@HoneyBear40 I find it a little stupid that in all of the years of women getting pregnant and having their fingers swell (thus, having to take their rings off), people still see no ring and assume the pregnant lady is single....
All your bling is so pretty! I picked mine out at least two years in advance...yeah. It's from a little small town jeweler that I used to browse in a lot for fun because they had so many interesting old things, and I was always daydreaming about marrying my DH at the time anyways, so when I saw this ring I just fell in love. I'm shocked it was still there two years later when he started looking to buy, and so I just told him I had found one I loved and it just happened to be on sale and we went on a secret mission to go get it. I say secret because he wasn't going to propose for almost another year from then because we didn't want a long engagement, and he didn't want my parents to know we'd bought a ring when he hadn't talked to them yet. We're a bit old fashioned like that. My mom had been with me several times when I'd been drooling over that ring and she freaked out when it was gone the next time we were there. It was so hard to keep it a secret for so long! It holds lots of fond memories and I love it.
@LDSJM123 I wasn't married when I had DD 4.5 years ago. MH and I didn't want our parents paying for our wedding, so we saved money, but then we decided it was more important for his grandpa (who lived next to us) to get to know a great-grandkid (that came from MH). His grandpa had been asking us for years when we were going to get married, and then finally stopped asking but asked when he was getting another great-grandkid. MH is was only grandkid of his that wasn't married or had any kids. So instead of spending the money on the wedding, we spent the money on hospital bills for L&D when we had DD. People still assumed that she was a surprise pregnancy, because why on earth would someone chose to have a baby and not be married?! But we had been together for five years, and DD and her great-grandfather got 2.5 amazing years together before he passed away at age 95. They saw each other almost every day, and it was 100% worth it...I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! We did eventually get married two summers ago (after 8 years together, and our wedding fund was replenished), so when I see someone pregnant without a ring...I don't judge and don't think anything of it.
My DH bought the ring all by himself and actually proposed the very next day! Neither of us are good at keeping gifts/surprises a secret. The engagement ring did not come as a set so we had the band designed at another jeweler (the place where he got the engagement ring had closed; he had bought it during a closing out sale so he got a really good deal ). For the band, they used some the diamonds from my DH's grandmother's ring and lined up the round diamonds in the band with the span of diamonds on the engagement ring. Then added baguettes on either side to also line up with the baguettes on the engagement ring. I think the jeweler did a good job making it look like a set. Like others have said, too bad my fingers are too big to currently wear them
Me: 31 DH:35 Started TTC in June 2014 Started seeing RE in June 2015 HSG in July 2015 = normal, started Clomid/Ovidrel/IUI cycle in August 2015 Cycle #3 in October afforded 1st month of mature follicles - underwent IUI BFP on 10/27/15 - EDD 7/8/16 DD#1 born on 7/1/16
TTC #2 in September 2018 BFP on 12/2/18 - EDD 8/16/19
Team Green!
I'm not really a jewelry girl; my husband cared a lot more about our engagement rings than I did. I love what he chose, but posting pictures of my stuff feel braggy and I'd rather show you the engagement ring I got for HIM on etsy: A titanium utility ring. Yes, it can open a beer!!!!!!
Secretly, I'd been planning since high school to give my future husband a ring after he proposed to me. But he brought it up before I could surprise him! He said, "I want to wear an engagement ring, too. I'm just as committed as you, and I want everyone to know it." Yeah, he's amazing.
@LDSJM123 I wasn't married when I had DD 4.5 years ago. MH and I didn't want our parents paying for our wedding, so we saved money, but then we decided it was more important for his grandpa (who lived next to us) to get to know a great-grandkid (that came from MH). His grandpa had been asking us for years when we were going to get married, and then finally stopped asking but asked when he was getting another great-grandkid. MH is was only grandkid of his that wasn't married or had any kids. So instead of spending the money on the wedding, we spent the money on hospital bills for L&D when we had DD. People still assumed that she was a surprise pregnancy, because why on earth would someone chose to have a baby and not be married?! But we had been together for five years, and DD and her great-grandfather got 2.5 amazing years together before he passed away at age 95. They saw each other almost every day, and it was 100% worth it...I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! We did eventually get married two summers ago (after 8 years together, and our wedding fund was replenished), so when I see someone pregnant without a ring...I don't judge and don't think anything of it.
Well I just got all the feels! What a sweet story.
I love seeing all of the bling and the stories behind the rings! Thanks @LDSJM123 for starting this fun thread! My DH proposed with his great grandmas solitaire diamond ring and the band was too thin to be stretched to make it fit so we took the diamond out and with the help of our small town jeweler designed a new setting for it and we picked out the wedding band to match the new setting. We used the gold from his great grandmas band to melt down and create my husbands wedding band. I love our rings and how they have history behind them!
