Wearing your wedding ring on the inside of your wedding ring set is a tradition that has ties to the ancient legend of the vena amoris, or the vein of love. Ancient Romans and Greeks believed that the fourth finger of the left hand contained a special vein that went directly to the heart.
Tradition says that a married woman should wear her wedding band on the inside of her finger. In other words, it goes on first followed by the engagement ring on the outside. Many say it's because the wedding band should be the one closest to the heart, but there's a practical reason, too.
The vein that supposedly went from the fourth finger to the heart was even dubbed the vena amoris by ancient Romans (Latin for the “vein of love”). Unfortunately, we now know that this ancient belief is not true -- there is no vein that runs from our ring fingers to our hearts.
A: Conventionally, couples wear the wedding band “closest to their heart”, meaning the wedding band is stacked below the engagement ring on the left ring finger. However, some people like to wear their wedding band on top of their engagement ring as a way to secure it on the finger.
Traditional Ring Etiquette
Traditional etiquette would require the bride to wear her engagement ring on her right ring finger to walk down the aisle. During the exchanging of the rings, the groom would place the wedding band on the bride's left finger.
Move the Ring
Traditionally, the wedding band goes first on the finger so it's closest to the heart. To ensure the proper position, some brides temporarily move their engagement ring to their right hand. Then, after the nuptials, they return the ring to their left hand over the wedding band.
Once you're married, tradition dictates that your engagement band be moved back to the third finger on your left hand. When you do so, your wedding ring should remain closest to your heart (where your spouse placed it on your wedding day) and your engagement ring is placed next to the wedding ring.
While many couples believe you should always wear your ring, it really is up to personal preference, and you won't know how your partner feels about it until you ask.
Who Buys the Wedding Bands? Tradition has it that each person pays for the other person's ring. So in a traditional wedding, the groom or his family would pay for the bride's ring, and the bride or her family would pay for the groom's ring.
Ring 3: The Anniversary or Push Ring
The third ring is given after one of two events: an anniversary or the birth of a couple's first child. Some men choose to give their wives another ring to mark an anniversary. This is usually an important one like the first, five-year or 10-year anniversary.
Unfortunately for the ring and middle fingers, they have no independent flexors or extensors. Instead, they move only with the muscles common to all fingers. That's why, for instance, when you try to stick out only your ring finger you feel a pull in your middle and pinky as well.
The Heart, Pericardium, and Lung meridians are located on the palm side of the index and ring finger. The Liver, Spleen, and Stomach meridians are located on the palm side of the thumb and little finger.
The thumb represents the brain, the index finger represents the liver/gall bladder. The middle finger represents heart, the ring finger represents hormones and the little finger or pinky represents digestion.
Can I Wear My Engagement Ring to Bed? Put simply—no, you shouldn't wear your engagement ring to bed. Sleeping with your ring on can put pressure on the band and bend the shank and prongs out of shape. Your ring may also catch on your blankets, which can damage the prongs and pull out diamonds.
In general it's perfectly safe to wear your engagement ring every day. However, if you are doing any kind of rough work such as cleaning or gardening, sports or the gym. It's not advised to wear your rings in bed as the diamonds may loosen or catch on bedclothes and remove before showering.
Traditionally, the wedding band is placed first on the left ring finger and then the engagement ring is placed on top of it. The wedding band symbolizes the bonded commitment between you and your partner, so wearing it first keeps the ring closest to the heart.
The Bride. If you're still following tradition, then the bride is only responsible for paying for the groom's wedding band and wedding gifts for her bridesmaids. However, there are many wedding costs (everything from a coordinator to flowers and décor) that are often shared between the bride and her family.
Traditionally speaking, though, the bride's family pays for the bulk of the wedding—venue, reception, photographer, flowers, etc. As such, the mother of the bride is typically more 'in charge' of these things (along with the bride, of course) than the mother of the groom is.
The groom usually buys the bride's wedding band, and the couple gives them to each other during the wedding ceremony. The groom buys an engagement ring before he proposes, but couples usually wait until a few months before the wedding to buy the wedding bands.
The night time is ideal for such a holiday. If you sleep wearing your ring, you can catch them while sleeping and get injured. During sleep, wedding bands can put pressure on the skin and blood vessels, which impairs blood circulation.
Him not wearing it usually means something other than a lack of commitment. Some men have occupations and hobbies that would make the ring uncomfortable and possibly even dangerous. Add to this that most men are quite active and fear losing it.
Reasons for Passing Down Wedding Rings
By passing on a wedding ring that has been in your family for generations, it enhances the feeling that the new family you're starting is a part of that tradition and heritage. It's a way to honor and form a connection with your ancestors, linking them to your future family.
This may be because they do not want to draw attention to the fact they have separated, they may not want friends or colleagues to ask questions, it could still hold some fond memories for them, or they may simply feel comfortable and used to wearing a band on that finger.
That said, if you're in favor of following traditional bridal etiquette, it is custom to wear your engagement ring when you walk down the aisle. Then, once you and your partner exchange vows, whomever is leading the ceremony will typically instruct you and your partner to exchange wedding rings.
If you recently got engaged, you and your partner are probably deciding on a timeline for your wedding. Although 12 to 18 months of planning is typically recommended by most wedding planners, plenty of couples choose to go longer or stay within that timeline.