You’ve decided on the love of your life and are putting together the guest list and planning the wedding. You also have to pick out the rings and decide how you’ll wear them — not only on the big day, but also in your day-to-day after the wedding. Whether you’re picking out an engagement ring and wedding band set, or you’re just getting started on the search for the perfect engagement ring, you may be wondering how both the diamond ring and band will come together. Read on to learn how to wear both the engagement ring and wedding band together in style.
Rules of Engagement
Before you even pop the question, you may want to ask people for advice on what your partner would want to wear. They could be your significant other’s best friend or your future mother-in-law. You could skip the guessing game altogether and ask your partner to help pick out the engagement ring. When it comes to asking the love of your life to spend forever together, it’s important to know you have options for picking out the best ring for them.
Keep It a Surprise
You don’t have to tell your partner that you plan on popping the question if you wish to keep it a secret. While asking for your partner’s hand in marriage seems a little outdated, it’s an enduring tradition. If they’re close to their parents or siblings, you can speak with their family and ask them for advice on what kind of ring you should get them. See how their friends and family react when you ask them for guidance.
Get Your Partner Involved
On the other hand, you also don’t have to act like you’re doing a covert mission to propose to your partner. Go ring shopping with your partner. You can still propose to them ahead of time without the flashy ring. Make it a point to look at rings together online or at a boutique in person.
Find Wedding Rings at a Verragio Boutique Near You
Picking Your Engagement Ring and Wedding Band
It can be intimidating to pick out both the engagement ring and wedding band. After all, they say it’s one of the most important pieces of jewelry you’ll ever own. It represents the eternal bond between you and your partner. Here are some tips on getting started with wearing these rings.
Deciding on Just One Ring
While it’s extremely common for brides to wear both the diamond engagement ring and wedding band, you may not want to follow that tradition. You may just decide to wear one ring and go all out on that one ring. Perhaps you just want a minimalist piece. There are several reasons to opt for just one ring. Since you’re opting for a single ring, you can spend more money on that one ring. If you want to wear a larger diamond ring, that’ll be easier when you’re wearing one engagement ring.
Deciding to Wear the Engagement Ring and Wedding Band Together
Of course, if you want to have that classic look of the engagement ring and wedding band combination, you’ll be following in the footsteps of many couples before you. Now it’s up to you and your partner to decide which engagement rings and wedding bands best suit both of you as a couple. You can wear the wedding ring first and then the engagement ring on top. You can wear it the other way around with the engagement ring on first and the wedding ring on top. Wear your rings whichever way feels natural to you and your partner.
Get Your Perfect Engagement Ring
Can Wedding Bands Be Worn Alone?
Depending on what your day-to-day looks like, it might not be practical for you to wear both your engagement ring and wedding band together. If you have a job that requires you to work with your hands, you may get your precious engagement ring dirty. Because of that, you may only want to wear your wedding band alone for daily use. You can reserve wearing both your engagement ring and wedding band together for special moments.
When Is a Good Time to Pick Out Wedding Bands?
If you already have your engagement ring, you might not be sure what kind of wedding rings you want. Do you want a wedding band that matches the look and feel of your engagement ring, or do you want something totally different so that your wedding band becomes a statement piece? No matter what kind of wedding band you choose, it’s best to choose one at least several months before your actual wedding day in case any changes or resizes need to be made.
Styling the Engagement Ring and Wedding Band
You may have some ideas on how to wear your engagement ring and wedding band together. There’s the traditional way to wear them both, but more often, we’re seeing couples wear the wedding band and engagement ring in unconventional ways.
How Are Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands Traditionally Worn?
The wedding band and engagement ring are traditionally worn on the ring finger (fourth finger) of the left hand. The wedding band is worn inside the engagement ring. Tradition says because it means the rings are closer to the heart. Some people prefer to wear a wedding band on one hand and an engagement ring on the other, particularly if the band and ring can’t easily be stacked together. Take a look at different wedding rings for women to see how your engagement ring and wedding band may complement each other.
