Colorado Wedding Advice on How to take Care of Your Engagement Ring

Silver Sparrow Photography | Wedding Advice | Engagement Ring Care

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This time of year ( around New Years) is one of the most popular times to become engaged! 

In January and February, the phone starts ringing for me; all of the couples who were engaged are looking at venues, vendors, budgets, and more. I love this time of year! 

Before we continue, I do want to say CONGRATS! If you are reading this, you may be newly engaged. I am a wedding photographer in Colorado, and love helping couples with advice for planning the big day. 

Today, I thought it would be helpful to share some tips for caring for your engagement ring. The shiny new bling on your finger is not only sentimental, but symbolic.

​It may be the most important and valuable piece of jewelry you own, so read on! 

The first (and perhaps most important) thing to do before showing off your shiny new bling is to get it covered under insurance. (Boring, I know…but this is important. Hear me out!). 

A good insurance policy can help cover you if something happens. Chat with your jeweler for recommendations, and make sure to read all of the fine print. 

Here is a bonus tip: have your jewelry appraised every 5-7 years. The value may have increased, and you want to make sure that you are insured for the full current amount! Make sure to update your insurance company following your appraisal. 

Now that the not-super-fun-boring-insurance stuff has been covered, we can move onto the fun stuff! 

Your jeweler may provide free cleanings; ask them about this and then stop in when you can. 

Not only will they do the best job without causing any harm to your ring (as some at-home treatments might, depending on your metal and stones), but you’ll be shocked at how much more sparkly your ring is when they bring it back to you. 

Regular cleanings also insure that your ring stays free of build up from grease, lotions, and oil from your hands.

Some people will tell you that hot water and toothpaste make the perfect at-home cleaning kit, but chat with your jeweler before trying this. 

These days many couples have non-traditional stones and metals (which are gorgeous by the way); only your jeweler can tell you the safest way to clean your ring at home. ​ 

Make it a habit to take your ring off before you go swimming (especially in a place such as a river or ocean); many people lose diamonds and rings this way and they can be nearly impossible to find. 

Losing your ring in the sand on your beach honeymoon would be a massive bummer, so while you plan your wedding, get in the habit of leaving it off during activities such as this. 

You can actually purchase silicone wedding rings to wear during sports or other outdoor activities! These make a great gift for each other on the wedding day, too.  I recommend www.qalo.com

Take your engagement ring off while cleaning, when using your hands in messy things (example, doing dishes or kneading bread by hand), and during exercise (sweat from your palms can gunk up your ring…plus, workout equipment might be a bit too rough on the metal). 

You can buy cute ring-keepers at Target, Amazon, or Etsy, and put it by the sink in your kitchen so that you never accidentally lose your ring when you take it off for just a moment! 

If you are interested in gorgeous ring shots, similar to the ones that I’ve taken and featured in this blog post today, make sure to have your ring professionally cleaned the day before or day of your wedding! 

The cleaner it is, the more sparkly it will be for photographs and with your wedding day attire.

Lastly, make sure to have your jeweler check your ring at least once per year. They can tighten up any loose prongs, check for fit, assess the ring for wear and tear, and clean it. 

This kind of care will turn your cherished ring into a family heirloom, a piece of your history as a couple that will be loved and celebrated. 

Now that you know how to take care of an engagement ring…and you have some bling on your finger, it’s time for us to chat! 

I’d love to meet you in real life and talk weddings…you probably have some pretty fantastic ideas and I’m as excited to hear about them as you are to share.

I am a Colorado wedding photographer, and always willing to travel…so send me a note and let me know what your wedding plans are looking like. I’m currently accepting bookings for the upcoming season now, though allow me to let you in on a little secret: the best venues and vendors in Colorado book up really fast. Have fun, and happy planning!

Congratulations again on your engagement!