Wedding Etiquette Forum

"Mangagement" rings

I heard on the radio today that brides.com did a survey or something about "Mangagement" rings -- engagement rings for men.  Apparently it is a growing trend, which made the DJ ask...is it simply a ploy by jewelry stores to make more money?  Or, is it so women can have their men visibly claimed, just as women are with their engagement rings?Thoughts?  Did/does your FI wear a ring before marriage?  If so, who bought it, and when?
«1

Re: "Mangagement" rings

  • A friend of mine actually proposed to her DH and gave him an engagement ring. Other than that, I don't know any guy who wore a ring before the marriage.
  • My husband didn't ware a ring before we got married.I guess it would work for women who plan on proposing.
  • Thoughts? Meh, it's whatever.  If you're with someone that wants to do it, fine, if not, fine.  I'm not a fan of a lot of jewelry on guys in general, so what would he do with that ring when he gets the wedding band? Stack it like we (women) do? Or one ring on each hand?Did/does your FI wear a ring before marriage? The only other ring H has ever worn was his Father's claddagh ring which his mother gave him (H) when he (Father) passed away.  It was stolen from his bag during one of his pick-up basketball games  last year :(If so, who bought it, and when? N/A
  • He actually did! He proposed in the morning and that afternoon we were at the mall. We stopped at a kiosk to get a silver necklace for me, and he saw a metal ring he liked. It wasn't even 20 bucks, but he bought it and wore it on his left hand. The day we got married he wore both rings (one on each hand), but has only worn his wedding band since.
  • FI has expressed how excited he is to wear a ring.  So the general public knows what his status is. He's going to wait on his wedding band though.  That's my biggest deal with my engagement ring: I want it to be clear by glancing at my hand that I'm intending to get married.  So I think if a guy wants to do this, that's his prerogative.  Although I do find it odd and it probably is a ploy to sell jewelry, to each his own.  It's non traditional, but all in all, not a bad thing, I don't think.
    image
    Whatever you hatters be hattin. -Tay Prince
  • My stepdad did because well, my mom didn't trust him. It was pretty lame actually because now he feels the need to wear that ring AND his wedding band and the entire bottom joint of his finger has metal on it. I asked my fiance if he wanted one and he said "not that i'm against them, but I'd rather just spend the money on the wedding band i really want"
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • My H did not, and wouldn't have if I had asked him to.  He still complains about his wedding band sometimes.  I think it probably is a trend started by jewelry stores to increase revenue.
    kd.joseph's wish is my command
    image
    Just call me "Brothel"
    And betrothed, I'm disgusted with most of the comments that you have posted. I don't think I've ever read such judgmental comments in my life. I'm so lucky that the girls I speak to on theknot are nothing like you...I would've never come on here for ADVICE if I would've encountered a big a bitch as you. I genuinely feel awful for your children or your future children, and I think it would be irresponsible of YOU not to invest in their future therapy sessions starting now. Because trust me when I tell you honey, they're gonna need it. ~jcaruncho2010
    my read shelf:
    Betrothed 123's book recommendations, favorite quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)
  • Huh.  So what happens to the engagement ring after the wedding? I'm assuming they don't wear both.  There is no way my H would have agreed to that.  He did enough biitching about wearing a wedding ring, although I think he secretly loves it.
  • Oops. He wore it on his right hand. Not left.
  • My dad wears his wedding ring already, which I just think is inappropriate since he and the Stepmonster aren't married yet. I give him crap for it all the time (she wears her wedding rings as well).My cousin and his fiance exchanged simple bands when they got engaged, and she'll get the diamond engagement ring/wedding ring when they get married, and he'll exchange his band. It seems like promise rings to me.
    image
  • DH does not like jewerly. He does not wear watches or chains.   He barely wears the wedding band, I'm sure he would not have worn a mangagement ring. btw - I would be fine if he did not have a wedding band.  My father does not own one and they have been married for 41 years, so I never equated a ring with marriage.






