Weddings are an important part of life and symbolize a new beginning for a loving couple with hope, trust, and love that will endure for many years to come. For a modern couple, replacing the conventional wedding ring with a rubber wedding ring is a viable and smart option. Read on to find out why you should wear a rubber ring.
Weddings Are Expensive
According to a 2017 survey by The Knot, the average cost of a wedding is $33,391. Not only is that a shocking figure, but the amount increased to nearly $2,700 from the year before! Some couples attempt to get married on off-peak days or seasons to save money, but the average cost is up to a record $245 per wedding guest. The average price of a traditional diamond engagement ring is nearly $6,000.
The Problem with Traditional Wedding Rings
In general, jewelry is a bad investment. Diamond wedding rings don’t retain their original price unless you can afford to buy it from Tiffany’s or Cartier with proof of purchase and packaging intact, but even then it can be 20% less of what you paid for the ring after seller fees. In addition, the diamond industry has some dark secrets and consumers are becoming more aware that the majority of African mined diamonds are blood diamonds. Diamond rings are an expensive consumer good that you cannot eat, functionally use, or help raise your children. The De Beers Company has dominated the diamond industry for decades, but they are having a hard time selling their “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” marketing strategy to millennials. This group, in particular, are less materialistic and more practical than most generations before them.
Take the Money You Save With a Rubber Wedding Ring and Buy Something Else
How much you spend on a wedding ring has absolutely nothing to do with the success of your marriage. The old axiom of spending three month’s salary on a wedding ring is flawed. The average US savings rate is only 2-5% of the income. For example, if you made $100,000 per year the “expected” wedding ring would cost $25,000, while at a 3% savings rate would only be $3,000 a $22K difference! Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on an engagement ring and wedding day event, why not take the money and spend it on yourselves.
Travel. You might rather spend your money on traveling to see the world. Start your relationship off right with an adventure and share your experiences with your friends and family.
A new home. Would you rather have the wedding of a lifetime or a new home? A $30,000 down payment on a new home can buy you a great place to live in many areas of the country.
Pay off your debt. Student loan debt is now over $1.3 Trillion, so maybe you’re crazy in love, but you still have bills to pay too. Having too much credit card debt can be stressful for any relationship, so being debt free is a great way to focus on your future together.
Just can’t afford it. Perhaps you can't justify the expense and your budget won't allow for a big investment in an engagement ring.
Wedding ring versus a great wedding day. Perhaps you have to choose between your dream ring or your dream wedding. Wedding rings are forever, but wedding memories are as well. By saving money with a rubber wedding ring you can spend more on the dream wedding you’ve always wanted.
Preparing for a family. Sometimes life throws you a curve and you have a child before you get married. Putting money aside that you would have spent on rings will buy a great crib, pay off your hospital visit, and allow you to stock up on diapers. Children are expensive, but having a loving family is priceless. Rubber wedding rings let you memorialize your wedding and grow your family.
Maybe someday. The cost of moving and furnishing a new home can quickly add up. It is fine to buy practical things to start your life together and wait to buy a traditional ring once you are more financially stable.
What if Your Spouse-to-be Won’t Wear a Metal Wedding Ring?
Prince William, Jay-Z, and David Cameron are all examples of celebrities who have avoided wearing a traditional wedding ring. There is a growing trend for newly married men and women to find alternatives to the traditional wedding band. While most women are excited to display their married status for the world to see, some people are more private or don’t want to wear jewelry at all. This choice speaks merely to personal preference, as there are numerous alternatives to declare your commitment to your loved one.
Getting a tattoo is a popular alternative to a traditional wedding ring, but getting a small tattoo done is not an easy sell for everyone, whereas silicone wedding rings should be. Tattoos are obviously permanent and with divorce rates above 50%, it may be a tougher option down the road. RubberBanditz Banditos is a brand of silicone wedding rings made for people with active lifestyles. RubberBanditz’ silicone rings are very affordable, priced from $8 to $15, and look nearly identical to precious metals due to our unique manufacturing process of the rings — the color of the ring is baked into the silicone/rubber, not sprayed on once the ring is already made.
What are rubber wedding rings?
