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Deciding you want to spend the rest of your life with someone is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. With it comes a flurry of other decisions that need to be made, from how big of a wedding you want to what color chairs you'll have at your reception. Needless to say, the process can be a little stressful. One decision you won't have to worry about, though, is what finger to slip that gorgeous new ring on, since tradition has already dictated that the wedding ring goes on the left-hand ring finger. And that's that, isn't it? The wedding band goes on the left hand no matter what, right? Well, maybe in the Western world, that is.
The Western Tradition Of What Hand To Wear A Wedding Band On
The tradition of wearing the wedding and engagement rings on the left ring finger goes all the way back to the Ancient Romans and their belief that this finger contains a vein that goes directly to your heart. Their belief was that wearing your wedding ring on this hand and finger showed all that your heart was spoken for. And a wedding band itself, having no real beginning or end, is meant to signify an everlasting love that lasts through your lifetime and into eternity.
Other Countries And Their Wedding Band Traditions
In other cultures and parts of the world, things can vary drastically. If you want to know more about wedding bands and the different traditions surrounding them, you have come to the right place.
The Right Hand
In countries like India, Norway, Russia, and Germany, the left hand is considered unlucky by some because the word 'left' means 'sinister' in Latin, and they do not want to bring bad luck upon their beloved or their union. Therefore, their ring is worn on their right hand instead, per superstition.
Men Get Them Too
In the Western world, typically only the woman wears an engagement and the man only wears a wedding ring, but in countries like Chile and Sweden, men receive engagement rings as well. They are worn on the right hand in these countries during the engagement period, and once the marriage is made official, the ring is moved to the left hand.
Money Money Money
In China, it is traditional for goods and money to be exchanged to signify an engagement, rather than rings at all.
Other Jewelry
In places like Northern Kenya, ornate beaded necklaces are worn daily by people, and they indicate their engagement by wearing certain colors in this jewelry.
The Only Thing That Matters
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how closely you follow traditions. You and your partner can both have engagement rings, you can wear them on your left hand or right or whichever finger you prefer, because all that really matters is the love you feel and the commitment you two have chosen to make to one another. All that matters is your love; everything else, including whatever traditions that you choose to follow, pale in comparison to that. If you need help choosing that special symbol of your love or have any questions, we urge you to contact us today. We want to do anything we can to help make your lifelong commitment as special as possible.
