I remember when my husband, Joe proposed. It was Christmas Eve and I was honestly picking chicken out of my teeth (no lie) after dinner when Joe could wait no longer to pop the question. He got down on one knee in front of my family and produced a ring. We had been together a few years already and while I knew we would probably eventually get married, the timing really threw me for a loop. And as he held out a simple round diamond engagement ring, I didn’t take a moment’s pause before saying yes!
Apparently he had really stressed about picking out my engagement ring. There were so many things to consider such as ring settings and size. And because we were just out of college, it was important that the ring be both adequate and yet fairly affordable. To be on the safe side he picked a simple 1/2 carat round cut solitaire so that I could choose my perfect ring.
Joe purchased it from a big name jeweler from the mall and now I’m not sure he would do the same. Now he probably could have gotten a better deal from online retailers.
Within a week of being engaged, I caught the ring on the front door of our apartment building and bent one of the prongs. My diamond went flying. We found it right away but it scared us and we immediately went in for a six prong setting (versus the original four) and switched the band from gold to platinum so it would be stronger and the silver tone I preferred.
Later I chose a simple wrap band with four additional smaller round diamonds. It exactly what I was looking for in a ring. Simple and not too big but certainly not too small either at over a carat total.
For my husband we chose from simple titanium bands. We loved the color and the strength of the material. The only problem was that it couldn’t be resized and only came in full sizes. It looked great for our wedding ceremony but not long into our marriage Joe lost his ring, several times. It was just slightly too big. While we found it each time it went missing, it just became easier for him to not wear it any longer, especially since he has lost 40 pounds or so since we got married.
I wear my ring every day. In fact I only take it off to take it off to shower, apply lotion or for other messy tasks. My husband on the other hand never wears his ring. And I guess purchasing a new band has never been a top priority. It actually doesn’t really bother me and I suppose that is only because I understand why he doesn’t wear it and I feel secure in our relationship.
So thinking about how much money and time goes into picking out wedding bands, I have to ask, do you you wear yours? Would it bother you if your spouse didn’t?
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Brynna says
July 18, 2011 at 10:05 amMy hubby has a titanium ring as well. He wears it at work (paramedic), but when he’s working here at the farm sometimes he takes it off (so it won’t get caught on machinery). However, he has a tattooed band underneath. 🙂
I wear mine all the time. I’ve only removed it a handful of times since we got married almost 8 years ago.
Colleen Turner says
July 18, 2011 at 10:16 amMy husband and I both wear our rings everyday. I take mine off to take a shower because my finger tends to get itchy and dry if I don’t. I would hate it if I couldn’t wear my ring everyday as I have gotten very used to looking down and seeing it there all the time :). I also wouldn’t like it for my husband to not wear his as it symbolizes something that is just so important.
BusyWorkingMama says
July 18, 2011 at 10:16 amI actually have two wedding bands, one on each side of my engagement ring. I wear mine daily, except usually not around the house. I only take my rings off to work out or shower or do dishes. My husband also wears his daily.
Beth W says
July 18, 2011 at 10:16 amI never take mine off – mostly because it doesn’t come off, lol. Yes I’ve been too lazy to get it re sized because I worry about it falling off plus it’s platinum and way more expensive to get redone. My hubby takes his off only to shower- always wears it.
Kate @ The Shopping Mama says
July 18, 2011 at 10:17 amMy husband lost a lot of weight and his original ring doesn’t fit him well. I would love to get him a new one in platinum to match mine. Maybe an anniversary present? Because, yes, it would bother me if he didn’t wear one all the time. Like Prince William – apparently Kate doesn’t mind because everyone *knows* he’s spoken for!
