Choosing your wedding band is arguably the single most important decision of the wedding planning process. Coupled with the sheer volume of other decisions you will face, we understand it can be overwhelming. Colonial Jewelers has helped Frederick get married for four generations -- including Caleb’s family. Following suit with his parents and grandparents, he always knew Colonial Jewelers was who he would trust to make this milestone purchase.
Tradition runs strong within his family; the family farm has been passed down through generations for over 100 years now. When Caleb originally considered what his wedding band would look like, he envisioned a very classic yellow gold ring. Enter his fiancee, Dani, whose eye for creativity and love for all things sentimental gave him a few more ideas. Fast forward a couple of months and a few concept approvals later, and now Caleb is eager to wear his custom wedding band, which incorporates the wood from his family’s barn!
I’ve asked him to share a few details of his ring’s unique story, and I hope it inspires you to try something unique for your wedding bands as well!
Tell us about the origin of the wood; what’s its story?
Our family’s barn dates back to the mid-to-late 19th century, which makes it somewhere between 120-170 years old. While my family wasn’t the original owner, it’s been in the family for more than 100 years!
The wood that I am using for the creation of my wedding band is a piece of wormy Chestnut. Chestnut trees were the most prominent source material for building back in that timeframe; just as we are familiar with oak and maple these days, chestnut trees were the primary back then.
When did you decide that you wanted to incorporate wood from the barn? What inspired you?
Unfortunately, the main foundation wall of the barn has collapsed. We were able to access the stables underneath and take a beam that had splintered off. This was all Dani’s idea. She told me, “if you aren’t able to save the barn, at least you’ll always be able to carry a piece of it with you in your wedding ring.”
Tell us a little more about the coordination of your rings.
As we were designing our rings, we knew that we wanted an element of green as it is one of our favorite colors. We specifically chose fuschite because it looked more natural, which complements the wood nicely. Both of our rings are made of 14k white gold as well.
Do you have plans for your ring to be a cherished family heirloom?
Absolutely! I do not plan to wear the ring while farming as I want to make sure it’s something that stands the test of time. My parents currently still own the farm, but I am the fourth generation farmer in my family! It is incredibly special to have the wood inlay in my wedding ring, and I hope to pass it down someday.
If you are considering a custom wedding band, Colonial Jewelers is eager to bring your vision to life! Please book an appointment at least three months in advance of your wedding date in order to allow for plenty of time for revisions to your design. We like to keep the stress to a minimum for this aspect of your wedding planning!