The Wedding Ring Tradition In A Nutshell

Wedding is a very special celebration wherein two people bonded by love finally get united in the sacrament of matrimony. How did marriage come to be? Why are there so many strange traditions behind marriage and what does it all mean?

To some, marriage is not actually about holy matrimony and “true love”, while others assume it has always been a sanctimonious tradition. The original intention of marriage is to secure a well environment for bringing up the children as well as the possession and transfer of property. To make it short, marriage is rather superficial; a matter of convenience is its primary essence. Good thing that eventually marriage has been more about love which is actually the real essence of wedding, less with the convenience matter. With regards to wedding, there are so many traditions observed in different places, yet some of them are just the same. One of the most common traditions is the use of wedding ring.

The Wedding Ring Tradition

The wedding ring is probably the oldest wedding tradition world wide. The Ancient Egyptians started it thousand years ago. The very first wedding ring used was made out of twisted pieces of plants. It was placed on the 4th finger of the female’s left hand for the belief that there was a vein in that finger that is directly connected to the heart.

It was then called “vena amoris” or “love vein”, the ring symbolize a love with no end. It was during the dominance of Christianity in Europe that the vena amoris was replaced with a holy seal. Priests would take the wedding ring and touch the first three fingers of the left hand (thumb, index and middle) while reciting: "the father, the son and the holy ghost." Upon reaching the 4th finger, the ring was placed on it to seal the marriage. On the other hand, Asians has another story to tell.

The “puzzle rings began in Asia, wherein puzzle rings are used as a sign of loyalty. If a bride were to take her puzzle ring off, it would fall to pieces. These pieces could then only be put back together by knowing the solution to the puzzle.

Either ways, the very essence of wedding ring is to symbolize the everlasting love and commitment of the couples. The use of wedding rings in the celebration of marriages is one thing that could be taken off. It has been a part of the tradition, and is widely practiced in almost all over the earth.


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About the Author

Maliere is a Master Jeweller from France who offers his exquisite ring designs and styles in Ireland. Maliere specialises in Wedding Rings and engagement rings incorporating gold, platinum and diamonds. There is a wide collection of engagement and wedding rings to choose from. Maliere is famous for putting the best of his art and skills in every ring that he makes.