Okay - you might be thinking that this is taking DIY a little far, but read on. You may fall in love with this idea just like I did. It is called a Wedding Ring Workshop - and they are available through-out the US and the UK. Couples book a date, and then spend a leisure 5-6 hour day making each other's wedding rings from scratch. The entire process is overseen by a professional jeweler to ensure that the ring you leave with is the same high quality in materials and design, that you would expect from a ring you purchased at a traditional retail store.

You get to work through the entire process - starting with melting the metals you choose (18K white or yellow gold and platinum being the most common choice) right down to the last polishing. If you request a special design that needs extra work - like setting diamonds or stones, the jeweler may have to do some of the finishing touches for you. Through-out the process, the staff will photograph the two of you as you work with a disposable camera that you can take with you at the end. You can also have engraving done at no extra charge.

I personally absolutely adore the idea. It is a fair bit more expensive (currently $1200 for the workshop, which include making 2 18K gold rings, the photos, and a glass of champagne when you finish) - so, yes more expensive then buying a wedding band at the store but it is an experience you will not soon forget. Those rings will become cherished family heirlooms - handcrafted by each other, for each other, a one of a kind treasure that you can't really put a value on.