My ring is MIA and I'm okay with that. It's not all about how big of a diamond I have or how much money my husband spends on me. Diamonds are a sham and no woman should feel pressure to wear one (especially when pregnant!) just because society deems it "necessary". Rock your bare hands ladies and be proud of it!
We went and looked a couple times and I pointed out various things I liked and didn't like. I really liked the halo setting, but I didn't like how the center diamond sat up high. I work with kids and was scared I would scratch them or something. DH ended up taking all the things I liked and worked with the jewler to get the setting right. The inner band is my wedding band. They weren't a set, but look like it. Also bonus, DHs ring because that's the picture I had saved in my phone
@PleaseSendPicklesNow That is fantastic! My husband had an engagement ring too, because we both thought it was nonsense for me to be walking around with a "taken" sign on my hand for 13 months and not him. We also proposed to each other, and I bought our engagement rings because he paid rent that month (and his cost much more than mine).
The same artist made both of them, and they are so lovely. His has a little compartment where you can put notes, and mine is all silver and just glorious. I don't wear mine every day because it's not up to the wear and tear of teaching preschool. But, they were the perfect rings for that stage of our life. (Pictures from the artist's site)
So I picked out my own ring (setting only) because DH was too scared to. However, the rock is bigger than I'd like. At the same time, it's a manufactured simulant blue diamond and the whole rock was like $120. So...big is fine by me because it's not hurting us financially
Mostly I just loved the leaves on the band - they turned into our motif/theme for our wedding. Of course, they don't fit now. I wear them on a necklace when I dress up a little, because I love them. I also bought myself that silicone band that I can wear now and while swimming and doing extreme stuff later. It was $20 delivered. I wanted it because I felt naked without my rings.
Me: 33 DH: 32 Married 7/18/15 1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16 Team green turned BLUE! 2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18 Team green turned PINK! Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
I had a traditional solitare engagement ring that I didn't love, so for the wedding I picked out a stack. We plan to add to it with births and major anniversaries. Had to crop out my horrible nails. And I'm not elderly... I just am freckly. Love everyone's rings!
My husband picked it out all himself. I had given him some suggestions/hints, but he ended up getting what he loved lol. He added the seconding wedding band for our one year anniversary.
I basically picked out everything...Not very romantic, I know. I wanted a timeless look so I went with a solitaire with an antique stone (we chose an Old European Cut). Check out Jewels by Grace if you like antique stones...her site is my idea of crack. My wedding band and wedding gift (the smaller ring) are both bezel set also. Not a great picture but my fingers are too fat for anything pretty right now...
Was jewels by grace onetime jewels by Erica grace? @theshannondee if so, I stalked her page for months before going with a local jeweler to find an antique cushion!
My husband and I decided to get married and planned our wedding in 21 days. He had talked about buying me a ring but we were gifted my nana's band from 1931, the ring my grandfather have my grandma for their first anniversary (he passed when my mom was 9 so I never met him) and my husband's grandmothers set. The first year we were married I wore my nana's band and his grandmother's then switched to my grandma's ring because I like options. Who knows what I will wear next year.
@jlmartinez517 yep! They were still one unit back then. Erica Winters make GORGEOUS rings. I love your antique cushion... If I ever "upgrade" I want an elongated antique cushion...YUMMY.
My husband and my mom built my ring together on blue Nile. I have 2 wedding bands but they don't fit these fat fingers anymore! And soon this ring won't fit either! But that's okay, I am a nurse so I am used to not wearing my rings all the time. We will be married 2 years at the end of this month!
I love hearing the stories behind some of these rings.
On a related note, maybe I'm just too old fashioned and sentimental, but I can't imagine ever wanting to upgrade the ring I was proposed to with (and no, I'm not sporting some gigantic rock.) I just feel like that isn't something that can be replaced... it might be bigger and/or fancier but it'll never be the ring I said yes to. I hope that makes sense. And I hope anyone on here who plans to upgrade or has already done so isn't offended... I know this is something many women do and don't think twice about it. Maybe I should've posted this in the UO thread...
This is my engagement ring and wedding ring. They are soldered together, and I did pick them. I am hoping for a matching band for the other side for our 10th anniversary (this year is number 8). Now that I look at them in this pic, I think it's about time to take them off before they get stuck.
But, I really love this one because it is so different. It was my grandmother's wedding ring combined with/upgraded with an anniversary ring to make one style. I love it because it is unique and quirky (you can tell the two big diamonds are not exactly the same size). I already had to take it off because it's pretty small, but it's usually on my right hand.
My husband picked out my engagement ring on his own, and I'm obsessed with it. We decided to get our wedding bands tattooed because we both weight lift and work in a gym and the band on my engagement ring took such a beating that we didn't want to have to worry about that/take our rings off all the time. Our bands have since been filled in solid black.
Ah I love looking at everyone's rings and hearing the stories behind them. MH picked out my engagement ring, though he knew I preferred a solitaire. The wedding band has stones from my dad's ring that he wore. I love that I get to have a piece of him with me. I actually don't get to wear my rings often though, because I wear a plain silver band to work so that the settings don't catch on gloves.
