Which finger is the engagement ring worn on? How should it be worn once the wedding ring is received? We are ready to bet that you have had an idea of the answer since you were little.
It is quite common for most people to wear their wedding ring on the left ring finger. But why is the wedding ring worn on the ring finger? And are couples absolutely obliged to do so?
The ring finger of the left hand symbolizes the direct path to the heart of the loved one. In France and in most other countries, the gold-plated engagement ring is thus worn on the left hand. After the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring can be moved to the ring finger of the right hand and can then be worn in front of the wedding ring.
Of course, there are no rules for wearing the engagement ring. Whatever hand the woman prefers to wear the engagement ring on - as a symbol of love, it is valid on both hands!
Why is the engagement ring worn on the left hand?
For the ancient Egyptians and Romans, the left ring finger had a special meaning. Indeed, the Greeks, who were the first to offer engagement rings, also wore the ring on the left ring finger. At the time, people believed that a vein led from the left ring finger to the heart - the "Vena Amoris". The engagement ring on the left ring finger has retained its symbolic meaning to this day: a direct connection with the heart, the place of all romantic feelings.
Wearing the engagement ring next to the wedding ring
As women generally develop a very strong attachment to their engagement ring and do not want to stop wearing it, the engagement ring can of course continue to be worn on the left hand after the wedding ceremony and the wedding ring on the right hand.
However, it is much more pleasant to wear the engagement ring after the wedding, in front of the wedding ring. Some engagement rings are difficult to combine with a wedding ring. This is why some jewelers make wedding rings that match the engagement ring.
Read also: How to find your ring size?
Traditions around the world for wearing your engagement ring
In some countries, tradition and/or religion dictates that the woman wear the engagement ring on the fourth finger of the right hand.
This is the prevailing custom in many countries, notably India, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Venezuela.
In these countries, the right hand seems to be the established custom, regardless of religion. The engagement ring is generally put on first, followed by the wedding ring. This is simply for practical reasons, due to the order in which the rings were given. However, this custom may vary depending on what is most comfortable for the bride.
In Germany, the fourth fingers of the right hand and the left hand can be used. As a general rule, the left hand is more common among Protestants and the right is preferred by Catholics.
Modern Jewish couples often place the wedding ring on the ring finger of the right hand during the wedding ceremony, then wear it on the ring finger of the left hand after the ceremony. However, according to ancient tradition, which can still be found today in some of the most conservative Jewish ceremonies, the index finger or the thumb are used.
Curiously, although not for religious reasons, in Brazil, the ring is also placed first on the ring finger of the right hand, then it moves to the left hand during the wedding ceremony.
Engagement rings are worn in several Islamic countries in South and West Asia, and men generally wear them on the right hand and women on the left hand.
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