Engagement Ring Alternatives and Flipping the Script
I hate how rings look on my fingers. Rather than long, slender, lady fingers I have small, squatty, child hands. Personal aesthetics aside, I like the freedom of not worrying about rings when I work out or wash my hands.
When I decided to propose to my partner, I faced the possibility of wearing a ring every day and I did all the research I could to avoid it.
Alternatives to Engagement Rings
I remember these options crossing my mind and coming up in my Google searches:
- Tattoos
- Silicon rings
- Necklaces/bracelets
- Pets
- Artwork
A few — very few — other options came up. None of them were compelling. We were already planning to get artwork and pets. If I didn’t want to wear a ring, would I want to wear a necklace every day? Would he? Silicon rings were a frugal and functional idea, but uninspiring (minus the fact they’re lifesaving for certain occupations!). Tattoos seemed like the best option but apparently they fade quickly.
I Put a Ring on It
In my quest to avoid matrimonial jewelry, I realized I wasn’t fully taking my partner’s needs in mind. Sure, I had thought about whether he’d want to sport a neckpiece or ink but I hadn’t considered whether he would want to wear a ring. I imagined he would want to wear it proudly as a public symbol of our love. It was a sweet thought and it made me cave.
We’re both wearing our engagement rings now which makes me happy. We bucked another convention: the one where in a hetero-appearing relationship the woman bears a symbol of commitment whereas the man who gave it to her does not.
This post is part of my WriteMarch series, a commitment to write daily for a month.
