A symbol of commitment and love between partners, engagement and wedding rings surely reflect similar values, but they are quite different from each other in regard to occasion, origin, design, look, and expense. An engagement ring is given at the time of the proposal or, traditionally, after the acceptance of a marriage proposal. An engagement ring indicates an upcoming wedding ceremony, and wedding bands are part of the church event where the couple is officially declared as man and wife, and wedding rings are exchanged during the ceremony.
Engagement Rings: Their Meaning and Origin
Engagement rings are very extravagant and glamorous. Mostly with a big single diamond, a solitaire. It is highly significant because of its multiple symbolisms, like timelessness, fidelity, and eternal love. Their embellishment makes them less suitable for every-day wear but more apt for special occasions.
The tradition of the diamond engagement ring started back in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring. Since then, diamonds have been associated with aristocracy, royalty, and intense love too. Afterwards, in 1947, De Beers popularized the diamond once again with its classic slogan, "A Diamond is Forever," which matched the idea that marriage is forever. And since then, diamonds have become a symbol of commitment and strength in a relationship. Thanks to history, diamonds have been and will continue to be an integral part of engagement rings.
Today, no one wants to be bound by the choices of the masses or popular traditions, so many people opt for other options such as a gemstone ring, a cluster ring, a three-stone ring, or a gold and platinum band instead of a solitaire.
Wedding Rings: Their Meaning and Origin
The wedding band is simpler but classic and elegant. Mostly in gold metal, with one or a few small diamonds, without any large center stone. So many times, it can be just a plain band of any metal, sometimes with a pave or milgrain setting. They are suitable for everyday wear.
The tradition of wearing a marriage band dates back to Roman, Egyptian, and Greek cultures. For the Egyptians, the circular shape of the ring was of great importance. As it has no beginning and no end, it represents the eternal circle of life. Their symbol for rings has been the Ouroboros. It was they who, 5000 years ago, followed the tradition of exchanging rings, which they called ‘rings of love." There, signet rings were made of leather or woven. The Romans were the first to link rings to marriage. They use Fede rings in solid gold or carved stone with symbols of love. Gold, back then, was an indicator of luxury and wealth, which they tried to flaunt with a wedding ring. Rings evolved in medieval times and came with stones, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds, adding new symbolism to each type. Long after that, the church declared marriage to be a holy ceremony in which rings would be exchanged, and no rings were exchanged prior to that.
As a woman now has a lot of say and contributes to the selection of rings, she is no longer limited by norms or traditional settings. The woman chose everything in accordance with her taste and style. Solitaire or no solitaire, small diamonds or big ones, women are experimenting with everything they like, and any ring can be an engagement or wedding ring.
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Do You Need Both an Engagement Ring and a Wedding Band?
That’s for you to decide, as it is an absolute personal choice. If you want to go traditional, then both are worn together. The wedding band is made a little smaller so that it can look good and fit well with the engagement ring. There are bridal sets too, where both rings can be bought together. They are made to complement each other and look beautiful together without creating discomfort or unnecessary rubbing of stones on your finger. Not only in the past but also in the present, many women enjoy stacking their rings. It’s no less than a fashion statement.
But if you think wearing two rings won’t be easy for you, you can confidently go for one. More women are doing that lately. The reasons could be their busy working lifestyle or their limited budget. Also, for some couples, it is wiser to invest in an extraordinary ring rather than spend a small amount of money on two rings. Also, some either make their engagement ring into a wedding ring or skip the engagement ring and only go for wedding rings. People might expect you to wear both, but you should feel comfortable making your choice.
How do you wear your engagement ring and wedding ring?
Again, there are no set rules, but typically both rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. Because the Romans and Greeks believed the fourth finger of the left hand had a vein connected to the heart, the center of human emotions, it became the norm to wear rings there. During the wedding, the bride wears her engagement ring from the left hand to the right so that the wedding ring can be worn, and after the wedding, she wears it back. It is a common belief that the engagement ring should be outside and the wedding band inside, so that it is closer to your heart.
That was about setting them up, but what about designing them? You can get them customized in such a way that they look good without one overshadowing the other. Either you can take metals that match each other or align completely different ones. As mentioned above, you can also go for ready-made bridal sets.
Engagement Rings and Wedding Rings for Men
In most cases, engagement rings are not worn by men, but every culture is different. In some, they do, and in some, they don’t. Traditionally, engagement rings were given to show the man's ownership of the woman, as it was a gift after her family agreed to the proposal. Today, it is not the same. Few men, breaking age-old cultures and traditions, choose to wear engagement rings just like their partners. It is their way of displaying their commitment to that special someone. And with the rise of homosexual marriages, these rules have become more fluid. There is now a market for engagement rings for men too, as the trend is only growing.
Some of the credit for the popularity of men's rings goes to celebrities too. As they knowingly or unknowingly become trendsetters with their every action. Ed Sheeran, Johnny Depp, and Michael Bublé all wore engagement rings and flaunted them proudly.
Men’s engagement and wedding bands for men look similar. There is no separate collection out there. There is no particular set standard, tradition-wise, for how men’s engagement rings should look, so they can choose any design and setting they like. It is frequently a gold band with small diamonds set on top. They like it simple, elegant, and a little blingy. But don’t mistake them for being flashy, like women’s rings. Many men choose rings that complement or go well with their fiancee’s ring.
How Much Do Wedding and Engagement Rings Cost?
Engagement rings are more expensive than wedding rings because they come with large diamonds and intricate designs. They start at $1000 and can go up to $45,000, depending on how fancy they are. They are ideally made to attract everyone's attention. De Beers has fed the idea of more spending on engagement rings with their famous advertising campaign that had the slogan "two months salary". Since then, it has become obvious to spend a good amount of money on engagement. Often, people do it with pride.
A female wedding band starts at $1000 and a man’s at $500. The cost depends on the metal, the number of diamonds, and the design. Even considering all the factors, they are still cheaper than engagement rings. If the average price doesn’t suit you, then you can get them made according to your budget. Factors that can lead to a high priced wedding band are the urge to find a wedding band that coordinates with your engagement ring or getting a wedding band made that is well coordinated with your fiance’s.
Point to Remember -
One thing to keep in mind while buying engagement and wedding rings is their durability. You need something that stays with you for a long time, if not a lifetime. Don’t compromise on quality for other factors.
