Wedding Rings

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.

The rings were not always made of precious metals. In the ancient times, hemps or a vine, and was replaced whenever it wore away. Iron was also used by ancient Romans to symbolize the strength of the couple’s union. The British were believed to have started creating the wedding ring from gold.  Diamonds are later added to the simple round ring. These days, some couples choose colored precious and semi-precious stones to embellish their wedding rings. Others even forgo the metal ring and opt to have the design of a ring tattooed onto one of their fingers. Albeit this is a more permanent commitment and a cheaper one at best. One wonders, though, what happens if the couple later on decide to part ways and the marriage ends up in divorce. Tattoo removal is not only expensive, but also painful.

Okey, couples do not marry with the intention that they will divorce if the marriage do not work out, at least the couples I know. So, let’s get back to the topic of wedding rings. What is becoming popular is the eternity ring – it is characterized by a band of stones that usually wrap all the way around, symbolizing the “eternity” of one’s love. The traditional eternity ring has stones all the way around the band. Some wearers prefer the “half” eternity ring because the thickness of the full eternity ring makes it impractical to wear.

Though other precious stones such as rubies, emeralds and sapphires are popular choices, diamonds are the most common stone used. For the “cost-concious” couples, there are designer-inspired eternity rings as budget-friendly choices. These are usually made sterling silver instead of gold and set in diamond CZ stones.

The choice of rings is a personal matter, however, the sentiment conveyed by an eternity ring is the most romantic and important part of the gesture.

For more choices for wedding rings, visit our CW Bridal Store.