Wedding Rings Vs Engagement Rings

Do You Wear Your Engagement Ring On Your Wedding Day

Assuming that your engagement ring is a showstopper and holds incredible sentimental value, there is a good chance you will want to it to be a part of your wedding day. And good news! You can absolutely do so . Generally, if you decide to wear your engagement ring during the ceremony, its worn on the ring finger of your right hand to make room on for your wedding band on your left hand, wedding ring finger.

What Are Engagement Rings

Engagement rings typically come first in the giving of rings. These are given when a proposal takes place or soon after you and your significant other decide to get married.

Engagement rings usually have one large, dominant gemstone. Some bands have more stones set into it. And more often, weâre now seeing engagement rings with three large stones or even a cluster of stones.

How Should You Wear Your Engagement And Wedding Rings

Traditionally, and in most cultures, your engagement ring and wedding ring are worn together on the same finger commonly known as the “ring finger”. Its the fourth finger on your left hand, right next to your pinky. Exchanging rings as symbols of love is believed to have originated in Egypt. They believed that the vein in the fourth finger ran directly to the heart, strengthening the pledge of love and commitment. Romans adopted this tradition, spreading the practice throughout Europe, thus becoming the basis for the U.S. tradition. In reality, theres no such vein, but the symbolism and tradition remain strong.

Before the Wedding: When you receive your engagement ring, traditionally it is worn on the ring finger.

During the Wedding: During the wedding ceremony where there will most likely be an exchange of wedding bands, the engagement ring shifts to being worn on the right hand ring finger. This is done because due to another tradition, as a symbol of ultimate love and devotion, the wedding band is typically worn closest to the heart with the engagement ring on the outside. Wearing the engagement ring on the right hand during the ceremony also makes it easy for the wedding band to slip on the left hand without having to move a ring.

While this is the traditional arrangement, some prefer to only wear their wedding ring on a day-to-day basis, or add additional bands to create a unique stacked set.

Oval engagement ring worn with multiple diamond rings

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Difference Between A Wedding Ring And Wedding Band

Actually, there is none. A wedding band is just another term for a wedding ring. Its the ring both bride and groom exchange s at the wedding ceremony. These rings are symbols of love and unity, and theyre supposed to be closest to the heart. The terminology is interchangeable.

The bride will wear her engagement ring on top of the wedding ring. And maybe for some practical reasons, too its more likely that shes going to take off the engagement ring every now and then.

There may be differences between the wedding rings for men and women. Men usually dont like too many ornaments. Their rings are simple metal bands in most cases, sometimes with the wedding date engraved on the inside. Women may prefer a few more details on their rings, like a diamond channel set. They also look for wedding rings that match their engagement ring.

Using A Wedding Band Instead Of An Engagement Ring

Brides who dont like the look, or feel, of wearing two rings at the same time, can keep things really simple by leaving their engagement ring in a jewelry box at home, and only wearing their wedding band. Because the wedding band is often more narrow and simple, it can often be the most comfortable option.

Moms sometimes choose to do this because a big solitaire can sometimes get in the way or scratch the baby if you arent careful. My wife started just wearing a wedding band when our children were young for that very reason.

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Are Wedding Rings And Wedding Bands The Same

Yes! Theyre usually plain without any diamonds or gemstones and are commonly white gold or yellow gold. However, many brides may select a flashier or more intricate band depending on their style:

I would advise picking your rings at least 2 months before the wedding. This way, youll have a decent time allowance if something comes up during the wedding planning. Theres always last-minute fixes!

But Do You Need Two Rings

Of course, it’s perfectly ok if you opt for wearing a single ring to symbolize first your engagement and then later, your married status.

Fortunately, there’s no single rule when it comes to selecting and wearing bridal jewelry. Look over the ideas here to form your own decisions. Then remember, the most important thing of all is to commemorate the love and commitment that you have for one anotherevery day, for the rest of your lives.

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Shopping For Wedding Bands

We recommend that the couple select their wedding bands a good two months or more before the wedding so it’s one less detail that youve put out of the way.

You may be waffling about the kind of wedding band you want, so enjoy wearing your engagement ring for a while, and then focus on the wedding bands. After seeing so many new styles, your preferences might evolve. Enjoy wearing your engagement ring while shopping for a wedding band and eventually it will become clear to you what you like and want to live with for the rest of your life.

