Continuing our celebration of Stuller’s Year of the Wedding™, we are highlighting stunning rings and the Stuller associates who wear them.
Love happens in its own time and rarely when we expect. Sometimes there’s a movie-quality meet-cute and other times it develops among friends. Either way, love is something distinct to every couple and something to celebrate.
For Stuller employees, Robert and Derek, their story evolved over several years and is as unique as the bands they’ve chosen for themselves. Let’s look at their journey, their rings, and the story that brought them here.
The Perfect Combo
Robert and Derek both came to Lafayette from out of town to be closer to family. Robert began working at Raising Canes — a staple fast food restaurant in Louisiana — where he met Derek in 2011. They worked together for a while without saying a word to each other. Eventually, their mutual work friends helped spark a connection that led to more.
Derek took Robert on their first date to the movies in celebration of his birthday. While they don’t remember the movie they saw all these years later, Robert’s most distinct memory is that they were running late to the movie. Derek’s major pet peeve is running late so Robert was amused by watching him stress over being late to the movie previews.
Their first date was on June 15, which became a significant date for both of them. To this day, it is the date they celebrate their anniversary and the date they chose to get married years after. Before we get to those details, let’s talk about the rings.
Interesting and Unique
These are the qualities Robert and Derek were looking for when they chose their rings. Looking at both of their bands, you can tell there are special features that carry special meaning.
Derek is a fan of unusual materials and preferred inlay styles seen in the contemporary metal bands. The original ring he chose was a black titanium coin-edge band with a dark wood inlay (51955). However, after a few years, Derek chose to upgrade his ring to a tungsten band with a meteorite and wood inlay (TAR51920). As a fan of sci-fi, Derek was really attracted to the idea of having meteorite and other interesting materials incorporated into his wedding band.
Robert also enjoys an inlay style with interesting materials but preferred a classic path as opposed to contemporary. He chose a 14K yellow gold band with square channel-set Alexandrite (123133). The channel-set stones gave him the inlay style he liked, but in a classic metal option. Being that Robert was born in June, he always loved his birthstone, Alexandrite. Along with it being his birth month, anniversary month, and Pride month, he felt that the stone perfectly represented the significance of the time.
On the inside of Robert’s band is an engraving of their anniversary in Roman numerals as a further reminder of a day he holds close.
Redefining Tradition
Over time, Robert and Derek moved from the fast-food industry to the jewelry industry with jobs at Stuller. Robert currently works as a product manager in the findings and metals department and Derek works in tools and central supply operations.
For the first few years of their relationships, they spoke casually about the future, but nothing substantial as they could not get married in Louisiana at the time. In June 2015, those conversations began to become more serious with the nation-wide recognition of same-sex marriage. In January 2018, they decided to get married on their upcoming anniversary on June 15, 2018.
While the decision was a big one, there was no elaborate proposal that set the gears in motion. “We discussed it like grown-ups, and it was very boring,” Robert jokes. Neither had ever expected a big proposal throughout their relationship so it really came down to simply a conversation of finally being ready for the next step.
When it came to rings, they took their rings into their own hands. “Getting what we wanted was more important than the surprise,” they explained. With there being no real tradition to follow, Robert and Derek are perfectly happy setting their own traditions.
They enjoyed an intimate wedding celebration surrounded by friends and family. Stuller photography studio coordinator and close friend Carson Webb even officiated the ceremony. It was the perfect day, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Celebrating Unique Tastes
Just as there are many types of love, there are different types of preferences when it comes to wedding bands. From simple to extravagant, Stuller offers a variety of options like the ones Robert and Derek chose. Explore our men’s wedding band selection on our website and help your customers celebrate their one-of-a-kind love.
