Wedding ring: which hand to wear it on?

Although wearing a wedding ring on the left hand is a tradition in many countries, it is common practice to wear it on the right hand in many parts of the world. Between religious symbolism and cultural tradition, the choice can also be made for practical and aesthetic reasons.

On which hand is a wedding ring worn?

To decide which hand to wear your wedding ring on, you can look to ancient customs. In ancient times, among the Romans and Greeks, the wedding ring was worn on the left hand. This may stem from an Egyptian belief in a "love vein" located between the heart and the left ring finger. They may have thought they could protect this vena amoris with a ring. As anatomical knowledge evolved, the tradition persisted.

Nevertheless, in the Middle Ages, many people in Europe wore their wedding rings on their right hand. This tradition continued in several countries. Then, around the XVIIᵉ century, wearing the wedding ring on the left hand became common, notably in France. There are religious reasons for this, but also cultural ones. In the Catholic religion, frequently, couples wear the wedding ring on the left hand, but not everywhere in the world.

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Find out where to put your engagement ring after the wedding.

Should the wedding ring be placed on the left ring finger?

There are many reasons to wear your wedding ring on your left ring finger. The custom is extremely ancient. The etymology of the word "annular" is ingrained in the collective unconscious of many cultures. It comes from the Latin anularis , meaning "relative to the ring". In English, the left ring finger is called the ringfinger.

It's an almost natural choice for many women and men. Find out how to choose your wedding ring.

And yet, you could freely choose which hand to wear a wedding ring on. When a ring is part of the wedding tradition, if the finger of choice is often the ring finger, it's not necessarily that of the left hand. Away from the West, in some cultures and religions, the wedding ring is worn on the ring finger , but it doesn't matter which hand it's on. In some countries, the woman wears the ring on her left hand and the man on his right.

So there's no universal choice, and the same goes for the look of the rings. They can be set with diamonds or without, be sapphire rings, or feature other colored gems...

‍Create wedding rings for women and men with the stone of your choice, an original, or modern option, such as grey spinel or green tourmaline!

Also read: what finger should I put the engagement ring on?

Can you wear your wedding ring on your right hand?

When Orthodox Christians exchange rings (as part of the engagement ceremony), they are placed on the right hand. The right hand is also strongly associated with faith in some Protestant cultures, as in Northern Europe. In the Jewish tradition, there are various customs, but one of them is to place the woman's wedding ring on her right hand (ring finger or index finger).

Putting your wedding ring on your right hand is a widespread practice throughout the world. It depends essentially on the religious symbolism associated with the hands, bearing in mind that for many, the right hand is the one that swears, promises and commits!

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