When Lauren M. and her now-husband decided to get married, they threw traditional rules out the window, including societal standards around who should buy her wedding ring. At the time, Lauren, a 31-year-old writer and editor, was making about $90,000 a year, while her partner pulled in $12,600 annually. That salary discrepancy led her to buy her own wedding ring, an understated $500 band that she loves; it felt more “her” than something flashy.
Lauren was fine with buying her own ring. Her family? Not so much. Her dad, especially, was skeptical. “The first thing he said was, ‘I just want to make sure he can take care of you,’” Lauren recalls. She knew he meant financially, and she felt like she had to defend their situation. She told him that her partner was the most caring person in the world; maybe he couldn’t provide for her monetarily at the moment, but he supported her emotionally—and that meant much more to her.