They are silicone wedding rings for both men and women and are worn to symbolize a union of two people in love. Rubber wedding bands are the best alternative to traditional metal wedding rings. If you or your partner has an active lifestyle or feels uncomfortable wearing a metal ring, then the best choice for an engagement ring is a colorful silicone rubber band. Rubber wedding bands are also perfect for individuals who have to take their rings off multiple times a day or have a fear of misplacing their expensive wedding ring. Rubber rings are economical, resilient, and comfortably fit on your finger. The rings are flexible, hypoallergenic, non-conductive, and non-porous. Rubber wedding rings are very popular and the most stylish substitute for traditional rings.
Reasons to Wear Rubber Wedding Bands
The primary reason to wear a rubber wedding ring is due to your active lifestyle. Couples may purchase silicone wedding rings as a backup or alternative to traditional rings while enjoying outdoor activities or working out at the gym. In other cases, it may be less comfortable or safe to wear a conventional wedding ring. The broad appeal of wearing rubber wedding bands includes couples who frequently travel, couples with small children, or people who are allergic to metal.
Rubber wedding bands are safe to wear and are approved in more professions and workplaces than any other type of ring. These rings can help prevent injuries such as cuts, blistering, or in some cases losing a finger. Some people complain that traditional wedding rings are uncomfortable to wear and cause cracking, swelling, and produce a wedding ring rash where the ring is worn. Several professions require wearing safe, fashionable silicone wedding bands. Metal rings may pose safety hazards in some professions.
Personal Trainers: As anyone who lifts weights can testify, wearing a wedding ring is a bad idea. Your fingers will swell, and odds are the ring itself will get scratched while working out. Silicone wedding rings are a great alternative if you want to wear a wedding ring while training clients, but don’t want the annoyance of having to take it off each time you need to work out or show someone how to properly lift.
Athletes: Professional, semi-professional, or amateur athletes will tell you that any type of jewelry can be prohibitive to their performance. Rubber wedding bands are perfect for athletic rings and the answer for the BMX rider, tennis player, skier, MMA fighter, or baseball player in your life. Silicone rings don’t catch or slip off, and they look great.
Mechanics: Men’s silicone rings are a great choice if you’re fixing cars, trucks, motorcycles, or even aircraft. Mechanics can’t wear wedding rings at work without the possibility of denting, scratching or getting grease all over it. In addition, due to the possibility of injury on car gears and machinery, wearing a metal ring is a safety hazard.
Construction Workers: Power tools and metal wedding bands don’t mix well. Even the casual weekend carpenter has gotten their ring caught on something during the building process. If you care about keeping your fingers safe and your wedding ring in pristine condition while working, rubber rings for men can keep you safe from a potentially debilitating injury.
Estheticians, Physical Therapists, and Massage Therapists: One of the biggest complaints about wedding rings from this group of professionals is that they slide around and scratch patients. Rubber wedding rings allow them to work on their patients without worrying about scratching, slipping, or getting product caught in the band. Antimicrobial and non-porous, rubber wedding rings let you focus on getting the results of your clients’ desire.
First Responders: In a physically demanding, stressful work environment, the last thing a fireman, EMT, nurse, or policeman needs to be concerned about is getting their ring caught on something while on the job. Rubber rings for women are ideal as they won’t tear through latex gloves or worry about accidentally scratching patients. Rubber wedding bands allow you to focus on your tasks and worry less about losing your wedding band.
Electricians: Wearing a metal wedding ring with live electrical wires is a dubious prospect and a recipe for disaster. Rubber rings for men are non-conductive, so you can wear a wedding band without worrying about electrocuting yourself.
Stay at home moms: Moms are great candidates for rubber wedding rings. The smooth rubber won’t scratch your small children and won’t get food, pastes, or lotions stuck in your band. Silicone rings for women are a smart choice during pregnancy when your fingers can swell and make a traditional wedding ring uncomfortable or impossible to wear.
Whether you're adventurous, have special circumstances with your career, or want to save money, rubber wedding rings remove the concern of how to display the symbol of your marriage. Instead of opting out of a ring or postponing the decision, you can wear a rubber wedding band that meets your needs and active lifestyle on a temporary or permanent basis.
Ready to find your ring?
These two charts will help you measure your ring finger and find the correct silicone wedding band ring size for your hand. We hope you love them. Let us know if you have any comments, questions, or compliments by emailing support@rubberbanditz.com or sign up for our newsletter for training ideas made possible with your rubber wedding ring
