6 Types of Wedding Rings—and Which to Pair With Your Engagement Ring

Look for styles that sit flush with your engagement ring and help highlight the focal stone.

Which Type of Wedding Band Complements Your Engagement Ring? Find Out Here

Photo: Felicegals

Updated Aug 14, 2025

Whether or not you had a say in your engagement ring selection, it's likely you'll work together with your partner to pick out your wedding ring. So it's important to come prepared with some knowledge, starting with the types of wedding rings. Do you want a contoured ring that will curve around your engagement ring shape, a straight pavé band you can continue to stack with more wedding rings, or a clean and classic metal band? There are half a dozen different types to choose from, and infinite styles and designs within each category.

The first thing to consider is your engagement ring's stone shape, and the different types of wedding rings that will pair best with that shape. For help navigating the infinite options, we tapped Annie Chen, the SVP of merchandising at Brilliant Earth (which has its own collection of Perfect Fit engagement rings designed especially to sit flush with a variety of wedding bands).

Check out our breakdown of wedding ring styles and pairings here, then search The Knot Vendor Marketplace to find jewelers who can help you secure the perfect wedding stacker for your engagement ring.

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In this article:

The 6 Types of Wedding Rings
Wedding Ring Shapes by Engagement Ring Style

The 6 Types of Wedding Rings

To help you choose a wedding ring, we're highlighting the six most common styles, from simple curved wedding bands to extra-blingy eternity bands.

1. Eternity Bands

"Eternity rings are striking: Diamonds or gemstones wrap all the way around the band in an unbroken circle to showcase continuous sparkle from every angle," Chen explains. "The eternal love symbolism is built right in." If you want to bring the bling, eternity wedding bands are for you—and who says you have to have just one? "Some people wear them as wedding bands, others add them to their stack for anniversaries or to mark special moments," Chen adds. An eternity wedding band can be channel set or secured with prongs, feature any shape stone, and go all the way around, halfway or three-quarters.

Pair it with: Princess, Radiant, Cushion or Round Cut

2. Contour Bands

A contoured or curved wedding band has a specific purpose: to nest around your engagement ring's center stone and close any gaps between the rings. "A contour wedding band is designed with a curve or notch to fit perfectly around your engagement ring," Chen says. "It's the solution for when a straight band would leave that awkward gap below your center stone. The curve follows your engagement ring's shape, so both rings sit together seamlessly—like they were made for each other." The curved band can have a soft U shape or a sharper V, and be solid gold or contain diamonds or gemstones. Sometimes, it has a straighter edge with a notch for the diamond.

Also known as: Crown, Curved, Chevron or V Wedding Bands

Pair it with: Pear-Shaped, Marquise, Round or Oval

3. Classic Bands

Classic bands are super minimal and totally timeless, often made of just sleek metal and sometimes a few small accents or texture. "If you want something clean and unfussy that won't compete with your engagement ring, this is it," Chen says. "It's also a great option if you want to have coordinating rings with your partner. Plus, classic bands are great for everyday wear." But just because it's minimal doesn't mean there aren't options: Classic bands can come in any metal hue, have rounded, straight or beveled edges, be brushed metal or polished—the list goes on and on.

Pair it with: Halo, Toi et Moi or Three-Stone Rings

4. Pavé Bands

Think of pavé wedding bands as a toned-down eternity band: They're made up of diamonds all the way around, but on a smaller scale. "Pavé bands feature tiny diamonds set close together along the band, creating a delicate sparkle," Chen explains. "The stones are held by small beads or prongs, and while each diamond is small, together they have a major impact. You'll see variations like micropavé (even tinier stones) or French pavé with distinctive V-shaped settings."

Also known as: Micropavé, French Pavé

Pair it with: Halo, Toi et Moi or Three-Stone Rings

5. Guard Bands

Guards are similar to contour bands, but doubled. "Guard rings work as a team: You wear one on each side of your engagement ring to frame it," Chen says. "Many have gentle curves to hug your engagement ring's setting, and some styles even connect underneath." The style creates a three-ring effect; you can wear all three together or swap some in and out to mix up your look by occasion.

Also known as: Ring Jackets, Nested Contours

Pair it with: Round, Oval or Marquise Cuts, Solitaire or Three-Stone Rings

6. Open Bands

Open wedding bands are exactly what they sound like: Bands with a gap that doesn't connect, so they're open instead of going all the way around the finger. The gap can serve as a resting place for an engagement ring's elongated center stone, similar to how a contoured band makes space for it. "Some open bands stay minimal with plain metal ends, others add diamonds or stones that appear to float," Chen says. "The negative space is part of the design, creating a light, contemporary look that breaks from tradition. They're perfect if you want something fresh and architectural." Open bands can also serve as a spacer ring if you're loving a classic or straight band that doesn't sit flush with your engagement ring.

Also known as: Spacer Bands

Pair it with: Oval, Emerald, Elongated Cushion, Marquise or Pear Shapes

Wedding Ring Shapes by Engagement Ring Style

Now that you know the different types of wedding rings, let's talk about pairing. Find your engagement ring shape below, then read our expert tips on finding bands that will sit flush with it, best accent the center stone and more. (Note that in many cases we're talking about the best wedding band for a solitaire engagement ring, but we dive into two- and three-stone styles as well!)