Emilie says
July 18, 2011 at 11:30 amThat is exactly it. It only just barely fit him when we bought it and now that he is about 30 pounds (or more) lighter it REALLY doesn’t fit. I know if I told him it bothered me and asked him to buy a ring, he would. It just really doesn’t bug me so I haven’t said anything. It would make a nice anniversary gift though, you are right!
nan says
July 18, 2011 at 10:19 ami always told my husband he had to wearhis..and luckily he’s gained a few so now it’s stuck…but i don’t wear mine
Angela says
July 18, 2011 at 10:20 amMy husband wears his ring all the time… I rarely see it off his finger. I, on the other hand, rarely wear mine. I almost never wear my engagement ring and I only wear my wedding band a few times a week and usually only for a couple of hours. I just hate having things on my hands…I don’t own any other rings and have never worn them before getting married.
CIndy says
July 18, 2011 at 10:23 amMarried 36 years now, wear it, had it stolen at work once from the women’s bathroom. A co-worker called security, we had a classroom full of new employees in the building, said co worker announced that security was on it’s way. Nobody was leaving until the rings were produced. During a quick break one of the students took the rings to the secretary and said she was going to turn them in but didn’t know who to give them to. No questions asked, happy to have my babies back!
Ashley Martin says
July 18, 2011 at 10:39 amI wear my ring 24/7 – removing it only to shower – and the same goes for my husband. I don’t believe you need to have a ring on to be secure in your marriage, but I think it is a sign of commitment to each other, and it’s something I like. It’s telling the world “we are together, forever”.
Becca says
July 18, 2011 at 10:42 amI had to stop wearing my engagement ring at school, because I’m not allowed to wear it in any of my food production classes. It felts strange at first, but then I realized that I could just string it onto a chain and wear it around my neck. It’s the perfect solution, since my fingers are ALWAYS into food in one fashion or another 🙂
Jennifer @ Mom Spotted says
July 18, 2011 at 10:53 amYes. Hoever, I take it off when I go to bed or when I’m cleaning. I also won’t wear it if we’re going on the boat. I’m scared it will slip off in the water.
My husband lost his last summer and hasn’t replaced it. I wish he would. He acts like it’s no big deal but it bothers me for some reason.
Emilie says
July 18, 2011 at 11:59 amI know that if Joe had a ring that fit he would wear it and maybe that is why it doesn’t bother me. We should make the investment to buy him one that actually fits but I guess compared to other things that we need it just hasn’t felt like a priority. I think it would bother me however if his did fit and never wore it unless his job didn’t allow it. Because then it is a choice, you know?
Reply
courtney says
July 18, 2011 at 11:14 amwell I’m not married, but if I was I would wear it all the time! Been bugging about a ring forever! lol
Rosey says
July 18, 2011 at 11:23 amWe both wear our rings. It wouldn’t bother me if hubby didn’t.
Holly Cunningham says
July 18, 2011 at 11:58 amI wear mine all the time – but shortly after our 30th anniversary, mu Husband surprised me w/a gorgeous new ring, a “Ballerina-skirt” type setting. I still wear my original set as well, just depends on what I’m going to be doing! And my Husband wore his everyday for 34.5 years – until he took it off to work in the yard, dropped it & we heard it bounce… iinto a LIT fireplace! We cleaned it out afterwards, but never did find the ring. He wants another one, tho – just haven’t taken the time to look for one. Guess I should, it seems important to him to wear one….. and for that I’m GLAD!
Alicia C. says
July 18, 2011 at 12:13 pmNope. I don’t wear it. The stone sticks out too much and, after I had my little guy way back in 2008, I kept scratching and bumping him on it. I haven’t worn it for so long and, now, the ring just isn’t for me – too showy. My husband and I have talked about just buying me a simple band, we just haven’t done more than talk. He, on the other hand wears his when he leaves the house. At home, he takes it off. If he didn’t wear it, it wouldn’t be bothered. In fact, he sometimes forgets to put it on on his way out the door.
Annette Burke says
July 18, 2011 at 12:45 pmI wear my ring pretty much all the time. A few times after applying lotion or cooking I’ve forgotten to put it back on for a few days (or a week lol) but it’s not a big deal.
My husband cannot wear a ring to work. He’s a mechanic so it’s a big no-no in the workplace, strictly against the rules.
We bought him a band for use in the wedding ceremony. A cheap Walmart dealio. And he will occasionally put it on when we go out, or if I remind him before we go out.
