What to Engrave on Your Wedding Rings

Your wedding rings represent your love and commitment to your partner. Adding an inscription lets you personalize the ring easily. If you’re not sure what to engrave on a wedding band, keep reading to find an assortment of ideas, both serious and funny. You’re sure to find the perfect inscription idea for your spouse-to-be. You have so many decisions to make when it comes to the wedding. Thinking of a sentiment to engrave in the wedding band is just one more thing to add to the list, but there are plenty of reasons to follow through with this wedding prep task.

• Personalization: Whether you design the ring yourself or chose it from premade designs, engraving adds a personal touch that makes it special.
• Commemoration: Engraving helps commemorate special moments and significant information related to your marriage and relationship.
• Privacy: Since the engraving goes on the inner portion of the band, the inscription is a special message between you and your partner. It’s a fun little secret that you can keep to yourself.

How Ring Engraving Works

Engraving takes place at a jewelry store at the hands of an experienced jeweler. Ask your jeweler if they have the tools and experience to handle the engraving when you order the rings. You can also check around with other jewelers in the area to find one with experience in engraving. Some jewelers provide on the spot engraving, while others take longer. Consult with the selected jeweler to determine the timeline to ensure the ring gets finished before your wedding day. The basic engraving process is simple with just a few steps, including:

1. Decide on the specific engraving.
2. Write down the words to ensure accuracy.
3. The jeweler then uses engraving tools to put the inscription onto the ring.
4. Check the engraving to make sure it is correct.

You provide the message you want engraved to the jeweler. Write down the inscription to avoid any confusion. Always check and double check your written message to ensure it is exactly how you want it. You can get the engraving done either by machine or by hand. Hand engraving usually costs more since it is a slower process, but it may produce a look that you like better than a machine. Pricing also depends on the number of characters and the specific font you choose. Once you’ve made your selections, the jeweler completes the engraving. Check the inscription before leaving the store to ensure the wording is exactly how you ordered it.

Significant Dates

Significant dates in the couple’s life are popular choices for wedding ring engraving. Dates are simple and easy to fit inside a wedding band. They also carry significance to you personally or to the two of you as a couple. Engrave your wedding date so you and your spouse never forget your anniversary. You might also add other significant dates, such as the day you met, the day you fell in love or the day you were engaged. Writing dates as digits only saves space and keeps the inscription simple. For example, represent the day you were engaged with 05/28/2016 or 5.28.2016. Some people prefer the look of the date written out, such as May 28, 2016.

Names or Initials

The next logical option is to engrave names or initials on the wedding ring. An example of using first names is “Brody + Cammi.” You can also use “&” or “and” to connect the names. This incorporates both partners in the ring inscription as a symbol of the two of you being together forever. Play around with different name and initial combinations. Here are some other ideas:

• Initials: Replace your full names with your initials as part of the inscription. This saves space if you want to add other words. Use just your first initials or use first and last initials.
• Last name: Simply engrave the last name on the ring if one person will take the other person’s name as part of the marriage ceremony.
• Monogram: Another way to tie together the two people in the marriage is to create a monogram using the last name initial and the initials of each person’s first name. The last name initial typically goes in the middle with a larger font.
• Nicknames: Engrave a more personal touch with your nicknames or a pet name you call one another.

Short Sentiments

Sentiments related to your love or your relationship work well for wedding ring inscriptions. These wedding ring love quotes or short phrases show how you feel about your partner, making the ring special. When choosing a sentiment, think about the things you say to your partner frequently. If none of those phrases work, choose something that captures your personality and the essence of your relationship. If you’re stuck, consider one of these sentimental phrases:

Bible Verses

Bible verses often capture the essence of love and marriage. Choose a meaningful Bible verse to engrave on your partner’s wedding ring. A verse that you plan to read at the wedding is a good choice. This reminds your partner of your wedding day always. If the entire bible verse won’t fit on the ring, shorten it or simply put the name of the verse on the ring. Fitting Bible verses for wedding band inscriptions include:

• 1 Corinthians 16:14: “Do everything in love.”
• Ruth 1:16-17: “But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.’”
• 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Three things will last forever — faith, hope and love — and the greatest of these is love.”
• Psalms 34:3: “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!”
• Matthew 19:6: “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
• Colossians 1:17: “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
• Song of Solomon 2:16: “My lover is mine, and I am his.”
• Song of Solomon 1:2: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.”

