When you get engaged, the first thing everyone wants to look at is the ring – how big is it, where he got it, how many carats it is, how much it cost, etc. After all the time spent picking the perfect ring for you, now it’s time to pick the perfect rings for each other. But what exactly is the difference between an engagement ring and a wedding band?
In the simplest terms, an engagement ring is given during a proposal of marriage and a wedding band is given during the marriage ceremony. It’s a tradition dating back to the ancient Egyptians in 3000 BC (though they twisted plants and reeds into small circles for the rings!) that carried into medieval Europe and onto today’s platinum and gold varieties. The notion of using a ring to “claim” someone was mostly to show the wealth of the couple but there is a symbolic aspect; the circular shape represents their eternity together and the hole through the ring symbolizes a doorway to the future.
The first recorded use of a diamond engagement ring was from the Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. Keeping with tradition, engagement rings tend to be more extravagant than the wedding band, featuring gemstones and intricate designs. Wedding bands are cleaner and simpler; usually just a thin strip of metal, sometimes decorated with engravings but almost never with a prominent center stone. Another difference is that typically both partners receive a wedding band and only one receives an engagement ring.
Are wedding bands necessary? It all comes down to personal preference. No one is going to be appalled at you for not having a wedding ring; sometimes it’s just not cost-efficient. Maybe you don’t like wearing multiple rings or perhaps your engagement ring is the perfect ring and that’s enough for you — whatever the reason, it’s your ring and you get to decide.
Having both an engagement ring and a wedding ring is a tradition, but it’s definitely not a requirement. Wearing a wedding ring is a symbol and also a social signal that you are taken and in love with someone else. If it means a lot to you as a couple, go for it. But keep in mind that while wearing wedding bands are a sweet and symbolic reminder of your love for each other, it takes more than just a beautiful pair of gold rings to make a marriage work.