How to Pair Your Wedding Band With Your Engagement Ring

Your engagement ring symbolizes the beginning of your journey towards marriage. But it’s just the beginning. There’s one more ring to add to your finger that symbolizes the rest of your life with your partner: your wedding ring. Your engagement ring and your wedding band are like two pieces of your marriage puzzle—and, like any puzzle, those pieces need to work together.

What works together for one person, though, may not work together for another. Your engagement ring and wedding band pairing should be one that fits your personal style and aesthetic. We worked with the diamond experts at The Clear Cut Let’s to learn how to choose a wedding band that complements your engagement ring.

Photo Credit // The Clear Cut

Start with the engagement ring.

The first ring you get is, of course, your engagement ring. Chances are, your engagement ring is going to be more intricate, unique, and attention-grabbing than your wedding band. So start with your engagement ring and then choose a wedding band that’s going to compliment it.

For example, if your engagement ring is a thicker, three-stone style that takes up a lot of real estate on your finger, you’ll probably want to pair it with a more delicate wedding band to create a sense of balance. If your engagement ring has a smaller stone, you might want to pair it with a simpler wedding band so it doesn’t steal your engagement ring’s thunder.

The point is, not only do you get your engagement ring first, but it’s designed to be the more prominent ring on your finger. So, when you’re figuring out how to choose a wedding band, working around your engagement ring is the best place to start.

Choose your wedding band features.

You’re going to want to choose your wedding band with your engagement ring in mind. But that’s not the only thing to keep in mind when picking out your wedding band.

Wedding bands come in a variety of shapes, styles, cuts, and designs. When choosing a wedding band, some of the features you’ll want to consider include:

• Budget. Obviously, your wedding budget is going to play a big role in what kind of wedding band you get. Make sure to work out how much you have to spend with your partner before you start looking at rings.
• Thickness of the band. When it comes to choosing your wedding band, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. You can have a thin, dainty band; a thicker, more substantial band; or just about any size in between.
• Metal. Many brides go with the same metal as their engagement ring—but you certainly don’t have to go that way. Mixing metals (like a white gold engagement ring and a rose gold wedding band) is definitely on-trend and can add visual interest to your ring finger.
• Stones or no stones. Do you want a plain wedding band or a wedding band with stones? If you go with stones, what stones do you want to feature on your band—and what cut/size/shape?

Photo Credit // The Clear Cut

Classic Engagement Ring And Wedding Band Pairings

Again, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the right wedding band. The right wedding band is going to entirely depend on you: what kind of engagement ring you have, what you’re looking for in your wedding band, and your personal style.

That said, here are a few tried-and-true engagement ring/wedding band combinations you might want to try:

If you have a classic solitaire ring, go for an attention-grabbing wedding band.

There’s nothing more classic than a solitaire ring. And while you can (of course) keep the classic look going with a simple wedding band, because this engagement ring is more understated, if you want to add some more “oomph” to your ring finger, you can also opt for a more attention-grabbing wedding band.

Bling out your wedding band with some additional diamonds or a contrasting metal (like platinum to rose gold). These details will add visual interest to your wedding band without detracting from your classic engagement ring.

If you have a step cut engagement ring, go for a classic wedding band.

If you have a step cut engagement ring (like an emerald or Asscher cut), you want to balance out the chunkiness of the stone with a more delicate wedding band. Opt for something thin, delicate, and understated to complement your larger, thicker stone(s).

If you have a vintage ring, go for a more intricate wedding band.

Vintage wedding rings tend to be unique, with interesting cuts, shapes, and settings. So, it only makes sense to pair your vintage wedding ring with a more intricate wedding band. Look for bands with an unusual, vintage-inspired, or organic feel. Going with a more antique-inspired look with your wedding band will be the perfect complement to your vintage engagement ring.

Remember, there are no hard and fast rules for choosing a wedding band. Ultimately, you’re the person who’s going to be rocking your wedding band for life—so you’re the one who gets to choose the wedding band that’s perfect for you.