to your unique tastes, or you and your partner can choose bands that complement each other. In short, wedding ring shopping is the fun part of wedding jewelry. So today, we’ve rounded up thirty of the coolest non-traditional wedding rings we could find for under $500. Because if you’ve got free rein, might as well get something awesome, right?
Editor’s Note: For the more bling-inclined, perhaps I’ll put together a separate post of the most awesome bands I found for over $500. Because hell yes.
Wave Band by Digby & Iona ($440, also available in sterling silver for $65)
Reticulated Band Two by Bario Neal ($215)
Aldine Thin Band by Bario Neal ($190)
Wedding Band in Recycled Sterling with Asymmetrical Facets by Ash Hilton ($145)
Fishtail Band by Bario Neal ($215)
Hammered Fingerprint Band from Brent & Jess (starts at $245 for sterling silver, pictured on right)
Zoe Chicco Horizontal Pavé Bar Ring ($350–$495)
Catbird Sweet Nothing Ring ($44)
Thin Naked Bateau Ring by Claire Kinder Studio ($300)
