Who Pays for the Wedding Rings?

Have you recently got engaged? 

Congratulations! You’re probably anxious to start getting ready for the big day, aren’t you?  

One of the things you will have to think about first is the wedding rings, which are also the most important and probably the most expensive part of the entire preparation. According to 2020 statistics, US citizens, on average, spent $5500 on wedding rings.

When it comes to engagement, it’s evident who pays for the rings - it’s usually the one who proposes. However, it can be quite confusing to choose who pays for the wedding rings. 

Some couples decide to split the entire budget, or one of the betrothed covers all the wedding costs. Or, you may decide to stick with the traditional approach, which is absolutely fine.

But who pays for wedding rings anyway? Let’s dive deeper into the topic where I try to answer all the unsettled questions you may have.

Who Buys the Bride’s Wedding Band?

Traditionally, the groom or his family buys a wedding ring for the bride. This is strictly by tradition, and you’re not obliged to do so if you’re planning a non-traditional wedding. But earlier, it used to be part of the gifts the groom’s parents gave to the bride.

Many other cultures share the same traditions as America. But some of them put a slightly different meaning into it. 

For instance, during Jewish weddings, the groom buys the wedding ring or gives money to the bride so she can purchase a band for herself. This gesture marks the moment of their life after which the bride belongs only to that man.

Who’s Responsible for the Groom’s Wedding Ring?

The bride or her family pays for the groom’s ring. This tradition dates back to ancient times when the bride’s family gave dowry to the groom. It usually included the wedding band and a gift for the groom in exchange for the marriage. 

Now, the times have changed, and so have these traditions. However, many couples still follow these practices and buy wedding rings for each other. Others do it their way and split the expenses. Oftentimes, for instance, the groom can buy both rings while the bride may take up the costs of something else or vice versa.

It’s interesting how different these traditions can be from culture to culture. For instance, wedding rings are completely absent from Islamic countries. Meanwhile, in France, the groom asks the bride’s parents to marry their daughter, and after their approval, the families go out to buy the wedding bands together.

So, usually, the couple decides whether they want to adhere to traditions or not. In such situations, there is no right or wrong. It’s your day, and you decide who pays for what.

8 Popular Wedding Band Styles

Choosing a wedding ring can be a tough decision since you’ll be wearing it forever. So, while making your choice, you need to take into account a few factors such as comfort, style, color, and material. All these details should meet your requirements because it’s a one-time purchase.

To help you out, I’ve selected eight popular styles of wedding bands you can get inspired by.

1) Comfort fit

As the name implies, this one is the most comfortable wedding ring option. Apart from comfort, the ring is fairly easy to put on and remove because it has a unique design that slides over the knuckles easily. 

In appearance, comfort fit rings are no different than any other standard wedding bands, yet, the inside part of the ring is designed differently.

The inside of the ring is domed, while in the standard fit, the interior is flat. Also, the diameter of the middle part of the ring is narrower than that of the edges. It also creates less friction which makes it easier to remove the ring.

Now off to the next option.

2) Flat wedding band

This is the perfect option for couples looking for simplicity in their wedding rings. Flat wedding bands look perfect in any color, be it rose, white or standard gold. As for the finish, brushed mill is a great option if you’re looking for something simple.

Despite its neat and simple look, you can still spice up the design of flat wedding rings with some details. For instance, you can add some gems set deep into the metal. It can be a single diamond or a few small rocks surrounding the entire ring.

Also, for more personalization, you can engrave each other’s names inside the ring or mark the date of your wedding.

Let’s move on to the next style, shall we?

3) Half-round wedding ring

This is the most common wedding ring you can find. If you’re looking for matching bands for you and your spouse and don’t want to bother much with the design, this is the ideal choice. This style is a simple wedding band with a slightly rounded top. 

The interior of half-round wedding rings is either a comfort or flat fit. This type of wedding band usually doesn’t have diamonds and other gems in its design. Oftentimes, the bride also wears a thinner ring, while the groom gets a thicker half-round ring.

Let’s see what else we got.

4) Eternity band

An eternity ring is one of the most elegant and chic types of wedding bands. It symbolizes the eternity of love. Usually, an eternity ring consists of same-sized gemstones evenly spaced around a gold ring.

Eternity rings are always in trend, so you can easily style them with other jewelry. You can wear it along with your engagement ring and other complementary rings to add more sparkle.

Let’s see another similar option.

