Who Buys the Wedding Bands

Who buys the wedding bands, the groom or the bride? The wedding ring is probably far down the list of priorities on the groom’s mind before he gets married. It’s rather insignificant compared to the new bride’s diamond ring, both in looks and in cost. The male’s ring is the one indicator that lets all the other women he is off the market. The good part is the groom’s ring is probably the smallest and cheapest thing contained in the wedding and a couple does not have to spend thousands of dollars to get a good ring. There is a pretty good chance the groom’s wedding ring will be the first ring he has ever worn, and hopefully the last. Most guys never think ahead about his ring but it is an important aspect of marriage that is a physical reminder of his eternal love for his partner, so enough time should be taken to make sure it is perfect. The groom has often put in so much effort to find the bride’s engagement ring that he probably doesn’t have much desire or patience to start the quest over.  Many times the bride buys the groom’s ring, but it can vary by couple.  Other couples will pick out the wedding bands together so that they match and fit both of their needs.  Other times only the groom will pick out his own wedding band if the bride does not have a strong preference.  One of the best ways of picking out wedding bands is to simply look together as a couple and decide on what looks and feels the best for each person.  There’s also a book that goes through all New Wedding Etiquette
and explains the traditional and modern day procedures.  There are many things addressed that I would have never thought of until the wedding day. Most weddings follow these basic rules when determining who pays for what. For a great read on saving money at your wedding Click Here!

Bride Pays For:
The wedding ring (groom’s)
wedding gift (groom’s)
Gifts (bridal attendants)
Dress and accessories (bride’s)
Consultant if needed
Luncheon (bride’s)

Groom Pays For:
Engagement ring (bride’s)
Wedding ring (bride’s)
Wedding gift (bride’s)
Best man and groomsmen gifts (groom’s)
The official marriage license
Fee for preacher
Tux rental (groom’s)
Boutonnieres for groomsmen
Honeymoon

Who buys the wedding bandsOnce you have settled on who buys the wedding bands, it is time to actually find and purchase these rings.  Now, decide what kind of ring your new groom’s will be made of.  95% of wedding band are made up of some sort of platinum, white gold, yellow gold, titanium, tungsten, or stainless steel. Platinum and white gold are probably the most popular materials at the moment, with yellow gold being more popular with the older generation. White gold looks like silver but is basically gold mixed with palladium or silver, giving it the shiny white look.  If you decide on gold, it is important to know that there are different karats which is a measure of the purity of the gold. 24 karat is as good as it gets and it is as close to 100% pure gold as possible.  If you see 12 karat, that means 50% pure gold with the rest mixed with other types of minerals. Keep in mind, the higher the karat, the softer it will be, which means it will be easier to scratch. Most people opt for 18 karat because it gives a good combination of a high quality mineral material with durability. Each of the metals will show different wear and tear according to the mineral‘s hardness.

 

Popular Types of Wedding Bands

Platinum - This is the most expensive mineral for a wedding band but is the most durable and is less likely to scratch or bend

White Gold - This is the most popular material for the groom’s ring and is a high quality mineral with good strength

Yellow Gold - This is the classic ring material but it is becoming less popular

Tungsten Carbide - This is a less expensive material that is very resilient and won’t get scratched easily, perfect for anyone working constantly with their hands.
Generally, a groom will determine who buys the wedding bands since the bride is often worried about other aspects of the wedding. As long as both the bride and groom agree on the price, style, color, and material, it really doesn’t matter. The groom’s wedding band should be special since it is a physical reminder of the couple’s marriage and both the bride and the groom should be proud to wear their wedding bands.  The wedding band for the groom can be slightly bigger and more masculine, while the bride will have a smaller wedding band that can match her engagement ring.  There are many styles available, with intricate details engraved on the ring, different materials used, and rare gems added.  When picking out wedding bands, determine if you would rather have one solid color, ornate engravings, or additional gems such as diamonds on the band.  Make it special, both of you will have to look at it for the rest of your lives.