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How Do I Choose the Best Wedding Ring Engraving?

By B. Miller
Updated May 17, 2024
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Engraving a personal message on the inside of a wedding ring is an excellent way to make the ring even more special, and something that can be treasured and appreciated for generations. The wedding ring engraving you choose is a personal decision, generally one made as a couple. Some couples choose to get a simple phrase, such as "I love you," for their wedding ring engraving. Others will personalize it more, and choose to engrave a significant date, their initials, or even an inside joke that is meaningful to them. It is important to check with a jeweler before settling on a word or phrase to learn of any character limits on the inside of specific rings; some smaller sized rings may not allow longer phrases.

Of course, some people choose to place a wedding ring engraving on the outside of the ring instead. Rather than a personal word or phrase, this is generally simply a design to make the ring more aesthetically appealing. Celtic designs are quite popular, which feature intricate knotwork. There are many other designs available, though, or you may choose to design one of your own to make it even more special. Keep in mind there is nothing that says the bride and groom's rings must match, so feel free to get creative.

In general, wedding ring engraving will refer to engravings on the inside of the band, however. These serve as little private messages or reminders between the couple. Often, simple phrases are used. People often choose to use favorite quotes from literature or even from songs, and spiritual or religious couples might want to use religious quotes. Using a significant date, generally the date the couple met or the date of the wedding is common as well, in addition to initials. Some couples choose to use a secret word or phrase that is only meaningful to them. One additional advantage of doing this is that if the ring is ever lost or stolen, a unique engraving could make it easier to identify.

The method for selecting a wedding ring engraving can vary. Some couples choose to have the same engraving on both rings, while others select complementary engravings. Each person might select his or her own engraving, while in other cases, the person's fiance will select the engraving to go inside the ring. Another option that individuals often choose is to get a significant date, initials, or quote that is relevant to their family; for example, parents or grandparents who were married for a significant period of time. The beauty of selecting wedding ring engraving is that it can be completely personal and never known by anyone else if you don't want it to be.

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Discussion Comments

By Ana1234 — On May 04, 2014

@pleonasm - It's kind of like getting a tattoo I suppose. It's an act of faith. Maybe he won't pick the exact thing you like, but then, that's marriage for you. You have to learn how to like it because he was the one who picked it. Or, you have to make sure you nudge him (or her, I suppose) in the right direction in the first place.

I've always liked the idea of wedding ring sets that contain two parts of a saying or something like that. Kahil Gibran's "Let there be spaces" verse seems like it would have something ideal.

By pleonasm — On May 03, 2014

@KoiwiGal - I think that could possibly work if a partner knew their intended so intimately that they could really guess what would be the right thing to put there. Maybe. And it sounds very romantic. But in reality, I might be extremely disappointed with anything engraved without my say on my wedding ring. I know that sounds shallow, but engraved wedding rings last forever and if my beloved decides to quote something from a pop song or even tries to come up with something original that's something I'm going to have to look at for decades to come.

I'd rather just have a plain ring, to be honest. Maybe save the engraving for the ten year anniversary or something like that.

By KoiwiGal — On May 02, 2014

My absolute favorite fictional example of an engraving on a wedding ring was in the Outlander series, where the protagonist discovers many years after the fact that her husband had taken the time to get her ring engraved, even though they had a very rushed wedding. He had it engraved with a verse of poetry, if I remember correctly, which spoke about thousands of kisses and thousands more to come.

The point of it was that she had never had to remove the ring before, so she had never realized that it even had an engraving.

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