What Other Ways Can Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands Be Worn?
Even with a wedding ring set, there are no hard and fast rules which dictate that both rings must stay on the left hand’s ring finger only. Some people will move their engagement to their right hand. Many couples choose to wear the engagement ring on one finger and the wedding ring on another. Others who don’t want to wear their wedding band and engagement ring on their hand every day can wear the rings on a necklace chain instead.
Understanding Tradition and Breaking the Norms
From Ancient Rome to Ancient Egypt and beyond, people have worn rings on their fourth finger to symbolize love. Today, we see people wearing rings beyond just their ring finger on their left hand. We also see people wearing promise rings before or even in lieu of engagement rings.
Why Do We Wear Rings on the Ring Finger?
We wear rings on the ring finger as a tradition that dates back to Ancient Roman and Ancient Egyptian times. They believed that the fourth finger, the ring finger, has a vein that runs directly to a person’s heart known as the vein of love. To symbolize passion and romance, it became common for spouses and lovers to wear rings on the fourth finger of the left hand.
How Are Promise Rings Worn?
Similar to engagement rings and wedding bands, promise rings are also typically worn on the ring finger. Promise rings are given as a promise for a deeper commitment in the future, like a marriage proposal. However, not all couples opt for a promise ring before an actual engagement ring. Some couples choose to only wear a promise ring instead of an engagement ring. Others decide to skip the promise ring altogether. If you do decide to wear a promise ring, you can choose to wear your promise ring on your left hand’s ring finger like you would your engagement ring and wedding band — or wear it on your right hand’s ring finger to differentiate it from your future engagement ring.
Can Men Wear Engagement Rings?
Yes! Although it’s not as common for men to wear or receive engagement rings, there’s no reason why both the bride and groom can’t both wear an engagement ring to show their level of commitment to each other. British singer Ed Sheeran wore a silver band on his left ring finger when he became engaged to his wife, Cherry Seaborn. Do whatever works best and sparks joy for you and your partner.
Not All That Glitters Is Gold
When we think of an engagement ring, we often think of the classic yellow gold ring with a diamond in the center. Today, we see more couples straying from the quintessential gold ring and opting for engagement rings and wedding bands in rose gold or white gold. We also see people receiving engagement rings with an alternative precious stone in the center.
Does the Engagement Ring Have to Be a Diamond?
Interestingly enough, the diamond ring wasn’t always in fashion for engagement rings. Historically, women used to receive two wedding bands — one that was made from gold and the other made of iron. Gold symbolized status and wealth, while iron symbolized the strength and permanence of marriage. Today, you’ll find that there are plenty of other alternative gemstones that are growing in popularity. Other popular precious stone engagement ring alternatives include sapphire, morganite, opals and emeralds. However, if you’re looking for a timeless classic, a survey from The Knot shows that the diamond engagement ring remains the most popular engagement ring center stone.
Can You Mix and Match Engagement Ring and Wedding Band Materials?
For example, you may want to wear a white gold engagement ring and a yellow gold wedding band. Rose gold engagement rings are also extremely popular right now. Some couples want to invest in a platinum wedding band, while others prefer the less expensive white gold band as an option for that similar look.
The Ring’s Debut on Wedding Day
Both the engagement ring and wedding bands will play a part during the wedding day ceremony. Many people plan on every single detail up to the wedding day, from flower colors to bridesmaids’ dresses. In the moment, many couples forget what they’ll do with the actual engagement ring. While there’s no one perfect answer, you do have a few options on how you’d like to debut your wedding rings on the big day.
How Should Engagement Rings Be Worn on the Big Day?
During your wedding ceremony, many brides will wear the engagement ring on their right hand at first. That way, the wedding band can be slipped onto their left hand first. During or after the ceremony, the bride can place their engagement ring on top of the wedding band instead.
Ultimately, how you choose to style both your engagement ring and wedding band is totally up to you. Now that you know how to wear both your beautiful wedding band and diamond ring together, you’ll love wearing your forever rings in confidence.
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