which hand does the wedding ring go on?

The wedding ring is a crest for everlasting love and affection, an emblem of devotion and promise between two individuals. It has extreme symbolic significance, and forms an indispensable wedding tradition.

It is interesting to note, that while the wedding band itself is a symbolic representation, the hand sporting the ring also has a certain connotation behind it.

It is popular belief, that an engagement ring should be worn on the fourth finger of your left hand. This tradition can be traced back to the Ancient Romans. They believed, that the vein on that finger, ran directly to the heart—known as Vena Amoris, meaning, ‘the vein of love’. Recently, this age- old custom has proven to be false, as scientifically there is no such vein connecting the heart to your fingers. However, if you are someone who loves to embrace thoughtful traditions, then wear that diamond ring. proudly on your left hand.

In some countries, like, Russia, Greece, India and Norway, engagement rings are worn on the right hand. As the word left means ‘sinister’ in Latin, wearing an engagement ring on the left hand is considered to be unlucky.

While an engagement ring symbolises the promise of love, a wedding ring solidifies it. In various cultures, around the world, a wedding ring is usually exchanged at the wedding ceremony. Just like an engagement ring, you might think that the wedding ring is worn only by the bride. But that is not the case. There are wedding rings for women as well as wedding rings for men. These are usually worn after the bride and groom exchange their marital vows. Traditionally a wedding ring is worn on the left hand, while the engagement ring is switched over to the right hand. However, times have changed and so have the age-old customs. If you want to ditch the centuries old beliefs and give a modern twist to your wedding rings, then try out the following:

1. Wear your wedding ring on top of your engagement ring. This arrangement symbolises unity and eternal commitment.

2. Put your style to it, by fusing the wedding and engagement ring together, into a single piece of jewellery. This will create a striking statement and remind your love and commitment to each other.

3. Layer the wedding band and engagement ring, and accentuate it with a dazzling diamond band.

Across the globe, different countries have embraced these traditions and made them their own. In Columbia and Brazil, the engagement ring acts as the wedding band, once the vows have been exchanged. In the UK, the wedding ring is placed below the engagement ring, as it is believed that a wedding band should never be taken off. In countries like India and Greece, the right hand is considered auspicious, for wearing the wedding band.

Traditions have always dictated us, what is right or wrong. Even in the matter of love, we always fall back to the age-old customs, and refuse to follow our heart. Whether it is on your right hand or on the index finger of your left hand, the ultimate purpose of a wedding ring is to strengthen the promise of love for one another. Create your own traditions, that symbolises the everlasting affection between you and your partner.