Question? Do you wear your wedding ring on the outside or inside?

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#31
One of my friends wears her wedding ring on the right and wears her e-ring on the left.

When I asked her about it, she explained that's how she's supposed to wear it in her culture.
 
#32
Your wedding ring should be at the base of your left ring finger with your engagement ring on top. This is because your wedding ring is supposed to be closer to your heart :heart: :heart: :heart:
 
#34
I wear our matching wedding band on the inside, then my e-ring, then a two tone band above that. I always heard that you wear the band inside on the left closest to your heart...I'm googling now to see if I can find out when that started...will post if I find anything.
 
#35
I am actually a history scholar, so I remember learning how the western European tradition started of wearing the wedding band & engagement ring on your left hand.

To answer the original question, the wedding band in the USA is usually at the base of the finger, with the engagement ring on the outside - this tradition was started with idea that it's closer to the heart.

The reason that women started wearing the rings on their left hands is because both the ancient Romans and Egyptians believed that a vein - called the vena amoris in Latin - ran directly from that finger to the heart. In medieval England, a bridegroom would slide the ring part way up his bride's thumb, index and middle finger, saying "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost" as he passed each one. He then put the ring on the next available finger - the third finger of the left hand. This practice was finally formalized in the 1500's when Henry VIII's son authored The Book of Common Prayer, which gives English modern Protestant wedding vows and decrees on which finger our wedding rings should go.

However, other cultures traditionally wore them differently - some European women wear the ring on their right hand (My mother who is from Croatia would do this). Some Scandinavian women wear three rings, one each for engagement, marriage & motherhood. Jewish brides have the ring placed on their index finger, since that is the finger with which they point to the Torah as they read.

Men traditionally didn't wear wedding rings - the original purpose of the ring was to mark the woman as taken property, and to let other men know that she was no longer available for contractual marriage. Until very recently, in most cultures women were considered chattel, so this was the mark to let her know that she was someone else's property.
 
#38
vespergirl said:
I am actually a history scholar, so I remember learning how the western European tradition started of wearing the wedding band & engagement ring on your left hand.

To answer the original question, the wedding band in the USA is usually at the base of the finger, with the engagement ring on the outside - this tradition was started with idea that it's closer to the heart.

The reason that women started wearing the rings on their left hands is because both the ancient Romans and Egyptians believed that a vein - called the vena amoris in Latin - ran directly from that finger to the heart. In medieval England, a bridegroom would slide the ring part way up his bride's thumb, index and middle finger, saying "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost" as he passed each one. He then put the ring on the next available finger - the third finger of the left hand. This practice was finally formalized in the 1500's when Henry VIII's son authored The Book of Common Prayer, which gives English modern Protestant wedding vows and decrees on which finger our wedding rings should go.

However, other cultures traditionally wore them differently - some European women wear the ring on their right hand (My mother who is from Croatia would do this). Some Scandinavian women wear three rings, one each for engagement, marriage & motherhood. Jewish brides have the ring placed on their index finger, since that is the finger with which they point to the Torah as they read.

Men traditionally didn't wear wedding rings - the original purpose of the ring was to mark the woman as taken property, and to let other men know that she was no longer available for contractual marriage. Until very recently, in most cultures women were considered chattel, so this was the mark to let her know that she was someone else's property.
Click to expand...

That's great :yes:! I was hoping when I asked this question someone would give me a really really great answer like this. Thank you...I appreciate the history lesson. :flowers:
 
#44
Inside left hand. I've also been told that this is tradition...hearts on your left side......
I've witnessed some wearing it on their right hand....looks strange to me...but I guess it goes by tradition in that particular family, region....etc...
 
#45
Tresorchic, I'm the same way! My wedding band and anniversary ring are the same thing. When I have on all three people bug me that I have robo finger because they are not thin bands, almost to my knuckle.
 
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