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.

🇮🇹 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

🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany and 3 moreWimpelווימפל A linen sash made from a baby boy's circumcision cloth that binds the Torah scroll.Adornment · The weeks before

🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreBride price Wealth paid by the groom or his family to the bride or her kin to formalize a union.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMayian The turmeric paste ceremony held the day before Punjabi weddings in India and Pakistan.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaGaye holudগায়ে হলুদ The turmeric ceremony that prepares the Bengali bride and groom for marriageRite · The weeks before

🇸🇩 Khartoum, SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ (Arabic) A Sudanese inauguration ritual where the groom is symbolically crowned as a king.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaChaklong wedding The traditional Ahom marriage system involving rice powder mandalas and ancestral rituals.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaSakharpuda The Maharashtrian engagement rite where sugar and coconuts seal a verbal promise between families.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese pre-wedding customs三書六禮 (sàam syù luhk láih) The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.Betrothal · 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

🇮🇷 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

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

🇧🇩 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

🇫🇷 Paris, FranceGlobe de mariée A glass bell jar used in France to hold the bride's bouquet and preserve family memories.Adornment · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding invitationsNimantraṇa patra (निमन्त्रण पत्र) Decorated cards sent to announce a marriage and invite guests to the celebration.Betrothal · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaZoroastrian wedding A Zoroastrian marriage ceremony featuring hand-fastening, rice sprinkling, and shared meals.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match

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

🇻🇳 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

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

🇪🇬 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 🇬🇧 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

🇮🇳 IndiaMeitei weddingLuhongba (ꯂꯨꯍꯣꯡꯕ) The traditional union of the Meitei people, marked by clan exogamy and specific courtship 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

🇺🇦 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

🇫🇷 France and 1 moreAcrostic ring A jewelled band where gemstone initials spell a secret romantic wordAdornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇹 ItalyFede ring A clasped-hands ring that symbolizes betrothal and faithfulness in marriage traditions.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇪 Ireland and 3 moreBachelor's Day The custom that lets women propose to men on Leap DayBetrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇴 Romania and 4 moreCălușariCălușarii A traditional Romanian spring dance and male society known for acrobatic leaps and ritual healing.Performance · The weeks before

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

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreTuroń A horned effigy that visits homes during Carnival to wish for fertility and collect gifts.Blessing · The weeks before

🇵🇭 Cebu, PhilippinesCourtship in the Philippines A traditional Filipino courtship marked by serenade, service, and family involvement.Betrothal · Finding a match

Photo credits on this page

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

Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mayian: Rakzika, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Courtship in the Philippines: Markytour777, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bengali Muslim wedding: NahidSultan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Globe de mariée: Alain Amet, CC BY 4.0, source
Indian wedding invitations: Onef9day, CC BY 3.0, source
Wimpel: Wikipedia Loves Art participant " The_Grotto ", CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Bride price: Пимоненко Николай Корнилиевич, Public domain, source
Chaklong wedding: Chiring chandan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source
Gaye holud: Arr4, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Meitei wedding: Dabu Leichombam, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
Acrostic ring: Jlblackmore, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fede ring: Anonymous ( Europe ) Unknown author, Public domain, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
Anastenaria: Artkostov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
Arab wedding: 13th century artist, Public domain, source
Călușari: El bes, CC BY 3.0, source
Turoń: Museum: The Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Kraków, CC0, source