Finally, it comes down to your style preferences and taste. If youre a traditional gal, then youve got plenty of elegant options available. Whether you’re selecting a diamond eternity band or a sleek unadorned metal ring, a wedding ring and engagement ring pairing are a personal expression of how you want to memorialize your union. If youre leaning toward romantic rings, then bonafide antique and vintage rings are the way to go. Manufacturers make modern versions of period jewelry too. Trending designers create wedding jewelry in alternate metals, and those particularly appeal to men.

Meaning: Engagement Ring Vs Wedding Band

In many cultures, an engagement ring is given to a woman upon the occasion of a proposal or soon after the couple has decided to become engaged. An engagement ring symbolizes the promise to marry each other. Thus, the engagement ring is the wedding bands predecessor and is given first.

As for the wedding band, the exchanging of rings is for many the most beautiful moment of the wedding ceremony. The traditions origin is hard to trace. In many cultures and religions, the traditions of wearing wedding bands differ, but their common meaning is the promise of eternal love and support. Hence, rings can of course also be exchanged, even if there is no religious ceremony!

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Where Did The Tradition Of Wedding Rings Originate

The earliest wedding rings were worn by early Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks, who recognized the circular shape of the ring as a symbol of eternity. Early wedding bands were made from iron, bone, and later silver and gold. For centuries ladies wore rings to symbolize their loyalty and their status as a married woman.

An engagement ring, especially a valuable one, also gave women some security in the ever-changing playing field of the heart. Until the early twentieth century in the United States, if a man broke off an engagement the jilted woman was legally entitled to keep the ring and sue the rogue for breach of promise.

Men didnt typically wear wedding rings until World War II, when many men became separated from their wives and needed something to remember them by. The De Beers diamond campaign in the 1930s and 40s which, fortuitously, coincided with the easing of many of the breach of promise laws of that time solidified the place of luxury wedding and engagement rings in our cultural consciousness.

Why Are Engagement Rings And Wedding Rings Worn On The Left Hand

It might surprise you to know not every culture wears rings on the left ring finger or even at all. Most Western countries do, however. Wearing your wedding ring set on the left hand dates all the way back to the Ancient Romans.

They believed the fourth finger on the left hand had a vein that ran directly to the heart. They called it Vena Amoris, meaning “vein of love”. Since the heart is at the center of the being, it was fitting for the person you’d want to spend the rest of your life with. To this day, the fourth finger is dubbed as the “ring finger”.

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The Difference Between Engagement Rings And Wedding Rings

Traditional engagement rings typically have one dominant stone, which either stands alone or is surrounded by additional smaller stones. An engagement ring is usually given as part of the proposal to signify engagement.

By contrast, a wedding ring is traditionally a plain metal band or a gemstone encrusted eternity band that you receive when you exchange your vows during the wedding ceremony and wear from then on. Typically, there’s also a fairly significant price difference between engagement rings and wedding rings even if the wedding band has inlaid diamonds, moissanite or other gemstones, their total carat weight is generally less than that of the engagement ring.

Which Is More Expensive And Why

Engagement rings are normally more expensive than wedding rings, and it’s not hard to see why. While wedding rings are usually simple metal bands, engagement rings can include at least one precious stoneoften a diamond or gemstonewhich makes it much more expensive.

The old“three months’ salary” rule has been largely debunked, and how much you spend on wedding rings depends on what feels appropriate for you and your soon-to-be spouse.

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Why Are They Worn On The Left Hand

The ritual of wearing the engagement ring and wedding ring on the left-hand dates back to ancient Greece and Rome.

At the time, people believed that the fourth finger of the left hand has a vein connected to the heart. That vein was called Vena Amoris. Since people regarded the heart as the center of human emotions, wearing the rings on this finger is symbolic of their significant importance in a couples life.

How Many Rings Should You Wear After Getting Married

Its up to personal preferences and depends on an individuals culture. Most married women wear both the engagement ring and the wedding band together while some may prefer to wear only one of them for symbolic reasons.

That said, I do know of married women who dont wear both rings on a daily basis due to occupational hazards or social stigma at the workplace.

I had also heard of cases whereby women dont want to wear both rings because they dont look good together! Please dont make the same mistake! And thats why I recommend buying a matching sets of rings instead of buying your wedding band and engagement ring separately.

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And What Is A Bridal Set

Also called a “wedding set,” this is a set of matching engagement and wedding rings for the bride. Most jewelers will have some bridal sets to choose from.

To start, check out James Allen’s Inspiration Gallery to help you choose the right setting and diamond for your ring.

There are some advantages of choosing a bridal set:

• The rings will look good next to each other. You wouldn’t have to worry about finding a matching wedding ring later.
• They will fit comfortably together. Sometimes, rings that don’t match will pinch the skin or have an unsightly gap.
• You only have to buy her wedding jewelry once. And oftentimes, it saves you a bit of money to buy a set of rings.

