A wedding ring or wedding band consists of a metal ring. In certain countries it is worn on the base of the left ring finger. In other parts of the world, it is worn on the right ring finger (see Post-wedding customs below).
Such a ring symbolizes marriage: a spouse wears it to indicate a marital commitment to fidelity. The European custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond Europe.
Traditional Customs
Pre-wedding Customs
According to some customs, the wedding ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present. This tradition was quite possibly introduced by the Romans. Other more recent traditions, encouraged by the jewelry trade, seek to expand the idea of a series of ring-gifts with the pre-engagement ring, often given when serious courting begins, and the eternity ring, which symbolizes the renewal or ongoing nature of a lasting marriage, sometimes given after the birth of a first child; and a trilogy ring, usually displaying three brilliant-cut round diamonds each, in turn, representing the past, present and future of a relationship.
A European tradition encourages the engraving of the name of one intended spouse and the date of one's intended marriage on the inside surface of wedding rings, thus strengthening the symbolism and sentimentality of the rings as they become family heirlooms.
Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians, the exchange of rings is not technically part of the wedding service, but rather are exchanged at the betrothal. It is always a two-ring ceremony. Traditionally, the groom's ring will be made of gold, and the bride's ring made of silver, and are blessed by the priest with holy water. The priest blesses the groom with the bride's ring, and places it on the ring finger of his left hand; he then blesses the bride with the groom's ring and places it on her finger. The rings are then exchanged three times either by the priest or by the best man. In Greece both rings are always identical, plain bands, usually gold but sometimes platinum, and the betrothed wear them on the 4th finger of the left hand until the wedding, after which they are worn on the right hand. The Church of Greece has recently stopped performing betrothal blessings separately, as these were often non-committing, and a betrothal ceremony is the initial part of the wedding service anyway. In many families an informal blessing is now performed by the betrothed ones' parents in a family dinner that formalises the betrothal. While in modern times, the ceremony of betrothal is often performed immediately before the wedding (or "crowning" as it is more properly called), the actual symbolic act of marriage is not the exchange of rings, but the placing of crowns on the head of the bride and groom, and their partaking three times of the "common cup".
The custom that calls for the future bridegroom to give his future bride a jewelled ring upon proposing to her is also common among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians, though this ring is not used again at the betrothal or wedding. Indeed it need not be a ring at all, but any piece or set of jewellery, such as a bracelet, brooch, earrings, necklace, tiara or, rarely, a whole parure.
Wedding Ceremony Customs
In British tradition, the best man has a traditional duty of keeping track of a marrying couple's wedding ring(s) and to produce them at the symbolic moment of the giving and receiving of the ring(s) during the traditional marriage ceremony.
In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer (usually a young boy that is part of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in the ceremonial parading of the ring(s) into the ceremony, often on a special cushion or pillow(s).
In older times, the wedding rings were not only a sign of love, but were also linked to the bestowal of 'earnest money'. According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the words 'with this ring I thee wed' follow the words 'This gold and silver I give thee', at which point the groom was supposed to hand a leather purse filled with gold and silver coins to the bride.
Not only in England was the wedding ring considered more connected to the exchange of valuables at the moment of the wedding than a symbol of eternal love and devotion but in most other European countries as well. Sometimes it went as far as being a conditional exchange as this German formula shows: 'I give you this ring as a sign of the marriage which has been promised between us, provided your father gives with you a marriage portion of 1000 Reichsthalers'.
In some European countries, the wedding ring is the same as the engagement ring and changes its status through engraving and the change of the hand on which to wear it. If the wedding ring is different from the engagement ring, the question whether or not the engagement ring should be worn during the ceremony leaves a few options. The bride may wear it on her left ring finger and have the groom put the wedding band over it. She may also wear it on her right ring finger. The bride may also continue wearing the rings on different hands after the wedding – this may prevent the engagement ring from scratching and scuffing. Another option is to have the main bridesmaid keep the ring during the ceremony – there are a variety of ways to keep it: in a pouch, on a plate, etc. After the ceremony, the ring can be placed back on either the left or the right hand.
Post-wedding Customs
In some countries, the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. This choice of finger relates to traditions purportedly dating to classical times, from an early usage reportedly referring to the fourth finger of the left hand as containing the vena amoris or "vein of love". At least in part due to this tradition, it became the norm to wear the wedding ring on this finger. By wearing rings on the fourth finger of their left hands, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. This has now become a matter of tradition and etiquette in these countries. However, the most widely accepted explanation is that because the majority of people are right-handed, wearing the ring on the left hand makes it less likely to be damaged or lost during everyday activities.
In other countries such as Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, Spain (except in Catalonia), Macedonia, Ukraine, Venezuela and Serbia, however, it is worn on the right hand. Orthodox Christians and Eastern Europeans (except for the Romanians) also traditionally wear the wedding band on the right hand. Jewish women wear the wedding ring on the left hand, even though it is placed on the right hand during the marriage ceremony (men do not traditionally wear rings at all although in some of the "Modernist" movements it has begun to gain currency). In The Netherlands, Catholics wear it on the left, Protestants on the right; in Austria, Catholics wear it on the right. In Belgium, the choice of hand depends on the region of the country. Greek people, many being Orthodox Christians, also wear the wedding rings on the right hand in keeping with Greek tradition. A traditional reason to wear the wedding ring on the right hand stems from Roman custom and biblical references. The Latin word for left is "sinister", which in addition to this sense also has the same senses as the English word. The Latin word for right is "dexter", a word that evolved into "dexterity". Hence, the left hand had a negative connotation and the right a good one. For the same reason, an oath is sworn while raising the right hand.
Traditionally, in some parts of India among those practicing Hinduism, a toe ring or bichiya is worn instead of a ring on a finger, although this is only for women, and increasingly worn along with a finger ring. In the eastern parts of India, primarily West Bengal, an iron bangle, or 'loha' is worn by women. Increasingly, this bangle is given a gold or silver coating to improve its appearance.
In Romania spouses celebrate their silver wedding anniversary (25 years of marriage) by exchanging silver wedding rings, which are worn on the 4th finger of the left hand along with the original (usually gold) wedding ring.
In the United States people often remove wedding rings for comfort or safety. It is not uncommon for those who have professions that forbid the wearing of jewelry such as, actors, police officers, or electrical workers. Many times these people say they wear a "ring around their heart" not around their finger. Some will wear it on a chain around their neck, this is socially equivalent to wearing it on his/her hand.
Post Funeral
Although in law, and in most religions, a marriage ends on first death, conventions (and perceived symbolism) around the wearing of wedding rings after a spouse's death vary considerably. Traditions include the surviving spouse continuing their own wedding ring after their spouse's death, sometimes on the ring finger of the other hand; removing their wedding ring at their spouse's funeral; and taking charge of, and wearing (sometimes on the same finger as their own), their lat
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