The wedding ring is a symbol of unity. The never-ending circle of a wedding ring symbolizes eternal love by its lack of a beginning and an end. This tradition comes from an ancient tribal custom where brides decorated their wrists and ankles with circlets of grass.
The engagement ring is worn in front of your wedding ring, meaning towards the fingernail, whereas the wedding ring is worn behind the engagement ring, which is closer to your heart. The engagement ring is the "protector" of your wedding ring.
The wedding ring dates back to 17th century BC Egypt where wedding rings had a supernatural significance. A never-ending ring made of twisted plant materials such as hemp, signified eternal love between two people. The Egyptians placed the rings on the fourth finger of the left hand, based on a belief called vena amoris or love vein. It was believed that the vein from that finger lead directly to the heart, thereby linking the couple's destiny. The Romans were a little less romantic. Their iron wedding rings were not a symbol of love, but signified a binding legal agreement of ownership by husbands, who regarded rings as tokens of purchase. As with the Egyptians, the Romans believed in vena amoris and wore the rings on the fourth finger of their left hand.
Victorian wedding rings, made of turquoise and diamonds, had the shape of pansies or forget-me-nots.
Russian wedding rings include a combination of three different colors of gold, linked rings. These rings are believed to represent the Holy Trinity and are still very popular today. Elizabethans wore a version of this ring called the Gimmal Ring.
In the Irish Claddagh ring, a heart (symbolizing love) is surrounded by clasped hands (symbolizing friendship) and a crown (symbolizing eternity). This ring is popular and can serve as a friendship ring, an engagement ring, or a wedding ring.
The exchanging of wedding rings between couples is a age-old tradition that will always instill a sense of magic and superstition. This symbol of unity signifies that wherever you may go alone, you will always come back to each other.
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