It doesn’t bother me that he doesn’t/can’t wear his ring all the time. I actually wore his band on my middle finger for a few days last week because I had come across it and meant to put it away. The stupid thing made my finger break out in a rash….so yeah, we got what we paid for at Walmart. LOL
Jenica says
July 18, 2011 at 2:59 pmWe both wear ours all the time. My husband also has a titanium ring that no longer fits him well, but he is so used to it that he feels naked without it and so continues to wear it. I’d like to get him a new one, maybe for our tenth next year.
Emilie says
July 18, 2011 at 3:03 pmOh, that is a great idea! It is our 10th anniversary next year too (August 24th) so maybe I’ll get him one!
Betty says
July 18, 2011 at 5:26 pmMy hubby & I didn’t bother spending money on wedding rings as we were saving for a house at the time and just haven’t bothered to get any since as there is always something that NEEDS to be purchased before a ‘want’ like rings (but I was spoiled with a gorgeous engagement ring so I am OK with it, LOL!). I wore it until I was pg with my daughter and started swelling so wore it on a chain around my neck. I am still working on losing the weight so it is still on the chain and I don’t ever take it off.
It doesn’t bother me at all that my hubby doesn’t wear a ring as I know he is completely committed to me, he just never has been a jewelry person and it would also be dangerous for him to wear at work so getting a ring isn’t a priority for him.
Alexis B says
July 18, 2011 at 7:31 pmI’m not married, been engaged once before (but that obviously fell through, by my choice).. but it would bother me if my current guy and I were married and we were married. But then again, I have trust issues with him. If I was in a secure and happy relationship with no doubts in my mind, I probably wouldn’t have such an issue if my spouse didn’t wear one all the time.. But I’d still want him to own one to wear when it came to going out or something like that. I just see it as a way of showing your committment to each other.
Heidi Daily says
July 19, 2011 at 11:06 amWe both wear our rings all the time I do take mine off to shower and for anything that’s going to make my hands really messy. My husbands is also titanium but where we got his with the ring he got they will allow a trade for sizing.
Tamara B. says
July 19, 2011 at 11:19 amI only wear my engagement ring for special occasions but always have my wedding band on.
Leah Walker says
July 19, 2011 at 5:42 pmSadly, hubby and I don’t have the choice anymore. We were very young when we got married so we didn’t have great and expensive rings to begin with but they meant the world to us. Well, hubby couldn’t wear his for work, had to take it off, and of course was lost to the ether. I was in a rollover car wreck with my sister 12 years ago and my rings, along with two of my fingers, were crushed when my hand went out the sunroof in one of the flips. We celebrated our 15th anniversary last summer but decided to go on a trip instead of buying new rings since we never got to go on a honeymoon. Maybe when our daughter graduates from high school in two years. Lol. Not, then we have college to pay for. It’s all worth it though. We got married at 18 and 19 because I was pregnant. This all sounds so sad written out but we are extremely happy, especially because with hubby having had cancer as a child and my terrible ovarian cysts, we were told we would neither ever have a child so happy ending to that side of the story. And we know we’re married, that’s all that matters, well and that God of course knows as well. We live in a very small town so we know everyone and they all know we’re married too. Hubby still works in the oilfield so he still can’t wear a ring and I deliver mail now and probably wouldn’t want to wear one while I did that either.
Leah
Meg says
July 20, 2011 at 8:35 amI wear my wedding ring. I only take it off when I am putting lotion on or working with raw meat. My husband, on the other hand, has not worn his is 15 years. You see, my husband is a hunter and when he was coming down a tree stand, his ring caught on a small branch of the tree and almost severed his finger. It doesn’t bother me that he doesn’t wear it, because I do understand.
Megan R. says
July 20, 2011 at 8:47 amMy husband and I both wear ours daily. Although sometimes the hubby forgets. Neither of us wears ours when we are out on the boat for fear of losing it and we both take ours off before bed. It would probably bother me if he didn’t wear his.
