Since prehistoric times, bands have played significant roles during betrothals and marriages. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine completing engagement and wedding ceremonies without any band to attest that such events really happened. Because of their long lingering presence, wedding ring and engagement ring are often confused with each other. But, it should be taken into account that though these jewelry pieces are commonly seen among married women, they profoundly differ from each other in many aspects.
In order to understand the difference between the wedding ring and engagement ring, let's start to look at their individual purposes. Simply, an engagement ring is the band given by the man to the woman prior to their marriage to signify the engaged status of their relationship. On the other hand, wedding bands are the jewelry pieces exchanged and worn by the couple during their wedding day to seal their marital vows. After the wedding ceremony and into the future, both the bands are worn on the same finger, this applies to women since men do not wear engagement bands though there are engagement bands intended for men.
Between the wedding and engagement hoops, most couples invest more on their engagement bands. In fact, an engagement ring is more attention-grabbing than a wedding ring because it is somehow a silent announcement of the soon-to-be married status of couples. Engagement bands traditionally have prominent center stones that are commonly constructed from fine diamond jewelry. At the moment however, couples need not to buy engagement bands that are accentuated with diamond stones, rather as a less expensive option they could use other precious stones such as ruby, sapphire, opal, etc., as the center stone of the engagement ring.
Meanwhile, wedding ring is far from the grandiosity that engagement ring usually exemplify as it is often plain in finish and does not have any accents, or sometimes it is designed after the engagement ring but is a simpler version of the first. However, there are also couples that make use of fine diamond jewelry for their wedding bands, though this rarely happens as the plain design of such ring symbolizes the sanctity of marriage. The wedding and engagement bands are both worn on the left finger between the index and pinkie as tradition has it that the said finger holds the vein that is connected directly to the heart which is referred to as the vena mori. Though there are some cultures that place their wedding and engagement bands on the ring finger on the right hand.
Commonly, wedding and engagement bands are separately purchased. It is also possible that they can be bought as a set, which is why some wedding bands are equally grandiose to their engagement counterparts. However, if you are to purchase each piece separately, remember that you are going to wear them everyday, so when you select the shape of the stone always consider your lifestyle. Diamond might be naturally hard, but if it has pointy edges or is protruding on the ring it is more likely to chip or break off due to over usage; in such case, it would be more preferable to purchase wedding and engagement bands that have embedded round brilliant cut gemstones to ensure that they will last for a lifetime.
Generally, wedding ring and engagement ring are important pieces that represent two important stages in a couple's relationship, the engagement and marriage. They indeed have distinct qualities that sets them apart from each other. Regardless of their many differences though, it is undeniable that both of them are built upon the concept of representing undying love, as seen from the round finish of the bands and their material makeup. They also serve as material seals that strengthen the symbolism and sentimentality of devotion of the couples.
Wedding ring and engagement ring differ greatly in appearance and function. An engagement ring is worn prior to the marriage to denote the engaged status of the couple. Traditionally engagement ring has center piece that's of fine diamond jewelry with round brilliant cut. Meanwhile, wedding bands are the ones exchanged by couples during wedding ceremonies to seal their marriage vows. Such ring is usually a plain band or designed to match the theme of the engagement ring but is simpler.
-Lorraine Jacobs
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