Engagement & Wedding Rings for Same-Sex Couples

               
In the wedding industry, perhaps out of habit, there is a lot of reference to couples as ‘his & hers’ or the ‘bride & groom’ with little acknowledgment of same-sex couples. When you read an article in a magazine or blog the focus is generally on heterosexual couples. What will the bride wear? What will the groom wear? Will they have his & hers wedding rings? But the truth is that times have changed and just isn’t the case anymore.
 
Traditional wedding customs do not make sense for same-sex couples. Traditions such as what happens with the father giving away the bride? Which side of the aisle do guests sit on at a same-sex union? What does the officiant say instead of “I pronounce you husband & wife”? The list goes on. When it comes to wedding and engagement rings, once again, old traditions do not make sense. 
 
So how is engagement and wedding ring etiquette generally altered to suit same-sex couples? 
 
At Larsen Jewellery we frequently work with same-sex couples who, without having set traditions to adhere to, are able to, refreshingly, design without rules. To help guide you here are some of the questions and solutions that have arisen in the past.
 
Can we both have an engagement ring?
 
Of course you can! We have worked with lesbian couples that have decided that they would both love to have a dazzling diamond ring on their finger. Either the couple have come in together or one partner has surprised the other with a diamond ring and not long after they are back in to design the second engagement ring. 
 
Guys, we are certainly not suggesting that engagement rings are exclusive to women! Though primarily worn by women some would say proposal rings are becoming more and more popular for guys. Men deserve a bit of bling as well!
 
Can we have just one ring?
 
This is becoming more and more popular these days amongst all couples. Many couples are opting to combine both the engagement and wedding ring into one stunning ring that looks beautiful on its own. 
 
What options do we have for wedding rings?
 
If you are a same-sex couple you may wonder what your options are for wedding rings. When you see images of ‘matching sets of wedding rings’ most usually have one ‘feminine’ ring sprinkled with diamonds and one ‘masculine’ ring, usually a wider, plainer gold ring. This is the traditional style and certainly not for everyone. As a same-sex couple a great option might be to have your rings custom made. Custom making your rings makes them that much more special to you. You can either choose to have matching rings or completely different rings. Or you may sit somewhere in between and want your rings to be matching with just slight differences. This could be anything from one featuring a diamond and one without or the same design but in different coloured metals. Your choices are endless and are only limited by your own imagination.
 
Who presents the ring first during the ceremony?
 
Some believe the partner who proposed is the one to present the ring first. But there is no rule of thumb so this is up to you!
 

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