Breaking Engagement Ring & Wedding Band Rules | Bario Neal

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12 Ways We Love Breaking Old Engagement Ring and Wedding Band Rules

We're not big fans of restrictions or stereotypes when it comes to creating jewelry for our clients at Bario Neal. To counter the wedding industry's marketing myths, we work extra hard to banish the notion of the so-called "perfect engagement ring."

What matters to us: You love whatever wedding jewelry you buy (if any). What doesn't: Tired rules about gemstones and sizes and prices and styles.

Whether you've always followed your own tastes instinctively, or you're someone who is dipping your toe into breaking the tradition, here are 12 old rules about engagement rings and wedding bands that we know you'll have fun leaving in the past.

Break This Rule: The metals of your engagement ring and wedding band must match.

Wearing only all gold or all silver jewelry is as unnecessary as gendered wedding parties. Take one peek at our Milla Square Rims Band, created with a wide strip of platinum, palladium or white gold that's trimmed in 14k yellow or rose gold, and you'll see how different metals work well together. We also like our modern Allium Diamond Round Ring in 14kt yellow gold with a band of another metal. Whatever your perfect metal mix, with Bario Neal, your rings and bands will be made with reclaimed or Fairmined solid precious metals.


Allium Round Engagement Ring with Milla Thin Wedding B and
Allium Round Diamond Engagement Ring with Milla Thin Wedding Band

Break This Rule: Spouses have to have matching wedding bands.

Maybe you two have the same taste in music. Or clothes. Or art. Maybe you don't, and that's exactly what makes you work as a couple. If your aesthetics aren't totally in sync, don't force yourselves into matching wedding bands. If everyone had the same taste, after all, we wouldn't create so many band styles. Our Half Eternity Narrow Diamond Band is classic, while the textured Quill Band makes a more natural statement.

There's another way to break this old rule but still keep a hint of likeness: You might pick similar band shapes but each choose a different metal or different finish. One band might be polished, the other matte. For inspiration, look at our super-popular Milla Shoulder Wide Band and Milla Shoulder Narrow Band .


Quill Wedding B and  and Half Eternity Diamond Wedding B and in Bario Neal Box
Quill Band and Half Eternity Narrow Diamond Band

Break This Rule: Engagement rings require gemstones.

An engagement ring is an engagement ring because you both say it is. There are no carat quotas. No sparkle mandates. You might skip a gemstone and focus on metals and finishes, or different shapes. You may say "no thanks" to diamonds and love the tone that white glass enamel brings to our Senna Narrow Band.

Some of our clients have stacked two or more plain bands. Together, our Icon Wide One Band and Icon Wide Two Band shine without a gem in sight.

Wedding  and Engagement Stack of Linear Hex Sapphire Ring, Open Lash Ring, Lash Solitaire Blue Sapphire Ring
Linear Hex Sapphire Ring, Open Lash Ring, Lash Solitaire Blue Sapphire Ring

Break This Rule: Your engagement ring and wedding band need to have the same gemstone.

This rule's as anachronistic as a black and white television. Our Linear Hex Sapphire Ring proves there's power in going full color, with its blue sapphire, green sapphire, pink tourmaline, and orange sapphire. (Rule-breaking bonus points: Gems in the same ring don't need to be the same shape either.)

One fun way to mix gemstones: Pair our Lash Solitaire Blue Sapphire Ring with gorgeous green accents of emeralds in an Open Lash Ring.

Break This Rule: Keep your engagement ring and wedding bands in the same style lane.

The notion that you can't mix modern and vintage or antique with new went out with plastic-covered living room furniture and fainting couches. If your style is a mix of throwback and very current, embrace it. You can even up the sustainability factor by wearing an heirloom solitaire ring that's in your family with a modern Bario Neal wedding band like the Nikko Curved Band.

Break This Rule: Rose gold is "feminine."

If your eyes roll at the gender conventions attached to jewelry, you might like to break out of the silver and gold mold with a different metal: rose gold. As we said on the blog in January, "people of all genders who want to feel beautiful and celebrate pink can reclaim the hue." Rose gold looks awesome on all genders and every skin tone. (P.S. If you love to see stereotypes skewered as much as we do, check out this great blog post from A Practical Wedding that hilariously calls out sexist wedding photography.)

Milla Round Wide B and, Milla Round Hammered Wide B and, Milla Shoulder Wide B and
Milla Round Wide Band, Milla Round Hammered Wide Band, Milla Shoulder Wide Band

Break This Rule: Your wedding band has to be metal.

Wearing jewelry every day might not fit your work or lifestyle. Many couples prefer tattoos as a visible, creative, and meaningful symbol. We've seen dates, initials, band-like designs, and more that looked great in ink. A tattoo is a wonderful, and sustainable choice when you don't want to wear your Bario Neal ring.

Break This Rule: You need two rings: an official engagement ring and an official wedding band.

If buying and wearing two rings doesn't sound like joy to you, think all-in-one. Our free-form Gale Rose Cut Diamond Ring, Charta Andalusite Cluster Ring, and Senna Umbra Ring are all examples of rings that can carry the day solo.

Cluster Andalusite Engagement Ring
Cluster Andalusite Ring

Break This Rule: First comes the engagement ring, then the wedding band. Then the wait for an anniversary band.

Your wedding "band" might be two stacked bands instead. You could have two engagement rings. Or go for three from day one. (Hint: Forget the "ring finger rule" too.) Our Allium Diamond Ring, Cluster Fringe Diamond Ring, and Icon Hex Diamond Ring make a timeless trio. For a more playful look, mix our Open Lash Ring, Ray Ring, and Ray Fringe Band.

Halo Aquamarine Engagement Ring with Linea Diamond Wedding Band and Stackable Band

Break This Rule: You need one special set of rings.

Just like we understand why people pass on all wedding jewelry, we also see many clients think creatively about what a wedding set is. Depending on regular activities, workplace, and other lifestyle factors, some couples want a few rings that they can wear at different times or for different occasions. For example, if you have a Halo Aquamarine Ring, a Linea Diamond Band, and a Stackable Band you might wear all three, or just the Stackable Band, depending on the day.

Break This Rule: Never take off your wedding band.

Call us not superstitious. You should take off your wedding ring to travel, or to work, or to sleep. You might even, oh, take off your ring(s) to clean them. After all, never is a long time. By the way, daily wear does affect a ring over time. Check out our FAQs for what that means for finishes and for gemstones, and how we can help if you want a refresh.

Shield One Wedding B and with Filigree Curved Wedding B and
Shield One Band with Filigree Curved Band
Break This Rule: The amount of money you spend on your wedding jewelry reflects the level of your commitment.

This one's about way more than rule-breaking. It's about banishing a misconception built on top of a manipulative marketing scheme. Upending these kinds of exclusionary ideas is part of why Bario Neal was started in the first place. Your rings and/or bands should be something you buy because it's fun and you want them to be part of your marriage story. There's no minimum price tag on that. If you agree, check out our Milla Thin Band, Shield One Band, Filigree Curved Band, Aldine Band, Senna Tall Band, and Icon Band.

Breaking the rules is freeing and will probably get you thinking more creatively about what kind of rings and bands you'd truly love to have. (Notice there are only a few "required fields" on our online Custom Design Questionnaire, and those are just about contacting you.) Follow your own inner style guide and choose an engagement ring or wedding band right for you, your spouse, and you both as a couple.