The Wedding Rings
Like many other things for our wedding, Kirke and I wanted our wedding rings to be special. We discussed many options and finally an idea struck us when we were preparing for our 2021 trip to Kauai, Hawaii.
There are certain places that have special meaning to us: Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, Savannah, Ga and Kauai, Hawaii. As a result, we tried to find a way to tie that into our wedding rings.
While in Kauai in June of 2021, we went to a jewelry store and they had men’s wedding rings made of Koa wood. For me, it is one of the most beautiful woods in the world. When we were in Kauai in 2019, I bought Kirke a sea turtle (Honu) necklace and bracelet, and have always regretted not getting myself something made of the same.
The Koa tree is distinctive because it only grows in Hawaii, and normally at elevations between 2000 and 6000 feet above sea level. It is also legendary to the Hawaiian people as it is revered and sacred to some of them. From bowls to weapons, it has been used by Hawaiians for generations.
In addition to only growing in Hawaii, there are very few Koa trees. As a result, today, the Koa wood availability is limited. Because of the wood grain patterns found in the Koa wood, it is also a very popular choice for building guitars. The tone of the Koa wood is said to provide a richness to the sound that sweeter and more pleasant tone.
When we found my ring, it was perfect. It literally took my breath away. For me, it was one of those things that you just know.
Now that we had my ring, it was time to find Kirke’s.
Another of our favorite places to go regularly is Savannah, Georgia. We have been many times and our daughter Hannah Kirke will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in the fall of 2022.
Down at the river district is one of our favorite places to stay, the JW Marriott. This hotel has a wonderful art store as well as crystal displays all over the lobby. In addition, it has a wonderful jewelry store called Frank Reubel Fine Jewelry.
Kirke was worried that the ring would be too expensive, but I convinced her to at least go in and look around. I have always admired the wonderful pieces that he creates. We were looking for something that would accent Kirke’s engagement ring while not creating a gaudy, costume look.
Frank happened to be there that day and we spent about 90 minutes looking around. Well, in actuality, we spent about 30 minutes looking around and the remaining time just talking with him.
Kirke found a perfect piece that was simple and classic and fit perfectly with her engagement ring.
It is a platinum band with small diamonds across the top half and just polished on the bottom half. The top/center of the ring goes back just a touch to allow it to lift the engagement ring so that the diamond stands up and away from the finger. We custom ordered it to fit her size and it was perfect as you can see by the photo.
So, there it was! Her ring is from Savannah and my ring is from Kauai, a perfect blend of two of our favorite places.
