9 Unique Wedding Ring Alternatives That Actually Work

Typically round, wedding bands are an ancient symbol of eternity and act as the physical sign of the bond that is marriage.  However, we are now well into the twenty-first century and you certainly don’t have to be limited by the traditions of thousands of years past.

There are so many reasons why couples choose not to exchange or wear wedding rings; all are equally as valid as each other. Some people aren’t fans of following traditions to the letter, while others have ethical concerns about the process of mining natural diamonds.

On a practical level, a lot of people can’t afford something as costly as a traditional ring, and who says you should buy something that you need multiple credit cards to afford anyway?

Well, no matter the reason, it’s completely okay to seek a wedding band alternative – after all, it is your day, and your marriage, so you can celebrate it however you want!

Luckily there are so many wonderful substitutes available. So if you and/or your fiancé are the type of people who would rather forgo traditional wedding rings, we’ve got a wide range of wedding ring alternatives for you!

Tattoos

Marriage is for the rest of your lives and there’s nothing more permanent to symbolize that union than getting a tattoo!

Tattoos are becoming a more and more popular choice among engaged couples, but this wedding ring replacement idea is not for the faint of heart. They’re painful to apply!

However, the process of getting a tattoo can also be a fitting metaphor for marriage – sometimes you go through difficult or painful things to get to the beauty on the other side of them!

You and your fiancé could have tattoos inked on your traditional wedding fingers (AKA the left ring finger) in the shape of rings, or choose another design entirely! 

There’s also nothing keeping you from getting matching tattoos elsewhere – matching tattoo bracelets on your wrist for instance. 

The possibilities are endless when it comes to permanent body art instead of wedding rings!

Framed Vows

Wedding Vows Sign

Custom Wedding Vows Sign (Set of 2 Signs)

The wedding vows are the most important part of any wedding ceremony and arguably the wedding day itself. 

If you’re not a huge fan of rings, then exchanging the wedding vows you and your fiancé wrote for one another could be the perfect solution!

There are people who turn wedding vows into a piece of art, so you can even hang them in your home afterward as a wonderful and useful reminder of the promises you made to one another. 

Bracelets

Custom Engraving ID Bracelets

It's hand made, handbraided, and hand laser engraving. Made with love.

If you would still like a piece of jewelry, a great non-wedding-ring option is a bracelet.

Bracelets do not accumulate dirt and grime under them in the same way that rings can and often do. They also don’t often get in the way of activities like putting on gloves or holding hands the way a traditional wedding band can.

Necklaces

Personalized 3D Bar Necklace

This cute vertical bar necklace can engraved 4 sides, is great for engraving kids initials, family member initials, memorable dates, simple symbols, names, lovers' prattle, coordinate, roman numerals, etc.

Another piece of jewelry that is a perfect alternative to the traditional wedding band is a necklace.

A great option for couples who live an active lifestyle, a necklace can be worn surreptitiously under a shirt, or proudly on the outside of it for all the world to see. 

The best thing about a wedding necklace is that it’s worn close to the heart, making it a great alternative.

Ring Necklace

Matching Couples Necklace Titanium Stainless Steel

This Promise Love Rings Necklace for Couples is made of high grade Durable Stainless Titanium Steel, 100% Hypoallergenic, no rust, no fading, no allergies.

A happy medium between a necklace and a ring, a ring necklace boasts the benefits of wearing a necklace and respects the tradition of wearing a traditional wedding ring.

The ring necklace we’ve linked above is made from stainless steel, making it waterproof; you two never have to take them off if you don’t want to!

Also, the chain comes in longer and shorter lengths, so he can choose the one that’s right for him, and you can choose the one that’s right for you.

Watches

Stainless Steel His and Hers Wrist Watches

Soulmate love token for sweet lovers.Forever Love timepieces,full of blessings

These his and hers wooden watches are a great way to honor the time you’ve spent and will continue to spend with one another.

