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The History and Tradition of the Wedding RingA wedding ring or marriage ring is a symbol that denotes a promise of commitment, faithfulness and everlasting love. The wedding ring is in the shape of a circle because it signifies no known beginning and no known end. A wedding ring is a physical symbol that two people are pledging their love to one another to the exclusion of others and that the two people are uniting in marriage to be as one from that moment forward. The wedding ring is placed on the fourth finger of the left hand of the bride and groom and the reason for this is because traditionally it was felt by the ancient Egyptians and Romans that the fourth finger provided a direct link to a
persons heart and therefore was a true connection to love by way of a vital blood vessel. They called it a vein of love or vena amoris in Latin. That is why this finger was chosen as the finger on which the symbol of commitment and everlasting love would rest.
As science advanced over the years it was conclusively proved that the vein of love theory was incorrect however the fourth finger of the left hand continued to be used as the finger on which a wedding ring was placed upon exchanging wedding vows. A promise ring for matrimonial intentions or significance and an engagement are also worn on this finger as well. Be aware that in wedding ceremonies the bride always has a ring placed on her finger by her groom but while some grooms choose to wear a wedding ring, others do not.
The circular nature of a wedding ring dates back to the early Egyptians who wore them to symbolize eternal and undying love for their spouse. A bride from primitive days gone by would sport a wedding ring made of rushes or hemp but the only drawback to using either of these kinds of material is that it had to be replaced very often. The Romans chose to craft their wedding rings out of iron because it was a durable material. In our society today, gold is the preferred material for wedding rings because of its ability to last for many years and also because gold is symbolic of both beauty as well as purity of heart.
Back in ancient times, things were done very differently than they are today. Life was more problematic but people also lived shorter life spans and for that reason husbands wanted to ensure that the spirit of their wives would remain with them as long as possible so the men engaged in a superstitious type of ritual. Upon marriage a husband would wrap his brides wrists and ankles with ropes made out of grass and it was believed that this would keep the brides spirit alive and well and within her body so it would also remain with the husband as well. This is a very primitive precursor to the modern day tradition of exchanging wedding rings. As time passed and religious beliefs evolved from one thing to another, this practice went by the way side and today a ring is placed on a brides ring finger as a symbol of her love and devotion to her husband in marriage.
The grass that was once used to bind a brides wrists and ankles then led to leather rings which then became stone, then metal and led to what we used today which is either gold or silver. The wedding ring or wedding band as some people like to call it, is the greatest symbolize of a couples commitment to one another and it is there for all to see.
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