One of the most emotional (and romantic) high points of your marriage ceremony is the exchange of your wedding rings. Why not make that moment even more romantic by adding something unique to the two of you, something that emphasises that your rings symbolise your love and unity. Here are some suggestions to get you started ...

Make your rings a surprise

While it is not legal for the wedding itself to be a surprise for one of you, there are no rules or legal issues around rings. It can be very romantic for each of you to choose the other's ring in secret, so that the first time they see it is when you put it on their finger. While the fact that you are going to have surprise rings shouldn't be a secret - you both need to be in on it and agree, and the practical requirements are that you have an accurate sizing for both rings - the big reveal can be a very romantic surprise.

Pro-tip: Ring sizing isn't universal, so you need to do some "window-shopping" before hand to make sure that you use the same sizing as the jeweler or manufacturer you buy the ring from.

Choose a romantic engraving

Wedding rings are romantic in themselves. Adding an engraving ups the ante on the romance, especially as what is engraved inside your rings is something that no-one else will see unless you choose to share it. And the choice of what to engrave is rich with possibilities. Here are some suggestions to kick start your imagination

• The GPS coordinates of your wedding venue
• Something that commemorates how or where you met
  It could be phrase that links to that moment, or a quote from something one of you said on that day
• Significant words from your vows
  For example, if you are going to use the traditional vows a phrase such as From this day forward, or To love and to cherish
• A phrase that encapsulates the commitment you are making on your wedding day
  For example, All the days of my life
• A romantic phrase in a romantic language
  Although English can be pretty darn romantic, there is something about the Romance Languages - Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and Romanian, languages classified as Romance Language because they originate from Latin. Perhaps choose a phrase such as Tu es l'amour de ma vie (French - You're the love of my life), Ti adoro (Italian - I adore you), Eres mi todo (Spanish - You are my everything), Todo momento com você é mágico (Portuguese - Every moment with you is magical ) Mă faci fericit(ă)’ (Romanian - you make me happy) or go back to the Latin roots with Semper amemus (Let us always love)
• A meaningful symbol
  Something symbol like a heart or the mathematical symbol for eternity, or something visually symbolic of a shared passion
• Your fingerprints
  You need to go to a specialist for this one - and the fingerprint is usually on the outside of the ring. The idea is that each of you has a ring that bears a small part of the fingerprint of the other.
• Your partner's name
  Nice and simple
  
• Your initials or first names and the date
  
• Your names
  Having your name engraved inside your beloved's ring and vice versa is not uncommon. What is new, however, is to have those names engraved in your own handwriting, something modern technology makes possible. Not a good idea if your writing is illegible, though!
• A phrase that has a special meaning for you both

Pro-Tip: If you are planning to have your rings engraved you need to consult with the jeweler when you are choosing them to make sure that the metal you've chosen can be successfully engraved, and that what you are planning to engrave will fit inside the ring.

Say something romantic as you exchange rings

There is no legal requirement for what you say when you exchange your rings. You can say something. You can make an additional promise. Or you can just place the ring on the other's hand while saying the legal words that create your marriage. It is up to you.

Add a kiss

There is nothing more romantic than touching the wedding ring to your lips before you place it on your beloved's finger, or placing the ring on the finger and then bringing the hand to your lips for a light kiss. Makes for great photos too.

I'd love to talk you through all the options to make your wedding the most romantic experience, for everyone!