Have them engraved for even more individuality! 

Tree Sapling

Antonovka Apple | Small Tree Seedling

100% guaranteed: If your seedling perishes, we are happy to provide a replacement small-sized seedling for just the cost of shipping/handling.

Any relationship must be nourished and allowed to grow to reach its full potential, and there’s no better way to represent this than with a metaphor like a tree sapling. 

An ideal option for the couple who has just moved into or purchased their own home together, a tree sapling can be planted right in your yard, so you can watch it grow as you go through the years together.

A tree sapling is also a great option for the eco-conscious couple because trees are essential for converting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to oxygen.

You could even take part in a different marriage tradition from long ago and plant two saplings across from one another on the path leading to the front door.

The idea is that these trees are manipulated to grow together above the path, symbolizing how the couple grows together as one family. Very sweet. 

Earrings

Alphabet Letter Initial Earrings - H

Quality Cubic Zirconia Pave set in Rhodium Plated Sterling Silver to ensure they are Hypoallergenic Earrings

Earrings are another great alternative to wedding rings. You can get any type of earrings you want: dangles, drops, studs, etc.

The earring sets can match one another, or you can split one set between the two of you so you’re each wearing one piece of the pair. 

Photo Albums

Photo Album 200 Pockets Hold 4x6 Photos

Fabric cover features a frame to insert a favorite photo and a deluxe rounded book bound spine

Maybe your fiancé is a great amateur photographer and you have tons of photos together. Or maybe you’re a crafty person who’s skilled with their hands.

Either way, a scrapbook or photo album can be a fantastic and incredibly meaningful thing to exchange with your significant other during your wedding ceremony. 

Fill the album with tickets for trips you’ve taken, movies you’ve seen, or concerts you’ve attended together.

Consider adding photos of the two of you through the years together or even pictures of each other before you even met. With this option, you can enlist the help of family members in collecting photos of your partner from their childhood

Non-traditional Ring Options

Of course, there are also non-traditional ring options for wedding ring alternatives.

Not everyone wants to wear the traditional plain gold, white gold, or rose gold bands – and that’s more than okay!

Just because you don’t want a traditional wedding band doesn’t mean you have to forgo one entirely. We’ve got a few alternative wedding ring options below…

Engraved Silver Ring with Vine Design

Engraved Silver Ring with Vine Design

A set of two rustic, lovely sterling silver wedding bands to symbolize your love for each other.

This engraved silver ring set is ideal for the couple that love the outdoors, or simply for fans of the cottagecore aesthetic.

The vine engraving on these silver wedding bands adds a beautiful element of visual interest to the traditional wedding ring.

Gold World Map Wedding Band Set

Gold World Map Wedding Band Set

Unique wedding rings with world map. Indicated price for pair of rings.

Perfect for the couple infected with insatiable wanderlust, this gold wedding band set creates a tiny world map when stacked one atop the other.

So, if you and your fiancé are globetrotters, consider a unique wedding band set like this one! 

Celtic Wedding Bands

Celtic Wedding Bands

This silver Celtic ring wedding set is perfect for the unusual loving couple. 

This Celtic wedding band set is a little less overwhelming than the traditional wedding band set because between the intertwined infinity designs there is negative space.

Bands like these are a distinctive and less heavy option than the traditional style.

Mixed Materials Wedding Band Set

Mixed Materials Wedding Band Set

His and Hers Meteorite Rose Gold Tungsten Rings Wedding Ring Set Match Mens and Women Wedding Band Set Rose Gold And Wood Wedding Band Set.

This beautiful ring set is made from tungsten, rose gold, wood, and meteorite – talk about unique!

Reviews for this wedding band set are glowing. The rings can be personalized using laser engraving, and come in a free wooden box, making them picture-ready for your wedding day, too!

Best of all, this wedding ring set is both waterproof and hypoallergenic, as well as absolutely gorgeous of course!

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