Youve decided to tie the knot and now youve got some wedding band shopping to do. Your wedding band is a ring your going to wear all the time so its important to choose a ring you really like, one that truly touches your heart.

A reader survey completed recently in Bride's magazine found 80% of respondents wanting a "traditional" wedding. In todays world what defines traditional is wide open for interpretation.

Many weddings will have the traditional core but be customized to the bride and grooms personal tastes. Traditional usually means white gown, church ceremony, full reception, completed with a honeymoon getaway.

When it comes to wedding bands tradition and modern style are quickly entwining to produce some fabulous new wedding band styles. So you ask, what is the hottest styles in wedding bands?

Well, one think is for certain. Diamonds are still a girls best friend and are very quickly becoming a guys best friend too! In the past few years there has been a record number of diamond wedding bands being purchased for guys.

Men have finally figured out what women have always known about diamonds. Diamonds are elegant, classy, and sophisticated. The most popular bands are flush settings in gold, platinum, or titanium. Usually the diamond is one carat or less. Another popular setting is small diamonds placed geometrically around the entire band.

So they say whats good for the goose is good for the gander right? Thats why todays brides have no problem wearing matching bands to their new husbands. After all women have always had the finer taste for the beauty of diamonds. Today brides and grooms have many choices.

They can buy matching bands or similar bands that accent each other. Designers are now producing coordinating engagement rings and wedding bands. So rather than choosing a set, you can now mix and match. This allows for more personal taste and for more uniqueness.

Both titanium and platinum are very hot. Both brides and grooms are jumping on the bandwagon for something different that the traditional yellow gold of the past. Guys and gals alike appreciate the beauty of platinum and the wearability of titanium.

Todays platinum is no longer mixed with yellow gold. Today high polished platinum is a star all by itself. The popularity of titanium wedding bands is also growing leaps and bonds. Titanium has the same look as platinum with two advantages its considerably cheaper, and its much more durable than platinum.

Jewelers today are borrowing design ideas from the past. Delicate scroll work and intricate patterns are very popular. Designs from the Art Nouveau and Edwardian period are very popular with their flowing geometric designs. Designs are no longer stiff but flowing and fluid.

Custom designer wedding sets have become very vogue. Today wedding sets are chosen with the same thought a woman puts into purchasing clothing.

Women are much more in tune to their entire fashion statement and since their wedding rings are worn all the time they want their rings to reflect who they are. They also like to choose wedding rings that will work with other jewelry pieces they wear.

The most popular diamond shape is the round brilliant cut, however many women are choosing some of the more non traditional cuts for their engagement rings. Emerald cuts, baguettes, and marquis cuts have grown in popularity in the last few years.

Todays choices allow both bride and groom to combine tradition with choices that reflect their personal tastes and their own personalities.

Never has their been a time in history when the design of wedding bands and engagement rings was so intricately tied to the individual who would wear it. Price, selection, and style are as wide as the imagination.