Wedding Ring - History

The wedding ring is said to be one of the most famous and instantly recognizable symbol of the joining of a man and a woman as husband and wife in holy matrimony has a long and wide spread history. The oldest recorded exchange of wedding rings comes from ancient Egypt over 4800 years ago. Then, the ring was linked with the supernatural, a never-ending band linked with eternal love. For the Romans later, the ring's acceptance by a young lady was a binding, legal agreement and the girl was no longer free. Today we accept the ring as part of a religious ceremony when we marry in church.

As time passes the traditions have changed. Today, not only the brides wear rings as a symbol of their lasting affection, but the majority of men also choose to wear this badge of fidelity and commitment. The ring's band does not have to be gold. In early Roman times they used iron, for its symbolic strength. But that has been replaced in the third century with silver and gold because of its beauty while iron rusts. There are attractive alternatives for yellow gold, such as Silver or Electrum. You can also think about the hardness of the metal and the color of your wedding band.

Most husband and wives today wear their wedding bands on the left hand, the third finger in. However, some European women wear the ring on their right hand. Some Scandinavian women wear three rings, one each for their engagement, their marriage and then their motherhood. Jewish brides have the ring placed on their index finger, since that is the finger with which they point to the Torah as they read.

Do you know any additional facts and secrets about the history of wedding rings? What does your culture say about how wedding rings should be worn? Would love to hear more history laid out.

By Philippa Channer