Wedding rings or a wedding band is actually a finger ring which officially signifies that its wearer is now married. Generally, it is made from gold or some other precious metal and is traditionally forged with a single metal band or at least partially so. Today, there are so many wedding rings available in different metals and designs and shapes and sizes. Some of the most commonly used metals for wedding rings are gold, silver, platinum, titanium and stainless steel.
Traditionally, wedding rings are worn on the left ring finger of the left hand ring finger. However, this has been a trend that is changing slowly and steadily over time. With this trend, some people have been wearing wedding bands on their right ring finger. This is because they believed that the vein that runs through their right ring finger runs directly to their heart and accordingly this vein is considered to be very close to their heart and therefore better protected from all the heart attacks and strokes that are common these days. Therefore, some people are now shifting from wearing wedding bands on the left hand finger to the right ring finger.
Another trend is for couples to wear their wedding rings along with their engagement rings. The reason behind this is that they do not want their engagement ring to be mismatched with their wedding rings. Usually, when a couple is going to get married, they will have an engagement ceremony which is officiated by a clergyman or some other religious leader. After their marriage ceremony, the couple then goes to a civil wedding ceremony where they exchange their wedding rings and leave for their lives as husband and wife. In most western countries, both the engagement and wedding ceremony are usually performed in the church together with the minister who reads the vows aloud.
During the engagement ceremony, couples generally wear their wedding rings either on their left hand or their right hand. But some of the countries like Australia and some Middle Eastern countries allow their couples to wear their engagement rings on their left hand separately. This is because apart from the fact that the metals like white gold are more preferred by men than any other metal, the solitaire diamond rings are also very beautiful and glittering.
A tradition that is still observed today is that the ring is gifted by the groom to the bride during the rehearsal dinner. It has been a part of the ceremony from times immemorial and has been an etiquette for centuries. It is believed that this tradition was started because the groom had purchased the ring for his wife so that she would remain his forever.
Some of the traditions followed by the weddings in the west may not be followed in all the parts of the world. But there are certain things that we can be sure of. The engagement rings and wedding rings are exchanged on the wedding day. It is believed that if you do not give the right ring to your partner on the wedding day, then there is a chance that you will break up with your partner. A ring is like a promise made by two people, so the selection of the perfect wedding ring is a matter of personal taste.