Do You Propose with an Engagement Ring?

Proposals are becoming increasingly unique and creative, from flash mobs to roller coaster rides. And the hair-raising ones on the water, with thousands of dollars just waiting to be swept up by the ocean.

If you are on the internet, scouring for marriage proposal ideas, engagement ring shopping, and different styles of wedding bands – I am going to take a wild guess and assume you have found the One!

It is quite a beautiful time of life, your loved one by your side, your image of a perfect wedding day. With all of its glory and excitement, it can also be a somewhat daunting task, with the planning and execution taking the cake.

Buying the perfect engagement ring is the first step to planning a proposal. If you are stuck wondering whether you need an engagement ring and a wedding ring, how to present with each, and what is the difference between these glaringly similar traditions? Read along to get some answers!

Quick Answer – Do you Propose with an Engagement Ring?

Yes. If you’re proposing to your partner, and intend on doing so with a ring. It’s an engagement ring you use.

Typically, this would be a diamond ring in a style that your partner likes. A conversation with your partner about marriage and your future together can include talks about the ring, what they would like, or how they would like to approach it.

Do You Need an Engagement Ring to Propose?

Well – probably, but again, have the conversation with your partner. Many people, a friend of mine included, have told their partner that the engagement ring is very important to them and would prefer to be included in the decision.

Engagement rings may well be an age-old tradition spanning centuries, however, more modern times have brought more modern ideas and practices. When your partner is the one who will wear the ring for the rest of their life, it’s understandable they want to ensure it suits them.

Diamond rings are the most popular choice for engagement rings and that’s a tradition that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Many people also propose with a loose diamond, meaning the couple can choose the design and diamond shape later together.

If you know your spouse is a picky person to shop for, consider proposing a ring box, a placeholder, or a temporary engagement ring. You get the best of both worlds, kneeling for a gorgeous surprise proposal as well as being able to go ring shopping together for that perfect engagement ring without worrying about the ring size or design.

If you can’t find the right ring anywhere, maybe your fate lies somewhere else. There are a variety of options other than diamond rings to make a great proposal. If you are not too bent on spending thousands of dollars on a ring, proposing with a vacation trip ticket, a tattoo, or a different piece of jewelry is a great idea too.

The Difference Between a Wedding Ring and an Engagement Ring

There are plenty of differences between a wedding ring and an engagement ring. While some are more apparent, such as the simple wedding ring and the intricately designed engagement ring, others lie much deeper, and only a keen eye could spot them.

• The exchange of wedding bands takes place during the wedding ceremony, while the engagement ring is presented by one spouse to the other during the marriage proposal.

• Engagement rings are usually given months before the marriage ceremony, giving you enough time to shop for wedding bands.

• Wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of your left hand, a.k.a. the ring finger. You can wear the wedding ring set on the same left ring finger, or you can choose to wear your engagement ring on the right hand.

• Wedding bands were traditionally made with plain metal bands. However, modern wedding rings have been all but simple. Couples are going for unique-styled rings, ranging from rose gold to custom engraved rings or a mix of metals, you can truly have it all.

• Wedding rings offer various custom designs and flexibility when it comes to style. While engagement rings typically come in intricate designs with a single diamond or a classic large stone on top.

• Wedding rings are a lot sturdier and made for everyday use. They usually come at a much lower cost than diamond engagement rings.

• Wedding rings signify the couple’s commitment and loyalty to one another. Diamond engagement rings are the 20th century’s symbol of love.

Why do we Propose with an Engagement Ring?

While I would love to give you a cute story about love and promises, proposals and engagement rings actually started as a way for a man to “buy” his wife. The ring signified the legal agreement of ownership.

Couples exchanged posie rings with engraved poetry or short declarations of love. Promise rings, proposal rings, or engagement rings – whatever you prefer to call them; have been around for centuries and were simple bands, made from gold, bone, iron, ivory, or leather.

This tradition didn’t stick around long, though it’s argued it slowly progressed into the reason why standard wedding rings are now exchanged during vows- a sign that you have legally agreed to become a married couple.

When diamonds were first mined in South Africa in the 1800s, they were reserved for the rich, unlike wedding bands that have been universal to all.

After the Great Depression, men of all statures were encouraged to propose with diamond rings. We’ve all heard of the massively successful advertising campaign “A Diamond is Forever”.

During the Great Depression, the price of diamonds fell, and so did the quality. This campaign revived the entire diamond industry by convincing people that there is a direct connection between diamonds and the measure of love; the bigger the diamond, the greater the love.

And so, diamond engagement rings become the norm.

The rest, as they say, is history.

How to Find the Perfect Ring to Propose With?

A traditional engagement ring is made with a beautiful diamond center stone and a metal band of white gold or yellow gold. Some also come with a series of small gemstones accompanying the main diamond.

It’s all down to personal preference, really. You may opt for a simple design, a plain metal band, and a solitaire engagement ring, or swing the other way with a custom design, and dive into the world of engagement rings, playing around with different diamond shapes, band styles, engravings, etc.

The best way to find the perfect proposal ring is to speak with your partner. It’s common, in recent years, to have them send you several options for you to choose from. Once you know the style and size you need, it’s on to sourcing it.

Do your research, check online, and speak with local and not-so-local jewelers.

If you are looking to cut down on engagement ring costs, lab diamonds are the next best thing to a natural diamond. They usually cost 60% less than natural diamonds and could make for a perfect ring.

There are plenty of creative ways to make your own ring truly personal. Give your ring a symbolic meaning with an engraving, attaching a small gemstone, or using a unique style of making, such as a trapezoid-shaped ring or tungsten metal. These are more versatile rings, made to be worn daily, so you will want your wedding ring to be durable.

The Bottom Line

The traditions behind the wedding and engagement rings run deep and are universally beloved by most in western culture, especially in the United States. Ring shopping may loom like a daunting task; you are buying a ring you will cherish for eternity, phew! But all you need to factor in is your personal choice and adding an element of your love story to the mix.

This century-old tradition is hard to beat, passing down from generation to generation, whether you buy a pair of beautiful wedding bands together or take your spouse by complete surprise with the most stunning engagement ring, you will know it’s a great time to keep small traditions alive.

But, if you feel like stepping out of the ordinary and taking a ‘riskier’ route, you could opt for either or choose to wear the bridal set. After all, both rings are just a sign of eternal love and serve the same purpose.

Conclusively, do you need both rings? Technically, no. But they sure are nice to have and serve as a beautiful ode to the love between you as a couple.