5) Infinity ring

An infinity ring is quite similar to the eternity ring since both symbolize never-ending love. However, the design of the infinity ring is different. As its name suggests, rings with this style are designed to showcase the infinity symbol.

Infinity wedding rings can be customized in a wide array of styles. You can choose infinity rings with diamonds, colored gems, or simple ones without any gemstones.

Now off to one of the most popular types of wedding rings.

6) Pavé wedding band

If you’re looking for something simple yet chic, pave bands are the perfect option for you. With the pave band, the diamonds are set deep into the metal side-by-side. 

The standard pave rings for both the bride and groom are the simplest ones, with a thin band covered with small diamonds.

However, if you need more sparkle and luxury, you can get this band style with more intricate designs. 

For instance, instead of one thin line of diamonds, you can get two rows of gemstones for the bride’s band and three rows for the groom because usually, the groom’s band is thicker. Or you can get matching rings of the same style. 

Also, for the bride, you can add a large diamond in the middle surrounded by smaller stones. But bear in mind that this option can be too much when worn with your engagement ring and may as well look very identical.

The next ring is very different from the earlier-mentioned options.

7) Curved wedding ring

This one’s by far the most unique style for wedding rings and my personal favorite. If you want your wedding ring to draw attention immediately, this is the perfect option. These are also known as V-shaped wedding rings and notched wedding bands. 

This style is dramatically different from the traditional ones in its one-of-a-kind design.

The unique design of the curved wedding ring is not purely for its looks, but it has a functional purpose. It is designed in a way that allows you to wear your wedding band alongside your engagement ring with a large diamond. 

The diamond of your engagement ring fits perfectly inside the curve of the wedding band, as you can see in the image above. 

And finally, moving on to the last option. 

8) Channel set wedding band

Channel set wedding bands are among the most popular options. The characteristic feature of this style is the setting of the diamonds. 

With this option, the diamonds are set side by side around the ring, separated by a thin wall, and outlined from both sides.

Also, this style looks perfect with engagement rings of the same design. When both engagement and wedding bands are in channel set style, they beautifully complement each other.

Now let’s see what other wedding expenses there are to cover by the families.

Traditional Wedding Etiquette - Who Pays for What?

It’s a historically accepted practice that the bride’s family pays for certain things like the dress, bridesmaid attire, and beyond. At the same time, the groom’s family is responsible for things like the church fee, honeymoon, and so forth. 

In order to make your wedding planning easier, I came up with two separate lists on how both sides should split the wedding expenses.

Bride’s family

Here’s the list of all expenses the bride’s family is responsible for.

• The groom’s wedding band.
• Presents for the groom’s family.
• The bride’s wedding dress, including shoes, veil, and other accessories.
• Dresses and accessories for the bridesmaids. Upon mutual agreement, bridesmaids may pay for their clothing.
• Beauty treatments, such as hair and makeup.
• Wedding day photography and videography.
• Venue hire and decorations. The price for the venue rent may vary depending on how long you’re planning to spend the ceremony. If you haven’t decided on it yet, my previous article can help you to understand how long the wedding ceremony should last.
• Ceremony catering and the wedding cake.
• Wedding favors.
• Entertainment - this part can be split between the bride and groom. 

As a matter of fact, I want to say that this list makes up all the points that the bride’s family takes care of traditionally. But you can bend the rules and take out some points from the list or add as many as you wish.

Groom’s family

Here’s the list of all expenses the groom’s family is responsible for.

• The bride’s wedding band.
• Gifts for the bride’s family.
• The groom’s outfit, including the suit, shoes, and other accessories.
• The best man’s suit - However, most of the time, the groom’s best man pays for his attire.
• Car rentals to transport the bride and groom to the ceremony separately and after the wedding, transport them to their house or hotel.
• Church fees, including music and choir.
• Registration office and other venue fees.
• Honeymoon. However, often, the honeymoon can be a gift from their families or friends.
• The overnight stay after the wedding.

These are the traditionally accepted expenses that the groom’s family should take care of, yet, you can change them per your requirements.

Over to You

Let’s sum this all up. So who pays for the wedding bands? To cut the long answer short, traditionally, both sides do. But there are also many non-traditional solutions you can look out for.

Remember, it’s your big day, and all its expenses should be split on mutually agreed terms. If you’re opting for a traditional wedding, then you can use the above-mentioned lists on how to split the expenses between two families. 

Hopefully, my article could help you find the perfect wedding rings for you and your loved one.

Looking for more similar content? Check out my blog, where I share thrilling articles about weddings, personal style, and beauty.