The wedding ring is one of the greatest showpieces of the wedding, but which hand is on the wedding ring?
Many traditions change over time. Find out everything you need to know about wearing the wedding ring.
Origin of the wedding rings
It is believed that wedding rings originated around 3000 BC. BC Coming from ancient Egypt. The earliest ribbons were made of grass or reeds that were twisted and tied into a ring.
The symbol of the ring is to create a circle that has no end and shows lifelong commitment. Because the bands were made from such fragile materials, they were very short-lived. This wasn’t a very important consideration for the ancient Egyptians, for whom giving was the most important thing without placing too much emphasis on the physical longevity of the ring.
The placement of the ring on the finger was also very important. A woman who agreed to stick her finger through the ring meant that she was committed to a life and fate that was yet to be determined.
It was a symbolic gate that both partners had to step through for the relationship to become “official”. This is of course still the case today when we present a wedding ring during the ceremony to signal our eternal commitment to the other person.
History of wedding rings for men
It took thousands of years for the tradition to transition from a single ring presented to a woman to the ring exchange we know today.
With the rapid expansion of Western culture through Europe in the Middle Ages, the exchange of rings quickly became a “new” tradition. Even so, Britain, the United States, and Canada waited until the beginning of the 20th century to follow suit. When young husbands went to the “great” war, They started wearing rings to remember the women they left behind. This led to the change of wedding rings.
Although most religions and cultures have some form of ring giving or exchange, it is usually only Western cultures that include the occasion in the wedding ceremony itself. Many others make no distinction between giving an engagement ring and a wedding ring. The giving of the ring in these cultures only happens once, often before the wedding itself.
Which hand is wearing the wedding ring?
An engagement ring and a wedding ring on the same finger
In most cases, the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. During the wedding ceremony, the ring is placed on the left hand, although many brides place their engagement ring on the right hand. After the ceremony, they put rings on their left hand. See the photo above for an illustration.
From their wedding ceremony, men wear their wedding ring on their left hand. There are some guys who prefer to wear their ring on their right hand, but in most cases the left hand is much more common.
The order of the rings on the finger
A round engagement ring and a wedding ring on the same finger
We have five fingers or four and one thumb on each hand. And yet we refer to the fourth finger of our left hand as the ring finger. Why is that?
Legend has it that the ancient Romans believed the ring finger had a direct connection to the heart. By placing a ring on that finger, each person’s hearts were also forever connected. Romantic? Definitely, but physically correct? Unfortunately not. But it doesn’t prevent us from putting at least two, maybe three rings on the same ring finger. But in what order should you wear them?
Chronologically, of course, the engagement ring is on first, followed by the wedding ring. However, tradition dictates that the wedding ring should always be worn closest to the heart and therefore somehow end up in the first position on the finger.
There is also a practical reason for this. You are far rather wear your wedding ring 24/7, but it is likely that you will remove your engagement ring on a fairly regular basis.
In the gym, washing dishes, working in the yard, and many other situations can prove fatal to an engagement ring. It makes perfect sense to remove it for these times. Having it before your wedding ring means you don’t always have to remove the band before removing your engagement ring
Fortunately, someone has already thought about it. A simple and elegant way to find the right ring in the right place on your wedding day was developed a long time ago. Read more about engagement ring placement.
Reasons for wearing your wedding ring on another hand
The Tifferet wedding ring on your finger
Putting the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is a tradition, not a law. It’s a lovely tradition and one that’s lovely to watch, but you may have compelling reasons to switch hands (or fingers).
Injuries
We do almost everything with our hands.
We use them all day every day for tasks that range from the simplest to the most complex. This makes it inevitable that we will occasionally hurt them.
At this point it may be necessary to remove your wedding ring from your ring finger. If you want, you can remove it entirely until you can comfortably wear it again. Or you can just move it to the other side.
As we say above, wearing a wedding ring on a particular finger is a tradition. The bond, or your marriage, does not matter if you ever move or remove them.
Some cultures, especially in Eastern Europe, wear the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the right hand. This does not mean that if you do the same, you are necessarily observing other traditions. But it does mean that if you have to wear your wedding ring on a different finger for a while, you are not alone.
Allergies
You may also have an allergic reaction to the metal in the band. Although the vast majority of wedding rings are still made of yellow gold, things are changing.
Side effects such as contact dermatitis on yellow gold are extremely rare but can occur. Platinum is just as easy for human skin. However, as we start using metals like white gold more often, these problems become more and more common.
White gold may contain nickel, which is known to cause skin irritation. Although many manufacturers have given up nickel in favor of more skin-friendly alloys, you still need to be careful when choosing your wedding ring.
Of course, changing fingers won’t solve the problem. Unless you buy a new ring, you may be missing too many options. In similar situations, some people wear their wedding ring on a chain around their neck.
While the risk of a reaction is still there, it’s not that great. A ring on a finger is almost permanently in constant contact with exactly the same area of skin. When you wear it around your neck, the contact time for a small part of your skin is much shorter.
It might not be a perfect solution, but it’s worth a try.
Measure for a wedding ring
Not so long ago we all bought wedding rings by taking a trip to a jewelry store, having a jeweler measure our finger, and then buying the ring.
With the internet, we have many more options today. The problem with buying online, of course, is that you usually can’t try on a ring for the size. Fortunately, there is now an easy way to measure your finger for any ring, not just a wedding ring, and buy it online knowing that the ring will fit when it arrives.
Although you can technically use a piece of tape or string to measure your finger and then use a scale to get a ring fit, you’re still making it harder than it has to be.
We have created a quick and very simple guide on how to measure your ring size accurately and quickly. You can also buy a cheap ring sizer from Amazon.
