Wedding traditions with the ring

The ring is the best-known symbol of marriage in the world today.

The ring is the best-known symbol of marriage in the world today. It is a circle without end, worn every day, and exchanged in many wedding rites. Its history is older than the diamond, and its meaning varies from place to place.

Where it began

Rings were used as seals and tokens in ancient Egypt and Rome, and Romans gave an iron ring as a pledge. Christian weddings adopted the ring in the early centuries, and the western custom of wearing it on the fourth finger of the left hand is sometimes explained by the vena amoris, a vein believed to lead to the heart, a claim that is not anatomically true. In Jewish weddings the groom gives the bride a plain ring that belongs to him, and in Orthodox churches rings are blessed at the betrothal and exchanged three times.

Different habits

In Germany and Poland many wear the ring on the right hand. In India the toe ring, bichiya, is a married woman's ornament. In Ireland the Claddagh ring is worn with its heart facing in or out, and in Iceland and Scandinavia engagement rings may be worn by both. Many couples now choose plain bands, inherited or recycled gold, or a tattoo or other token.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on The ring (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreToe ring A silver band worn on the second toe to mark a woman as married in India.Adornment · The ceremony

🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreNikahnikāḥ (Arabic: نِكَاح) The Islamic marriage contract that establishes a binding union between two people.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Orthodox marriage The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇦 UkraineSong about the RushnykПісня про рушник (Pisnia pro rushnyk) A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.Performance · The ceremony 🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaWedding customs in Ethiopia A collection of diverse marriage rites across Ethiopian tribes and the Orthodox Christian community.Rite · Finding a match

🇲🇲 MyanmarMarriage in Myanmar A blend of Buddhist rites, astrological timing, and family negotiations that defines union across Myanmar's diverse ethnRite · Finding a match

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreGimmal ring A betrothal ring with separate hoops that join to form the wedding band.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyWeddings in ancient Rome The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.Rite · The weeks before

🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 3 moreJewish wedding The ceremony and laws that bind a couple in Jewish marriage, from the canopy to the glass.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreHandfastingceangal na lámh (Irish); pòsadh-bliadhna (Scottish Gaelic) A pledge ceremony where a couple joins hands to make a binding marriage contract or engagement.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaChaklong wedding The traditional Ahom marriage system involving rice powder mandalas and ancestral rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · Finding a match 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCivil ceremony A secular marriage rite performed by a government official at a licensed venue.Vow · The ceremony

🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or فرح or عرس A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 IndiaZoroastrian wedding A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇸 United StatesSelf-uniting marriage A wedding where the couple marries each other without a third-party officiant.Vow · The ceremony 🇸🇪 Stockholm, SwedenSame-sex marriage in SwedenSambolydning i Sverige The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Sweden since 2009.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇪 Hanover, Germany and 5 moreBridal crownBrautkrone A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.Attire · The ceremony

🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanShinto wedding神前結婚 (Shinzen kekkon) A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.Rite · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United KingdomPage boy A young male member of the bridal party who manages the bride's train or carries the wedding rings.Family role · The ceremony

🇳🇬 NigeriaYoruba traditional weddingIgbeyawo The multi-day Yoruba marriage ceremony featuring traditional attire, family introductions, and the Eru Iyawo gift list.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇹🇼 Taipei, TaiwanSame-sex marriage in Taiwan The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Taiwan, the first in Asia.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇱 Israel and 2 moreKetubahכְּתוּבָּה The Jewish marriage contract that outlines the groom's financial and personal obligations to the bride.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreYibbumייבום A Jewish rite where a brother marries his childless deceased brother's widow to continue the family line.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAnand Karajਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ The Sikh wedding rite where the couple circles the Guru Granth Sahib to four hymns of union.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreQuaker wedding A silent ceremony where Friends witness each other's vows without clergy or rigid rituals.Rite · The weeks before

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridesmaid A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.Family role · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaMeitei weddingLuhongba (ꯂꯨꯍꯣꯡꯕ) The traditional union of the Meitei people, marked by clan exogamy and specific courtship rituals.Rite · Finding a match 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreGhost marriage冥婚 (mínghūn) A union arranged for deceased individuals to ensure harmony in the afterlife and care in this one.Rite · Finding a match

🇻🇳 VietnamTraditional Vietnamese weddingLễ cưới truyền thống Việt Nam The multi-stage ceremony of betrothal, engagement and union that marks a marriage in Vietnam.Attire · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaTelugu Hindu weddingతెలుగు వివాహ వేడుక A multi-day Telugu Hindu marriage marked by seven vows around fire and family rituals.Rite · Finding a match

🇺🇦 UkraineTraditional Ukrainian weddingТрадиційне українське весілля A multi-day sequence of folk rites, bread baking and church vows that marks the transition from maidenhood to married liRite · Finding a match

🇮🇱 Israel and 3 moreChuppahחֻפָּה (ḥuppā) The four-poster canopy that marks the Jewish wedding ceremony and symbolizes the couple's new home.Setting · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 4 moreKorovaiкоровай (Ukrainian), каравай (Russian), кравай (Bulgarian) A large round braided bread shared at weddings to bless the couple and unite the community.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreBengali Muslim weddingবাঙালি মুসলিম বিয়ে A multi-day Bengali Muslim marriage blending Islamic rites with local folk traditions.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇷 Tehran, Iran and 1 moreIranian weddingمراسم عروسی در ایران A multi-stage ceremony rooted in Zoroastrianism and Islam that binds families through courtship, feasts, and sacred vowsRite · Finding a match 🇺🇸 Hawaii, United StatesCommon-law marriage in the United States A legal union formed by mutual consent and public presentation without a license or ceremony.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreHindu weddingvivaha (विवाह) The traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus, centered on sacred fire and seven vows.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 Hyderabad, IndiaKhara dupattaKhada dupatta (Urdu: کھڑا دوپٹہ) The upright stole worn by Hyderabadi Muslim brides as part of their traditional wedding ensemble.Attire · The ceremony

🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreWedding cord A satin loop placed around the couple to symbolize their lifelong union in Catholic weddings.Rite · The ceremony 🇮🇸 IcelandIcelandic weddings A blend of church ceremony and multi-day feasting that marks the union of two people in Iceland.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇺 RussiaRussian wedding traditionsРусская свадьба A multi-day celebration blending Orthodox crowning, ransom games, and lively toasting in Russia.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Gimmal ring: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jewish wedding: Jozef Israëls, Public domain, source
Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
Shinto wedding: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Page boy: Joe Cheng, CC BY 2.0, source
Yoruba traditional wedding: Fhadekhemmy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Marriage in Myanmar: Thant Zin Myint, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Taiwan: Guy of taipei, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ketubah: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
Yibbum: School of Rembrandt, Public domain, source
Toe ring: Wikiss, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
Arab wedding: 13th century artist, Public domain, source
Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
Wedding cord: Phil! Gold, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Chaklong wedding: Chiring chandan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bread and salt: Olli Niemitalo, CC0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
Russian wedding traditions: GeorgeLouis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Nikah: عامر شاہین, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bridesmaid: Photographer not credited; relative or work for hire of relative., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Meitei wedding: Dabu Leichombam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
Chuppah: me, Public domain, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Bengali Muslim wedding: NahidSultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Hindu wedding: Dinesh Cyanam, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Khara dupatta: Kinshuk Sunil, CC BY 2.0, source