Etiquette Guide: Who Buys the Wedding Rings? (2024)

FAQs

Who is supposed to buy the wedding rings? ›

Who Buys the Wedding Bands? Tradition has it that each person pays for the other person's ring. So in a traditional wedding, the groom or his family would pay for the bride's ring, and the bride or her family would pay for the groom's ring.

While the groom typically pays for the bride's engagement and wedding rings, the bride typically pays for the groom's wedding ring. Many couples simply include the cost of wedding rings in their budget, and share the expense.

It all started with a marketing campaign in the 1930s. The idea was that if a man spent his entire month's salary on an engagement ring, it proved his love and commitment. The campaign became popular over time and by the '80s the rule changed from 1 month to 3 months.

The most traditional way to go about this would be the groom pays for the bride's engagement ring and matching wedding band and the bride pays for the groom's wedding band plus a gift. Today, a more modern approach by many couples would be to accept the wedding bands as a joint investment by both people.

Traditionally, it's the bride who purchases the groom's wedding ring. But this general "rule" assumes all weddings include a bride and a groom.

The topic of money can be touchy, and no one wants to inadvertently offend. Traditionally, the breakdown of expenses was very clear: The bride's family paid for the groom's ring, engagement party, the wedding and reception, a brunch the next day, and a belated reception (if there was one).

The common view says that it doesn't matter who did or said what. If the agreement to wed is broken off, ownership of the ring returns to the giver. The reasoning tends to be that, if divorce, even after decades of marriage, can be no-fault, a broken engagement should be as well.

After the wedding, many couples choose to wear both their engagement rings and wedding bands; some even have them soldered together to permanently form one ring. Modern ways include wearing your engagement and wedding rings on different fingers or adding additional bands to create a wedding ring stack.

Traditional belief (especially in western countries) is that a groom-to-be must spend his 1-3 months' salary on engagement ring.

There is a widely cited “rule” that you should spend three months' salary on an engagement ring. This stems from a 1930s De Beers advertising campaign that convinced men to spend roughly one month's salary on this purchase. By the 1980s, one month's salary was no longer the rule.

What is the diamond ring rule? ›

The Origin of 3 Months Salary Rule

Most recently, the De Beers' magical amount has gone up to three month's salary. Everyone's preferences and dream rings are different, this isn't a one-size-fits-all guideline to how much you should spend on your engagement ring.

With that diversity in mind, our clients expect to spend around $250 for a relatively simple contemporary metal men's wedding band and about $2200 for a fine-jewelry men's wedding band made from gold or another precious metal with diamonds, gemstones, or other accents incorporated.

The average cost of a wedding band for men is about $510, according to The Knot. The price can vary significantly based on the metal used.

Traditional Ring Etiquette

Traditional etiquette would require the bride to wear her engagement ring on her right ring finger to walk down the aisle. During the exchanging of the rings, the groom would place the wedding band on the bride's left finger.

If a man has proposed to his partner and they've said yes, and the man also wants to wear an engagement ring, then there's still the tricky question of who buys it. Traditionally, the man will buy his partner their engagement ring ahead of the proposal. Sometimes, the partner will choose their ring after the proposal.

The groom's family is traditionally responsible for the bride's engagement ring and wedding ring(s), all groom attire, groomsmen gifts, boutonnières and corsages for appropriate wedding party and family members, the officiant's fee, the marriage license, rehearsal dinner costs and transportation and lodging for the ...

Making the decision to get married together has also led 75% of couples to choose an engagement ring together, with 28% of these couples saying both people were 'very' involved in the process. Gone are the days of shopping for an engagement ring on your own—this 100-year tradition seems to be at an end.

A promise ring can be given by either partner in a relationship. Because both individuals will typically wear a promise ring as a symbol of their commitment, couples can even gift them to one another.