Best Wedding Bands for Pear-Shaped Rings

Even though the stone shape is trending, pear-shaped engagement rings with wedding bands can be one of the toughest pairings to nail. "Pear-shaped engagement rings need some thought since they can create gaps with straight bands," Chen says. "Contour bands are a great fit here: They curve around the pear's shape perfectly. Open bands also work brilliantly, since they don't need to navigate around the point." For a unique and modern look, try a V-shaped or chevron band as your wedding band for a pear-shaped ring, and point the pear's tip down into the V.

From $1,299 | Felicegals

From $1,990 | Brilliant Earth

From $995 | Alexis Russell

Best Wedding Bands for Princess-Cut Rings

If you have this style engagement ring, you're in luck: It pairs well with just about any type of band. Wedding bands for princess cut rings can be classic, eternity, pavé, you name it. "Princess cut engagement rings have clean, geometric lines that pair well with almost anything," Chen says. "Straight bands of any style will look great; channel-set bands echo the clean lines nicely. These cuts are super versatile, so you can go bold with wider bands or stack multiple thin wedding bands."

From $2,490 | Brilliant Earth

Leslie 1 1/5 ctw Emerald Lab Grown Diamond Ring

From $1,700 | Grown Brilliance

From $428 | Ring Concierge

Best Wedding Bands for Halo Rings

Halo engagement rings are bursting with sparkle already, so the wedding bands for halo engagement rings can be kept more minimal. "Classic bands keep things balanced and let the halo shine," Chen says. "Thin pavé bands add extra sparkle without overwhelming the look, and eternity bands work if they're delicate enough. Avoid wide bands or anything too ornate—the halo is already doing the heavy lifting design-wise." A wedding band for a halo ring should serve as a secondary character to the main star.

From $1,480 | Sylvie

From $1,150 | Brilliant Earth

From $1,525 | Gabriel & Co.

Best Wedding Bands for Oval Rings

There are a few different directions you can go with wedding bands for oval engagement rings, but a contour wedding ring will follow the curve of the stone in an especially beautiful way. "Oval rings also look amazing with stacked thin bands," Chen says. "Straight bands work beautifully: classic, pavé or eternity." Finally, you could try a ring jacket or guards as your wedding bands for oval rings (try a style with additional stones!) to bring up the bling.

$2,400 | Marrow Fine

$2,950 | Dana Rebecca Designs

Oval Two Piece Jacket with Pear Side Stones

$45,300 | Material Good

Best Wedding Bands for Marquise Rings

"Marquise engagement rings have beautiful, dramatic pointed ends that can be tricky when pairing with a wedding band," Chen says. "Curved or contour bands are popular since they can close the gap on both the top and bottom of the diamond. V-shaped bands that echo the marquise's points look amazing. And, if the ring is a Perfect Fit or a flush fit, the world is your oyster since there would be no gap." A wedding band for a marquise engagement ring can be a bit dramatic; try a V-shaped guard on top and bottom.

From $950 | VRAI

From $497 | Eternate

From $750 | Brilliant Earth

Best Wedding Bands for Square Rings

There are a few types of square engagement rings, and thus, there are a few types of wedding bands for square engagement rings. A cushion cut diamond has a square shape with rounded corners, while a radiant cut is more traditionally square and features sharper corners. A wedding band for a radiant cut engagement ring can have clean lines that echo the geometry: straight bands in the eternity, pavé or classic style, or wide or thin channel set bands. "Cushion engagement rings have softer edges and are not elongated, making them more versatile in wedding band pairings," Chen says. "These shapes tend to be more classic choices, making pavé, classic and eternity bands a timeless option. These also look beautiful with multiple stacked bands." (Notably, similar rules apply for round cuts.)

From $2,160 | Hearts on Fire

From $5,880 | ROEN

From $590 | Brilliant Earth

Best Wedding Bands for Emerald Cut Rings

With emerald cut engagement rings (and ovals and some longer cushions), you'll need to factor in the elongated element of the stone; the best wedding band for an emerald cut engagement ring doesn't leave a gap. "Don't forget open bands can always act as a spacer between your engagement ring and a straight band to create a seamless look," Chen says. Another direction? Using your wedding band for an emerald cut engagement ring to pile on the bling, for example, with an eternity band of even more emerald cuts. "Step-cut eternity bands create a cool architectural look," Chen says.

From $4,170 | Rare Carat

From $1,620 | Blue Nile

$1,200 | Jared

Best Wedding Bands for Toi et Moi Rings

"Toi et moi engagement rings are already statement pieces with multiple focal points," Chen says. "Simple classic bands or thin pavé bands work best; they add polish without competing." For your toi et moi engagement ring with wedding band combo, she suggests avoiding bands that are too busy or wide, or anything that might fight for attention with the multiple main stones.

From $710 | Melanie Casey

From $2,990 | Berlinger

$2,159 | Point No Point

Best Wedding Bands for Three-Stone Rings

Very similar rules apply for three-stone engagement rings: You'll want to keep the focus on the engagement ring when shopping for a wedding band for a three-stone ring. Look for classic bands or thin pavé styles you can continue to add with each life milestone.