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Wedding, engagement, and promise rings symbolize your love and commitment — so they should be as unique and special as your one-of-a-kind love story. Adding an engraving, a secret message inscribed along a ring's inner edge, is a meaningful way to add a personalized touch to an already sentimental piece. Practiced for centuries, engraving is a popular and heartfelt way to write a love note to your partner.
What to Engrave on a Wedding Band
Wedding bands are symbols of forever. When wondering what to engrave them with, consider a meaningful moment, date, or saying that you and your partner share. Your wedding ring engravings can be exact matches for each other or completely unique. Remember, there are no rules! Your engraving doesn't have to be romantic or serious – just express your personality.
What to Engrave on an Engagement Ring
Proposing with an engagement ring is an incredibly romantic gesture that symbolizes the love and commitment between you and your partner, as well as your readiness to take the next step with them. You may want to surprise them with an engraving when you pop the question - it could read, "Love You Forever" or "Now and Always" to further express your future together. If you are more traditional, you could opt to engrave the date of your engagement, or the date you first met, or your initials along the band.
What to Engrave on a Promise Ring
Promise rings, precursors to engagement rings, are given to a partner prior to a formal engagement as a symbol of hope and commitment for the next chapter of your life together. When considering what to engrave on a promise ring, look towards your next step: what are you the most excited about in the future? How do you picture your life together? What qualities will be important in a long-lasting relationship? Then, engrave a word or sentence that encompasses it. You can also look to the past and engrave the date you first met or an anecdote about your first date.
Ring Engraving Ideas
Classic
You can't go wrong with the classics. Tried and true for a reason, these traditional ideas are timeless — and meaningful.
- Your wedding date
- Each other’s initials
- A part of your vows
- Your nicknames for each other
- Or a simple “I love you”
Romantic
Ring engravings are like little love notes — why not make them extra romantic?
- Forever starts here
- My one and only
- Now & forever
- To the moon and back
- I'm yours
Unique
Your love story is one-of-a-kind. Your engraving should be, too, so make it personal and distinctive.
- GPS coordinates of the place you met
- Let your partner surprise you with an engraving of their choice
- An inside joke only the two of you understand
- Qualities you value (loyalty, truthfulness, kindness)
- What made you fall in love (her smile)
Coordinating
Coordinating engravings are either complementary pairs or when one engraving finishes the sentence of the other.
- Ring 1: Mr / Ring 2: Mrs
- Ring 1: After all this time? / Ring 2: Always
- Ring 1: Hand in hand / Ring 2: Heart to heart
- Ring 1: My love / Ring 2: My life
- Ring 1: Forever / Ring 2: & always
One Word
Keep it short and sweet.
- Soulmates
- Yours
- Sweetheart
- Always
- Promise
Poetry/Song Lyrics
Music and lyrics are a meaningful part of life. If a particular song speaks to your relationship, engrave it on your rings.
- Love is All You Need (Beatles)
- Better Together (Jack Johnson)
- Endless Love (Lionel Richie)
- At Last (Etta James)
- You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall & Oats)
Other Languages/Symbols
If you or your partner are bi-lingual, engrave a phrase in another language (perhaps from somewhere you've visited together) or say it all with a symbol.
- A heart symbol (🖤)
- An infinity symbol (♾️)
- Joi sans fin (Joy without end, French)
- Tesoro mio (My treasure, Italian)
- Siempre tuyo/a (Always yours, Spanish)
Ring Engraving Tips
1. Don't just consider what you want to say — consider the length of what you want to say. Generally, wedding ring engravings should be 15-20 characters or less — so it's wise to keep your message short and sweet. At Brilliant Earth, 15 characters is the standard for women's rings, and 20 is the standard for men's rings. Extra characters are possible at an additional cost.
2. Make sure your ring is thick enough. Many jewelers will only engrave a ring that's more than 1.5mm in width. At Brilliant Earth, we engrave wedding rings at or above 1.4mm in width.
3. Most jewelers offer script or block font. Be sure to specify which you would like after considering them both. At Brilliant Earth, we offer both script and block fonts.
4. Some jewelers may be able to engrave special characters (such as Chinese symbols or a smiley face), be sure to ask what's possible before planning out your engraving. At Brilliant Earth, we offer the heart, infinity, and degree symbols. Other special characters may be available at an additional cost.
Ring Engraving FAQ
What are Brilliant Earth's engraving policies?
We engrave 15 characters on women's rings and 20 characters on men's rings. If you would like to engrave more than this, you can at an additional fee. We only engrave wedding rings that are larger than 1.4mm in width. Please note that we do not engrave engagement rings, open wedding rings, alternative wedding rings, or eternity wedding rings. If you would like to return or exchange an engraved ring, please note that there is a $40 fee to remove that engraving from the ring. Schedule an appointment or contact us to learn more.
How much does engraving cost?
Engraving can cost anywhere from $35 - $100. At Brilliant Earth, it costs $40.
Where can I get a ring engraved?
You can get your ring engraved at most local jewelers. If your ring is from Brilliant Earth, you can engrave it here.
How long does it take to engrave a ring?
The time it takes to engrave a ring varies between jewelers, with an average of a few weeks. At Brilliant Earth, it generally takes two weeks.
How does the engraving process work?
Professionals use specialized equipment to secure the ring, and a laser or sharp tool carves out small lines into the ring to form the engraving.
Can any metal be engraved?
Yes, most metals can be engraved. At Brilliant Earth, we engrave all metals: white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum.
Can I get a ring engraved after I've purchased it?
Yes, most jewelers will allow you to engrave your ring after purchase. You can engrave your ring post-purchase anytime here at Brilliant Earth.
Is there a limit to the number of characters I can engrave on a ring?
Yes, due to the size of your ring, there is a limit to how many characters can be engraved on it. Generally, jewelers will set a number and won't engrave more than that number without an additional fee.
What could you engrave on a ring for yourself?
Engrave a ring for yourself with something meaningful just to you — it could be a date, your name, a song lyric, or a cheeky 'From me, to me.'
