Do You and Your Partner Need Matching Wedding Bands?
Written by Anna Currell
January 17, 2024
Your wedding bands are a symbol of commitment and unity in your marriage. They’re a beautiful reminder of your love for each other and a signal to the world that you’ve found your soulmate. They’re also an opportunity to pick out a ring that’s your style. While many couples choose to get matching wedding bands, you certainly don’t have to. The most important thing is finding bands that fit your style and your budget. In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of matching wedding bands so you and your partner can make the best choice for you.
The Tradition of Matching Wedding Bands
The tradition of exchanging and wearing wedding bands dates back centuries, and it's steeped in meaning and symbolism. The Ancient Egyptians exchanged wedding bands as a symbol of eternal love; the circular, never-ending shape of the ring served as a sign of the couples’ enduring love. They would place these rings on their left ring finger because of the vena amoris, which translates to “vein of love” — they believed that there was a vein in the left ring finger that led directly to the heart.
Throughout centuries, couples have followed this symbolic tradition of exchanging matching rings and wearing them on their left ring fingers. But as with most wedding traditions, many people find that deviating from these ancient ways feels more aligned with their relationship and their values as a couple. Some people choose to wear rings on their right hands instead of the left, opt to exchange other types of jewelry, or forgo the wedding rings altogether.
Throughout the years, while wedding band styles have ebbed and flowed, many couples still choose to wear matching wedding bands as a symbol of their partnership and their bond. But do your rings really need to match to maintain the same meaning of unity and love? We don’t think so. While it’s a beautiful tradition, there are many couples who choose different wedding bands based on their own styles and the other accessories they typically wear. Let’s take a look at some reasons why you might choose matching bands and why you might decide to pick different ones.
The Case for Matching Wedding Bands
Wearing a wedding band that matches your partner’s is a visible sign of unity; it looks intentional and coordinated. If you and your partner both love the same wedding band look, it can be fun to find a shared style that you choose together. It can be an exercise in compromise and decision making that will come in handy during your relationship. Plus, it can be a lot more convenient (and sometimes less expensive) to purchase your wedding bands from the same place or as a pair.
The Case for Unique Rings
While matching wedding bands can be a symbol of unity, unique rings can be equally symbolic of the union between two distinct personalities and people. Wearing your wedding bands is your sign of commitment to each other, but allowing your own styles and personalities to shine through is a great way to express yourselves as individuals within your marriage. For example, if you love the idea of a contoured wedding ring to fit around your engagement ring while your partner prefers a hammered metal band, why not both get what you want? Plus, a coordinated but mismatched pair of rings can look great together, like variations on a theme.
What to Consider When Choosing Bands
When choosing your wedding bands, it’s most important to find rings that align with your style and your budget. Set a price limit ahead of time to narrow down your options so that shopping doesn't feel too overwhelming (there are literally thousands of options). Then, decide what style suits you best; maybe you want an ornate engraved pattern, a hammered finish, or a special gemstone included. The right metal for your wedding band is also an important factor; precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum are more expensive, but also much more durable than other metals. Lastly, consider the width of the ring you prefer — lots of men choose a ring thickness of 6mm or more, while many women tend to choose slimmer ring options that fit against their engagement rings easily.
No matter what you choose, be sure to find wedding rings that reflect your relationship and honor your union. To make your wedding bands even more special, why not design them yourself? Work with our expert team at Quick Jewelry Repairs to create a custom, one-of-a-kind set of rings (that don’t have to match!) to seal the deal on spending together forever.
