Groom Doesn't Want a Ring

[Lizby]

Hey all! I wanted to get some advice...my DF doesn't want a wedding ring. He is an electrician and is always working on cars or something when he's not at work. He said he'll never wear one and no one in his family has ever had one and downright refuses to have one, which I am okay with. However, I am looking for something I can give to him on our wedding day that would be special. He doesn't wear ANY jewelery of ANY kind AT ALL. Any ideas??? Thanks in advance!

 

[B2B-2008]

What about a designer watch with something engraved on the back.

You could get his best man to give it to him on the morning and have the date and wedding date engraved on it with 'see you there'.

I must have seen that in a film as I'm so tired right now that can't have come from me

 

[Pezalicious]

I like the watch idea, but it sounds like make he can't wear one because of his job?

The only thing that sprang to my mind is a really nice, engraved keychain with your picture in it (maybe in your wedding dress, or one of you as a couple). That way, wherever he goes, he can always have you with him. After all, everyone needs keys.

But then, since it's your wedding, it seems like the gift should be more than just a keychain. This is a tough one!

 

[Lizby]

I think the watch idea is very sweet, but I know he would wear a watch about as much as he would wear a ring, which is never. He doesn't even like keychains! I am totally stumped...the only things he really enjoys getting are tools and I don't really want to hand him a wrench set on our wedding day! Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[B2B-2008]

My dad is also an electrician and doesn't wear a wedding band. He does wear a watch, I don't know if this is a special watch just for electricians .

I did see a girl once on a wedding show record a song for her groom, a song that meant something to them both and she had it played for their first dance.

 

[Pezalicious]

Is there anything he really wants, like a TV, DVD player, game system, etc? You could always buy him something he's been wanting for a long time, take a photo of it, and let him know it's at home, waiting for him. Or maybe tickets to a concert or sports event (if money's not an issue, you could get him an annual ticket to his favorite team).

Maybe you should have 'Property of Mrs. ______' embroidered on the tag of all his undies so he has a reminder of you, wherever he may be.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

your'e going to laugh at this, but you can get tools personalized through sears.com...

why doesn't he get a very simple ring, just for the ceremony, then he can wear it around his neck, or just for special occasions? my df isn't going to wear his ring all the time, he's a dj who works with his hands and it'll get in his way!

 

[cryssi]

We got DH a titanium ring for the ceremony, very inexpensive because we knew that he either wasn't going to wear it or was going to lose it. Sure enough, he lost it b/c he doesn't wear jewelry. Oh well. As long as I have the good jewelry...LOL It's funny b/c all the men in his family except for his dad wear rings. My dad, grandfather, and uncle never wore their rings so it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Lizby]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! The personalized tools might be my best option. I have plenty of time to decide, it is just hard when there aren't many choices! If anyone has any additional ideas, I would love to hear them as well!

 

[JoD]

My DH didn't want a ring either but I talked him into a cheap one. He has only worn it to Weddings but he did make a comment that he is so glad he has a ring to remind him of me and our Wedding Day. Your Wedding Day is so special and I think some guys might regret not having a ring later in life. I would recommend you buy one and if he doesn't wear it fine but he might want it in the future and if you buy one later it won't be as special.
My DH cousin is in construction and didn't want a ring, he has been married 20 yrs now and told us his ring makes him feel like his wife is with him all the time and when he doesn't have it on he feels lost. (isn't that awesome)

 

[Skylarr29]

I think doing a ring exchange would still be a good idea.. even if he doesn't wear it much it will still be a symbol of the day and your vows to one another.

 

[JandJ]

The first thing I thought when I read the topic was "tattoo his finger"

I also think a ring exchange during the ceremony would be great. He doesn't have to wear it all the time, but for the ceremony and honeymoon, and when he's not working, it would be nice for him to have a ring.

I think the personalized tools idea is great also. It's something he'll use and see every day to remind him of you.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Since he is into fixing things, maybe a pocket knife or a swiss army all purpose? A nice engraved one?

This is tough for me since I HAD to buy my fiancé a ring after we got engaged. He presented me with my diamond and the next day we went shopping for his engagement ring. It is a simple band with a claddagh wore the proper way to signify engaged (left hand facing out). he plays with it a lot, but never takes it off. it is sort of a thing with his group of friends, most of the engaged ones have a ring.