Song Lyrics or Poems

Musicians and poets have a way with words. If your feelings have already been put to paper in song or poem form, use those words as an inscription on your partner’s wedding ring. Since most songs and poems are long, you won’t be able to fit your selection in its entirety. Choose the most meaningful parts to narrow down a specific phrase Stuck on what to use? Try these musical inspirations:

• Lyrics from your first dance song
• I’ll never dance with another
• Don’t stop believing
• Finally found the love of a lifetime
• I would walk 500 miles
• I feel so close to you right now
• Truly, madly, deeply
• So happy together
• A whole new world

Funny Phrases

If your relationship is full of laughter and jokes, consider inscribing something funny on the wedding rings. It’s a great way to symbolize that lighthearted, fun-loving connection you have. It’s also the perfect way to make your new spouse smile even when they’re mad at you. Try these humorous ideas when deciding what to engrave on wedding rings:

• An inside joke that only your partner will understand
• I’m not done with you
• No take backs
• Alarm will sound if removed
• To love, honor and irritate
• Legally mine
• You’re stuck with me
• No refunds
• Non-returnable
• Dibs
• To aid and abet
• Why is this off?
• I love you more than coffee
• Put your ring back on!
• Better than bacon
• Insert finger here
• You are my person
• Do or do not, there is no try
• May the force be with us
• Finders keepers
• Resistance is futile

Significant Locations

Some couples have locations that mean a lot to them. Perhaps the place you first met, or the place you realized you loved your partner. You might fondly think of the location where you got engaged or a special trip you took together. Even the location of your wedding may have special significance. Engrave the name of that location in the wedding band to show just how important it is to you.

Images

Words aren’t always adequate to express how you feel. If you prefer to say it with images, consider having a design engraved into the wedding ring instead of a word. Modern engraving technology converts images into engravings on a ring. The image needs to be small enough to fit onto the ring. Simple images typically work best. You might have a simple face engraved to represent each of you. Hearts offer an option as a universal sign of love. The infinity sign also works well to represent your undying love. Alternatively, choose a yin yang symbol to show how you balance out one another. A creative approach to the image idea is to engrave your fingerprint onto the wedding band. You can convert an actual fingerprint taken from your finger and have it converted to an image to engrave on the ring. Use your ring finger to make it more meaningful.

Split Messages

Emphasize the idea of two separate people coming together to form a loving couple by splitting the message between the two rings. Place part of the phrase on one ring and the other part of the phrase on the other ring. When the bands are next to one another, the phrase is complete and makes sense. Here are some ideas for this concept:

• Ring 1: I found a reason | Ring 2: And the reason is you
• Ring 1: To have | Ring 2: To hold
• Ring 1: You say it best | Ring 2: when you say nothing at all
• Ring 1: Little spoon | Ring 2: Big spoon
• Ring 1: I found my other half | Ring 2: My other half found me
• Ring 1: I am my beloved’s | Ring 2: my beloved is mine
• Ring 1: I don’t know much | Ring 2: But I know I love you
• Ring 1: I love you | Ring 2: I know
• Ring 1: To infinity | Ring 2: And beyond

Tips for Your Engraving

In the grand scheme of the wedding planning, getting your rings engraved is a relatively small task, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple. Follow these tips when planning your wedding inscriptions for your rings:

• Use a Combination: Who says you can’t have it all? If you like multiple ideas, combine them to create the perfect inscription. Go the classic route with your names and wedding date. Pair a special phrase with a small image.
• Consider the Size: Depending on the size of your band, the space for engraving is often limited. You can’t put an entire song on the inside of your beloved’s wedding band. If you try to cram too much on the band, the words will be small and difficult to read. Keep the message short and sweet for maximum impact.
• Keep Inscriptions Secret: Instead of deciding on an inscription together, each person can come up with something to engrave in the partner’s ring. This makes the inscription a bit of a gift on the wedding day. It also makes the ring message special for the recipient.
• Take Time to Choose: Don’t cause yourself too much stress over the issue, but take your time in deciding what to put on a wedding band. Since you and your partner will wear them for many years, and they commemorate a special moment, you want them to have meaning and have a lasting message.
• Engrave Later: If you don’t have time to get the wedding bands engraved before you walk down the aisle, you can always have them engraved later. This gives you more time to think about the message without the pressure of other wedding decisions. You can get your wedding band engraved at any time, even long after you take your vows.

Have you found inspiration for your wedding ring inscription? Whether you go serious or funny, modern or traditional, Mountz Jewelers can handle your engraving needs. Contact us to get your personalized message engraved on your wedding bands.