Whether you have already said “I Do” or you’re just browsing in a window, you’ve seen your share of wedding rings in your time. In almost all cultures, the wedding ring symbolizes the unity of two people, but these different societies also have different customs associated with the wedding ring.
Wedding Ring – Various Traditions
Generally, the wedding ring (also commonly a wedding band, is made of a precious material such as gold and silver. Depending on your culture’s tradition and customs, the ring can be worn on the third finger, more commonly known as the ring finger, on either the left or right hand. The wedding ring symbolizes a commitment by one person to another.
With many cultures, the wedding ring is the ultimate gift given from one spouse to the other. In almost every culture the wedding ring is preceded in the relationship by another ring, the engagement ring.
In the United States, the responsibility of caring for the soon to be joined man and wife falls to the best man. The best man is responsible for carrying the rings to the altar and presenting them to the individual officiating, who in turn will present the rings to the bride and groom so that they may exchange them. Modern tradition has the rings bring carried on a pillow by a “ring bearer” usually a male child, who will present them to the best man at the altar.
Why is the Wedding Ring Worn on the Ring Finger?
Years ago, during the Renaissance, it was generally accepted that the “ring finger” located on the left hand contained the “vena amoris”, also known as the “love vein”.
