How to Shop for Wedding Rings as a Couple: 6 Steps

To shop for wedding rings as a couple, talk through style and budget first, set one total budget for every ring, decide whether to buy the engagement ring and bands together or separately, measure both sizes, choose metals that work for each of you, and start early enough to allow for sizing and any changes.

Choosing rings together should feel like a good day out, not a pile of decisions made in a rush. The trouble is that there are several rings, two budgets, two styles and a wedding date, all at once.

These six steps put the decisions in a sensible order. Work through them together and the shopping gets much easier.

6 steps for choosing wedding rings together

1. Talk before you browse

Sit down with a coffee and answer four questions: What metal color do we each like? Do we want matching rings or complementary ones? How do we each live and work, and will a ring get in the way? What is our budget? Five minutes of talking saves an afternoon of looking at rings neither of you wants.

2. Set one budget for all the rings

Add up everything you plan to buy: the engagement ring, the bride’s wedding band and the groom’s band, plus sizing and any extras. Then split it however suits you. Some couples spend most on the engagement ring and keep the bands simple. Others split evenly. If cost is a worry, our guide to buying a diamond wedding ring on a budget shows where to trim without regret.

3. Decide how to buy: together or in stages

You have two paths. Buy a matched set, where the rings are designed to sit together, or buy each ring on its own and add the bands later. A set is simpler when you want everything settled. Buying in stages gives you time to see how the engagement ring wears before you choose a band. Our guide to the difference between a bridal set and a wedding set explains the terms, and you can browse our natural diamond bridal ring sets and lab-grown bridal sets to see matched pairs.

4. Measure both sizes, and measure more than once

Fingers swell with heat and shrink in the cold, and a wide band fits tighter than a thin one. Measure in the afternoon, on more than one day. Our guide to how to find your ring size at home shows how. Also ask whether the rings can be resized, since some styles, such as full eternity bands and tungsten or titanium rings, are difficult or impossible to resize.

5. Choose metals and a diamond type you both are comfortable with

Rings worn on the same hand or finger wear best when the metals match. Yellow, white and rose gold each have a different look and need slightly different upkeep, since white gold is usually coated with rhodium that wears over time. Decide too whether you prefer natural or lab-grown diamonds. Both are real diamonds, and our comparison of lab-grown vs natural diamonds covers price and value. For a significant center stone, ask for an independent grading report.

6. Build in time

Sizing, adjustments and special orders take time, and wedding weeks are busy enough already. Plan to have every ring in hand well before the date, then try them all on together once. See the timeline below.

Which rings does each person need?

There is no rule about who buys which ring, so decide in whatever way suits you.

A simple shopping timeline

These are typical planning windows, not a rule. Rings that need special ordering or sizing need more time, so start earlier if you can.

Mistakes couples make, and how to avoid them

1. Buying the band before seeing the engagement ring on the finger. Wear the engagement ring for a few weeks first, especially if it has a curved shank.
2. Mixing metals on one finger. They can wear unevenly, since the softer one wears faster.
3. Measuring once. Sizes change through the day and the seasons.
4. Leaving it to the last month. Sizing and fixes can take days or weeks.
5. Skipping the questions. Ask each jeweler about the diamond report, return terms and who does the repairs.

After the wedding

Rings are worn every day, so plan to have the prongs checked once or twice a year and the rings cleaned regularly. If a ring ever needs resizing, polishing or re-plating, see our repair services.

Try the rings on together

Rings look different on the hand than in photos. Stop by Maaz Jewelers at 316 W Sailer Dr, San Mateo, CA 94403, and try a few styles side by side. Call (650) 315-2525 or contact us to plan a visit. Read our return and exchange policy before you buy, and learn more about the store.

Keep reading

• See the styles couples ask about most in our bridal set trends.
• Choosing for her? Read our women’s bridal ring set guide.
• Not sure how bands differ? Compare an eternity band, wedding band and anniversary band.