Jacqueline says
July 20, 2011 at 12:15 pmMy husband and I took a promise BEFORE we got married that we would keep our wedding rings on. And now that we have been married for a few years, we still do have them on!
Lauren Cormier says
July 22, 2011 at 6:47 amI never take off my wedding band, but I take off my engagement ring when I go to bed. It has a high setting and 1) I don’t want to catch it on the sheets and bend a prong (there are only four) and 2) I’ve actually scratched my husband with it while sleeping. Oops:)
Mrs. Smitty says
July 22, 2011 at 7:10 amI wear mine every day for every activity (minus things like hand mixing raw meat)
Hubby does not wear his. In fact, he doesn’t currently have one. It doesn’t bother me as he’d rather see $ go into our home improvement/renovation projects. Or towards family fun activities.
Janice says
July 22, 2011 at 2:58 pmHubby and I both wear our rings to work or whenever we leave the house. We generally take them off at home. We will be married 17 years this year and it wouldn’t bother me if hubby couldn’t wear his ring anymore due health reasons.
This is an interesting post. I enjoyed reading all the comments.
Lisa Davis says
July 23, 2011 at 1:41 amAck! I just lost the main stone out of my ring last week…and we didn’t find it 🙁 I wore it 24/7, the prongs have been adjusted/tightened twice in the last almost 7 years we’ve been married. So, so sad. We will get it replaced, but now I’m really contemplating only wearing it on special occasions and getting a simple band to wear everyday.
Noe says
July 23, 2011 at 9:39 amI have a small band with no diamond or anything on it, and I wear it everyday all the time. i don’t take it off to shower or clean or anything. The ring stays with me even though it’s not something expensive or anything like that.
My husband, on the other hand, can’t wear his ring at work and it kinda bothers him to wear it at home so he never wears it. I think he wore it for a couple of months after we got married and then it got lost. When I got him another one he didn’t feel the need to wear it.. so there he goes… ringless 🙂
I don’t really care he doesn’t wear it as it’s not a definition of our marriage or the vows we did when we got married.
Tonya H says
July 25, 2011 at 11:39 pmI wear mine everyday. The only time I didn’t was when I was pregnant and it got to tight. I have a different ring than the one I had when we got married. I love it though. I have never seen my husband without his ring
Kelly Burroughs Crowell says
July 27, 2011 at 9:07 pmMy husband and I both wear our rings each and everyday!! I would be completely offended if he didn’t wear it as would he if it was the other way around.
Brittany W says
July 27, 2011 at 9:36 pmMy husband and I never take our rings off for anytime for more than a few minutes.
L says
August 8, 2011 at 7:06 pmMy husband wears his all the time. I took mine of several years ago and it never grew back on me. I just can’t be asked any more. Strange; out of two of us I am more committed to our marriage, but he likes to wear the symbol of his adulthood visible (I suppose).
Marysa N. says
August 8, 2011 at 9:35 pmI never take mine off. There are a few times I should have though, I bent a prong and a stone fell out one winter in a glove when we were loading materials in our car from Home Depot! My husband has a titanium ring but doesn’t wear it all the time.
Candice J says
December 7, 2011 at 11:14 amI have been married for 5 years now to a man who is in the military. I wear my ring everyday but my husband never wears his. He says the only reason he does not is because he does not like wearing jewelry. Not only do I wear my wedding ring, I also wear another ring that he bought me on my pinky finger. He gets upset at me and tells me that wearing another ring on my wedding band hand means I want to be single, but remember he does not wear his at all. Is there some kind of law or handbook that says you cant wear another ring on your wedding hand?
Liz Ticona says
August 30, 2012 at 1:32 amI know lots of spouses who don’t wear their wedding rings, either doesn’t fit or more likely they don’t want to lose it. I don’t think it would bother me either if hubby didn’t wear it, You should trust he’s doing it for the right reasons. I have lost my ring 2 times and once I was lucky to get it back but because you invest so much money and time in choosing it you should know what’s best for you, if you are forgetful like me, then keep it in a safe place and only use in special occasions ? By the way, I love your proposal story 🙂