 

[Janet2k]

...my DF doesn't want a wedding ring.

Lizby, my husband & I will have been married for 23 years tomorrow. He doesn't have a wedding ring either. And when we had a FTW vow renewal for our 20th wedding anniversary a few years ago, I did briefly (very briefly) consider purchasing him a ring but then decided not to. He's always worked with his hands and I've always been afraid that he would get electrocuted or get his ring caught on a test fixture and thus have his finger ripped off. No rings for him.

However, I am looking for something I can give to him on our wedding day that would be special. He doesn't wear ANY jewelery of ANY kind AT ALL. Any ideas???

I like the idea of an engraved wrist or pocket watch. A pocket watch can safely be put into a pocket (which all work clothing has), and a wrist watch can be worn either to work (if it's safe) or during non-working hours (dinner, theater, ballpark, family functions, etc.).

Or how 'bout an engraved iPod? Click here or click here for iPod engraving info.

When a friend of mine was ordering an iPod for his girlfriend a few years ago, he had the back of it engraved with the simple phrase: "Property of Xxxx Yxxxx." The name that he had engraved on her iPod was actually his own. I thought it was a very cute play on words. It wasn't the iPod that he was really talking about -- it was the fact that "her" heart was "his" property. Yes, corny, but when you're in your 50's/60's like they were, it made the silly sentiment awfully sweet.

No matter what gift you choose to give to your husband on your wedding day, I wish you many long years of wedded bliss. Congratulations!

 

[Kristen14]

Caryn - I LOVE the personalized tool idea!!! I'm gonna have to check it out! although knowing my DF he might be dissappointed by anything other than his top of the line snap-on tools

 

[Lizby]

although knowing my DF he might be dissappointed by anything other than his top of the line snap-on tools

My guy is the same way! I think he might single-handedly be keeping them in business!

The ipod is a great suggestion! Then I could download meaningful songs onto it so it would be extra special. I think there is some kind of adapter so he could play it in his truck. He just gave up his satellite radio so he would probably love that. Thank you so much!

 

[Lizby]

He's always worked with his hands and I've always been afraid that he would get electrocuted or get his ring caught on a test fixture and thus have his finger ripped off. No rings for him.

This is exactly why he does not want a ring. A friend of his recently had a car battery connect with his ring somehow (I forget the specifics) but it wound up burning him and pulling all of the skin off his ring finger when he took it off. He is okay now but it was a horrible experience and definitely made up DF's mind. His father and grandfather are also both electricians and neither had wedding bands. He wants to keep the tradition and has even convinced his brothers never to have wedding bands!

Thank you for your warm wishes!

 

[DisBride2007]

Hi,
I like the idea of an engraved iPod as a wedding gift, but knowing that I am personally on my second iPod in the last four years, I'm not sure that it's the same symbolism behind a ring or a watch. I like the idea of a ring that he could wear only on special occasions. JMO

 

[Janet2k]

His father and grandfather are also both electricians and neither had wedding bands. He wants to keep the tradition and has even convinced his brothers never to have wedding bands!

Lizby, well, we've got another tradition in my household. My husband's last name is different than mine. Plus, our first kid has my husband's last name while our second kid has my last name (and had we had more children, they ALL would have had my last name -- hey, I carried the little darlin's!). We're just one messed up American family, aren't we?!

I should note that I enjoy checking into a hotel. Not only are our last names different, but as you now know, my husband doesn't wear a wedding ring. It adds a kind of illicit feeling to all of our "family" vacations.

In all seriousness, I hope you come up with a fun gift for your future husband. It doesn't matter if it's a tool, an MP3 player, a pocket watch, a wrist watch, or something else. What matters is that you're giving him a gift from the heart. And when you do that, you'll join the ranks of the Sentimental Ol' Fools Club. Welcome to the club!

 

[Lizby]

Good for you Janet2K!

I will have to give his wedding gift some more thought. Whatever it is I know what I would like engraved on it...it's a line from a White Stripes song that I always say to him. Now I just need to figure out what it will be engraved on! Thanks for your help everyone!