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  • A male friend of mine proposed to his now-wife and then demanded she buy him an engagement ring.  He really wanted one and thought it was unfair she got one and he didn't.  It was kind of sweet--he wanted everyone to know he was engaged.  He thought it was unfair that the woman is "marked" kind of after the proposal but the man isn't, and he wanted that symbol to show his commitment to her.After they got married, he moved it to his right hand.I asked FI if he wanted one and he didn't really see the point, but hey, if you want one I don't see why not.
    image
    two years!
    after two losses, now happily expecting baby #1 09.16.12
    Pregnancy Ticker
    Brie Fit Blog | BFP Chart
  • Andy doesn't wear one but he has mentioned that he wishes he could have proof that he is engaged.  It's not a big enough deal to get him a ring of course but it's just something he thinks of sometimes.  Andy knew a guy who did it and of other men who would like to have a ring.  Maybe not get proposed to with a ring but have one to symbolize the engagement.  Does that make sense?I definitely do not like the name "management ring" though. 
    image
    My Bio Updated 4/6/10
  • I bought matching claddagh rings when I was in Ireland, long before we were engaged. FI rarely wears his, but when he does, it's on the right hand. Claddagh are actually pretty common in Ireland and here in Boston...makes it pretty easy to tell if someone is single, dating, etc.
  • H did not wear a ring until we got married. He was hardly interested in wearing a ring then.
  • Unrelated, but Kate I wanted to reply to you comment in the DC area GTG thread - Annapolis is not out of the way for me!
    image
  • H was much happier with his engagement XBOX than any ring :) I agree with most other posters - to each his own.
  • The girls who called in who said their FIs did wear one said they wanted them to so that "the sluts" stayed away.  However, the DJ brought up an interesting point that he got more attention at clubs and stuff AFTER he got married and had a ring on.  His explanation for that was that when a girl sees a guy with a ring, that says that someone else finds them desirable...so they will too.  That just skeeved me out.  I guess it's how affairs are born.And I think a few people are misreading -- it's man-gagement, not management.  Switch "en" with "man". :)
  • I was honestly surprised when J wanted to wear a band. Even though it was on his right hand, he always considered it an "engagement" ring. I thought it was sweet that he did that. The ring now sits in a wooden box on his dresser, but it's there. It holds sentiment to him.
  • Arb -- awesome!  I feel like it is in its own world sometimes...not quite DC, not quite Baltimore :)
  • That is definitely true Kate - my best guy friend says that when he's hanging out with his friends at a bar somewhere, he always has a ton of girls coming up to him now trying to flirt. 
    image
  • Dh doesn't have one, but the idea does make sense to me for men who want one. It always seems kind of "unfair" that women typically get rings that can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars to show they're engaged while men get nothing. (FWIW, I told DH I didn't want an engagement ring when we got engaged; I had one the first time I was married that I loved, but this time around I thought our money was better spent on the house we were renovating at the time.)
  • If it wasn't farther away from my family, we definitely would consider buying a house there.  If we stay in MD though, it looks like we'll be moving into Baltimore county.  Right now we're in the Dirty Burnie. Blech.
    image
  • Think of how many bad relationships would be cut short though! If some of the girls on NEY could propose to their fiances and they really knew what they were thinking, I think some men might be better off.
    image
    Vacation with Alix, Andy, Mandy, and FLORENCE. AND HER MACHINE.

    The Margarita Evolution
    image
  • And to answer my own question, I agree with pp that it's a to each their own situation.  If there's sentiment involved like Sco said, then it's well worth it for the individual.  Personally, I wouldn't ask FI to wear one, but I am looking forward to him having a wedding band.  I kind of think if a girl's only motivation for wanting her FI to wear one is the skank repellant, then there are probably some deeper rooted issues that need to be examined.
  • FWIW, I never asked him to wear one, or even imagined he would.
  • Or, is it so women can have their men visibly claimed, just as women are with their engagement rings?Nah, it'd be too easy to take off.  Wouldn't one of those tracking bracelet things like you have when you're on house arrest work better?  Or an "I'm taken" tattoo to the forehead?Kidding.But no, FI does not have a ring.  Or any sign of "ownership" on his person.  Hell, I only wear MY ring cause it's SHINY :)
  • Ha! Engraving "Reserved" on the ring is a cute idea. :)
  • However, the DJ brought up an interesting point that he got more attention at clubs and stuff AFTER he got married and had a ring on. FI has noticed this too. He says he gets checked out more often when we're together and any time he wears his claddagh. It's like street cred: some other girl likes this guy, so he must be worth having around!
  • My fiance wears his wedding ring around the house because he likes it so much. He says its not fair that I got an engagement ring and he didn't (he's half joking). I think he would wear one if I got it for him.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards