Wedding Rings
May 30, 2009
We can trace this tradition to the ancient times of the Pharaohs to the Roman times and up to this modern age. This tradition of exchanging rings at the wedding ceremony remains a symbol of love and commitment.
The ring is traditionally worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. There are also various historical notes that attest to the reasons why the fourth finger is chosen. The most popular is the thought that the vein of love or “vena amoris” flowed from the third finger of the left hand directly to the heart. Since everyone believes that love comes from the heart, it is no surprise that this romantic historical anecdote is the most popular belief. When both wedding ring and engagement rings are worn, traditionally, the wedding ring is worn below the engagement ring to signify that it is closer to the bride’s heart. Other customs suggest wearing the wedding ring on top of the engagement ring to include the engagement into the marriage and also to show that the ring will stay where the groom has placed it on at the wedding ceremony.
