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When that shiny diamond ring is glistening on your finger, it’s whether before your wedding or after your wedding, where it’s gone. Losing your wedding ring is something that can happen when you least expect it and can toss you into a moment of panic if you can’t find it or if you realize it’s gone forever. Before stressing out too much, here are four immediate steps you can take if you lose your wedding ring.
1. Go on a hunt to find it.
First things first — try to pull yourself together and remember the last time you had the ring on — or the last place you remember being it. From there, retrace your steps — and even enlist some of your loyal friends to come with you — so that you can have extra pairs of eyes helping scope the scene out.
2. File an insurance claim.
If you did have insurance on your ring (fingers crossed!), the first thing you can do is file an insurance claim. Let your insurance company know immediately that the ring was lost. It’s best to do this within 24 hours of misplacing the ring. If you do end up finding it, you can cancel the claim and give the update to your insurance company.
3. Use a temporary ring.
If you lost the wedding ring before your actual wedding, instead of stressing out over having to spend a ton of money on a new ring, borrow a ring or purchase a fake diamond ring just to wear on the day. Your guests will be too busy enjoying their time that they won’t notice.
4. Chat with the store.
While there is very little that the store can do to replace the current ring, it is worth going back to the place that the ring was purchased and see if they can recreate a similar ring for you or even give you a discount on a brand new ring.
See More: 3 Brides Share What Happened When They Lost Their Engagement Rings
Jen Glantz is a “Professional Bridesmaid” and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire. She’s the author of All My Friends Are Engaged and frequently wears old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.