January 20, 2016
There are few things more beautiful than the sparkling engagement ring sitting on your left ring finger, but as your wedding day approaches, you may be wondering how you should be pairing it with your wedding band. While there are no “rules” to how you should wear your rings, there are a few traditions, some dating back hundreds of years, which many brides follow.
Placed on the fourth finger of the left hand during your wedding ceremony, the wedding band is a sign of commitment and eternal love. Tradition states that it should be placed below the engagement ring, closest to the heart, leading many brides to switch their engagement ring to their right ring finger on the morning of the wedding. This way, after your vows have been said and the wedding band is slipped on your finger, you can place the engagement ring above it.
Molded from gold then detailed with diamonds, etchings and engraved messages, the wedding band is a beautiful and ornamental piece. But did you know that these rings weren’t always made of metal? The earliest wedding rings were exchanged in Ancient Egypt more than 4,000 years ago and were created from twisted reeds. Both the circle created by the reeds and the hole within had important meanings in ancient cultures, symbolizing eternity and a door leading towards the unknown. When slipped on a woman’s finger, the ring shows you commitment to a future of never-ending love.
A promise of marriage, the engagement ring is a more recent addition to marriage trends than the wedding band. First given during the Middle Ages, engagement rings came about after Pope Innocent III instituted a mandatory engagement period between betrothal and marriage. Precious stones like emeralds, sapphires and rubies were gifted for many years, and it wasn’t until the engagement of Archduke Maximillian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 that diamonds became the stone of choice. A symbol of eternal love, the diamond is a beautiful stone to pronounce your love with.
While traditionally, the wedding band and engagement ring are worn together, there are other options for wearing your rings. The recent stacked wedding band trend has led many brides to transition their engagement ring to the right ring finger, leaving room for a set of glimmering bands on the left finger.
Regardless of how you decide you wear your wedding and engagement rings, Reeds Jewelers is here to help you find your perfect pair. Browse our online selections or visit the location nearest you to start shopping today!
