Wedding rings are an important part of any wedding.  Not only is the exchange of the rings an integral part of most wedding ceremonies, many brides will be asked to show off their rings to friends and family at the wedding reception.  But, for many couples, it is the part of the ring that no one sees that is the most meaningful - the engraving.  Having your wedding rings engraved allows you and your spouse-to-be to share a special message or memory with one another.  Yet, many couples are surprised to learn that there are actually many different types of engraving for them to select from.

Engraving by Hand

The traditional method used for engraving rings involved performing the engraving by hand.  With this method, a professional actually uses a graver to create the message by hand.  While this type of engraving allows the couple to choose any style of writing and message desired, there is the risk of human error that can result in mistakes in the engraving.  In addition, since hand engraving is more time consuming than other engraving methods, it is the most costly option available.  With a highly-skilled engraver doing the work, however, the results can be truly magnificent.

Engraving by Machine

Couples may also choose to have their rings engraved by machine.  Machine engraving greatly reduces the chance of mistakes being made in the final product because the entire process is completed by computer.  There are limitations to this type of engraving, however, as the machines are not capable of producing the same variety of fonts as a human engraver and space is usually limited to only 30 letters with this method.

Engraving by Laser

The most reliable method for engraving wedding rings is laser engraving.  Not only does laser engraving provide great results, you can also fit far more letters on a ring when using this method.  In fact, you can place an entire Bible verse or your vows on a ring when using laser engraving, which allows up to 225 characters to be written.