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.

🇺🇦 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

🇮🇹 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

🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Orthodox marriage The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

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

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

🇮🇪 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

🇺🇦 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

🇬🇧 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 🇬🇧 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 Kingdom and 1 moreLovespoonLlwy garu A carved wooden spoon given as a romantic gift to show skill and intent.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreWedding ring A metal circle worn on the finger to show that a person is married.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇵🇱 Poland and 6 moreKolachколач (kolach), калач (kalach), kołacz, colac, kalács A braided or ring-shaped bread that marks weddings and major holidays across Eastern Europe.Feast custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 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

🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreWedding cord A satin loop placed around the couple to symbolize their lifelong union in Catholic weddings.Rite · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCivil ceremony A secular marriage rite performed by a government official at a licensed venue.Vow · The ceremony

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

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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRing fingerdigitus annularis The fourth digit of the hand where wedding and engagement rings are traditionally worn.Attire · The ceremony 🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandWedding of the Weddings A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreAnastenariaΑναστενάρια (Greek), Нестинарство (Bulgarian) A barefoot firewalking ritual performed by Orthodox Christian communities in Greece and Bulgaria.Rite · The weeks before

🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyMarriage of the Sea ceremonySposalizio del Mare The annual ritual where Venice symbolically marries the Adriatic Sea with a golden ring.Rite · The ceremony

🇩🇪 GermanyBollenhut A straw hat with woolen pompoms worn by women in specific Black Forest villages as part of their traditional dress.Attire · The weeks before

🇷🇴 Ieud, RomaniaNunta mortului A symbolic Romanian rite that dresses an unmarried dead person as a bride or groom to complete their life cycle.Rite · The weeks before 🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten The legal right for same-sex couples to marry in the Caribbean constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony

Photo credits on this page

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

Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
Page boy: Joe Cheng, CC BY 2.0, source
Landshut Wedding: Oktobersonne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Gimmal ring: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Marriage of the Sea ceremony: Francesco Guardi, Public domain, source
Ring finger: RAPMOODDE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bollenhut: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
Bread and salt: Olli Niemitalo, CC0, source
Russian wedding traditions: GeorgeLouis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lovespoon: Btinsley785, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Wedding ring: CLW at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Kolach: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Nunta mortului: Iosif Berman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Anastenaria: Artkostov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding cord: Phil! Gold, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
White tie: jonlo168, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source