We recommend doing this if you and your sweetie have already discussed marriage or if you’re planning on ring shopping together.

If you buy a bridal set all at once, then you would only propose with the engagement ring. After she said yes, you can surprise her again by telling her you already have the matching wedding ring too.

Watch out

Who Buys The Rings

The engagement ring is a special gift for the girl to show the groom’s commitment, so he would usually foot the bill. Most grooms make the decision alone, but even if the girl wants to be part of the shopping process, he still usually pays for it with his own money.

Did you know?

As for the wedding rings, the tradition is that he buys her wedding ring, and she buys his. But for many modern day couples, they buy the rings together out of a joint wedding fund. Most likely, since your finances will merge soon anyway, you both pay for them.

Most couples enjoy shopping for the wedding rings together as a pre-nuptials bonding activity. 30% of couples buy both wedding rings at the same place they got the engagement ring.

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So Whats A Promise Ring

It also represents love and commitment but doesnt necessarily mean marriage. Coined by millennials, it doesnt really have a label. It could be a promise to be engaged someday or to move to a different country at a certain time.

Some younger couples exchange promise rings instead as it gives them the freedom to just be. Theres no pressure to get married anytime soon. And the design is simpler and not as expensive as usual engagement rings. Sounds tempting, but dont get side-tracked with a promise ring if your goal is to marry the one youre with eventually!

The Story About The Wedding Ring

Traditionally, the wedding ring is a single metal band. The simplicity of its design has deep historical roots, coming from the traditions of primitive gimmel and poesy rings. The raw outline with no decorations perfectly served the purpose of gifting this piece of jewelry. Precisely, the wedding band serves as a symbolic object that supports the exchange of promises of eternal love during the wedding ceremony.

However, the tastes of the public have changed dramatically since then. These days, many people aim at getting a more beautiful wedding ring that features several small diamonds. In this case, the wedding ring transforms into a diamond eternity band. Though the design becomes a bit more sophisticated, its underlying meaning is still the same it has to be exchanged with your partner during the wedding ceremony.

In essence, the purpose of gifting the wedding band is to symbolically link yourself to another person while you enter the marriage. In terms of design, these two wedding rings can be the same or gently supplement each other. But the most important feature is that this piece of jewelry doesnt include a large center stone in the design.

3 most interesting facts about the wedding ring:

If youre interested in ordering a custom-made wedding ring, here are 3 essential steps for choosing the perfect design:

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Whats An Engagement Ring

An engagement ring is a piece of jewelry that is worn on the finger, gifted to show intent to marry. Traditionally, the metal is comprised of platinum or gold and the center stone is a diamond.

The main difference between an engagement ring and a wedding ring is the following: you give the engagement ring to your significant other at the proposal, while the wedding rings are exchanged during the wedding ceremony.

Traditionally, when a guy decides to propose, he buys an engagement ring and proposes with it. If the girl says yes, she starts wearing the ring from that moment on. Its one way to show the world shes promised to her fiancé.

Some men dont buy an engagement ring but give a family heirloom to their future wives. For example, it can be an antique engagement ring that belonged to their grandmother. These engagement rings have great sentimental value and can make a girl feel very welcome to the family. Others may just prefer to buy a vintage engagement ring from a vintage jewelry boutique.

Normally, girls are the only ones wearing an engagement ring. In most cases, men dont wear them, but some might wish to do so. Jewelry stores offer engagement rings for men, too, but theyre usually different from the ones that the ladies wear.

Which Is Right For You: A Wedding Ring Or Engagement Ring

There are no hard and fast engagement ring and wedding ring rules. Instead, there are recommendations and tips to help you make an informed decision. Ultimately, it comes down to what you envision as being your forever ring. You deserve to have an exquisite ring that reflects your taste and love story.

Like the circle of your ring, your love is continuous it is an eternal promise and everlasting bond. And just as you fell in love with your betrothed, the best thing to do when choosing your ring is follow your heart.

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When To Pick Out Wedding Bands

Lanore suggests that couples pick out wedding bands at least two months before the wedding. “That way, you can account for any last-minute wedding planning details that might pop up, and your rings are already in production.”

If you’re unsure about the kind of wedding band you want initially, wear your engagement ring for a few months before you choose the wedding ring. Your preferences might change, so take your engagement ring for a spin to get a better grasp of the wedding band you’re envisioning closer to the wedding day.