@ButterMyBiscuit Yes. That photo is from my wedding. And I proposed to hubs first. His engagement band was a similar one that just had the Bat symbol wrapped around it.
My wedding ring. Simple and sweet, just the way I like it. It's actually passed down from my husband's great aunt and although he said I could get an upgrade...I fell in love with it. It's very "me".
My wedding band and engagement ring were stolen from our house during a showing while we were selling it. This simple band was a push present from my first child so now that does the trick!
My husband picked out my ring without any guidance, and he nailed it! He got me an antique that was silver with jade in the center and marcusite surrounding. It couldn't stand up to life/water very well, so about a year later we had it replicated with white gold and black diamonds. He chose it because it reminded him of my green eyes. His band is the simple gold band his grandfather wore.
I love how there are so many people in here whose screen names I've never seen before. Hey lurkers post in the support threads too... Not just to show off your ring...
DH and I went to a family friend jeweler to pick out our rings. He says this is the one he would have picked anyway. The band is my 2nd one as I washed my ring and the band snapped off and disappeared.
Re: GTKY: Bling Edition
All your bling is so pretty! I picked mine out at least two years in advance...yeah. It's from a little small town jeweler that I used to browse in a lot for fun because they had so many interesting old things, and I was always daydreaming about marrying my DH at the time anyways, so when I saw this ring I just fell in love. I'm shocked it was still there two years later when he started looking to buy, and so I just told him I had found one I loved and it just happened to be on sale and we went on a secret mission to go get it. I say secret because he wasn't going to propose for almost another year from then because we didn't want a long engagement, and he didn't want my parents to know we'd bought a ring when he hadn't talked to them yet. We're a bit old fashioned like that. My mom had been with me several times when I'd been drooling over that ring and she freaked out when it was gone the next time we were there. It was so hard to keep it a secret for so long! It holds lots of fond memories and I love it.
Started TTC in June 2014
Started seeing RE in June 2015
HSG in July 2015 = normal, started Clomid/Ovidrel/IUI cycle in August 2015
Cycle #3 in October afforded 1st month of mature follicles - underwent IUI
BFP on 10/27/15 - EDD 7/8/16
DD#1 born on 7/1/16
TTC #2 in September 2018
BFP on 12/2/18 - EDD 8/16/19
Team Green!
Secretly, I'd been planning since high school to give my future husband a ring after he proposed to me. But he brought it up before I could surprise him! He said, "I want to wear an engagement ring, too. I'm just as committed as you, and I want everyone to know it." Yeah, he's amazing.
Married: October 2014
TTC #1 since September 2015
The same artist made both of them, and they are so lovely. His has a little compartment where you can put notes, and mine is all silver and just glorious. I don't wear mine every day because it's not up to the wear and tear of teaching preschool. But, they were the perfect rings for that stage of our life. (Pictures from the artist's site)
If my husband hears that rings with secret compartments exist, he's going to be so jealous. Shhhh!
Mostly I just loved the leaves on the band - they turned into our motif/theme for our wedding. Of course, they don't fit now. I wear them on a necklace when I dress up a little, because I love them. I also bought myself that silicone band that I can wear now and while swimming and doing extreme stuff later. It was $20 delivered. I wanted it because I felt naked without my rings.
DH: 32
Married 7/18/15
1st born at 35+4 on 6/6/16
Team green turned BLUE!
2nd born at 38+6 on 8/30/18
Team green turned PINK!
Due with #3 on 6/6/20 Team Green
On a related note, maybe I'm just too old fashioned and sentimental, but I can't imagine ever wanting to upgrade the ring I was proposed to with (and no, I'm not sporting some gigantic rock.) I just feel like that isn't something that can be replaced... it might be bigger and/or fancier but it'll never be the ring I said yes to. I hope that makes sense. And I hope anyone on here who plans to upgrade or has already done so isn't offended... I know this is something many women do and don't think twice about it. Maybe I should've posted this in the UO thread...
But, I really love this one because it is so different. It was my grandmother's wedding ring combined with/upgraded with an anniversary ring to make one style. I love it because it is unique and quirky (you can tell the two big diamonds are not exactly the same size). I already had to take it off because it's pretty small, but it's usually on my right hand.
My iPhone didn't really like taking pics of them.
I actually don't get to wear my rings often though, because I wear a plain silver band to work so that the settings don't catch on gloves.
July BMB May Signature Challenge
Yes. That photo is from my wedding. And I proposed to hubs first. His engagement band was a similar one that just had the Bat symbol wrapped around it.
My husband picked out my ring without any guidance, and he nailed it! He got me an antique that was silver with jade in the center and marcusite surrounding. It couldn't stand up to life/water very well, so about a year later we had it replicated with white gold and black diamonds. He chose it because it reminded him of my green eyes. His band is the simple gold band his grandfather wore.