A wedding ring or wedding band is an actual finger ring which essentially symbolizes that its holder is now married. It’s usually made from gold or some other precious metal, and traditionally tends to be forged with a jeweler’s mark. Historically, wedding rings were mostly made for the bride’s husband’s family to wear after the wedding ceremony, but today most rings are personal and often have names engraved on them.
Wedding rings have an inherent meaning throughout history. The stones cut for them are chosen with significant meaning in mind. For example, an eternity ring has been cut and is worn by the husband of the bride and is considered to be a measure of perfection. Eternity rings symbolize eternity and time, two things which are very important to a woman. In fact, she wears it on her left hand along with her wedding band, as it represents the past and the present together.
Promise rings are another popular type of ring which signify love, commitment, monogamy and sometimes even fidelity. Promise rings come in all different shapes and sizes as well as styles, but basically they are a ring which contains a diamond or other gemstone that’s been inset with a metal insert so it can be “sealed” in the promise ring. This is done so the gem will remain in tact and won’t be knocked out through normal wear and tear. These rings are quite popular for engagements and weddings due to their symbolism.
Engagement rings and wedding bands go hand in hand as well. This is actually more of a tradition than anything else and has been done throughout history throughout many different cultures. There are several different types of engagement rings, which are given to the bride and groom during the engagement ceremony along with their wedding bands. Many people like to engage in a ring exchange with their loved ones before the wedding day so both the groom and bride get to have a say in what the ring should look like and the materials it should be made out of.
Wedding bands and rings worn during engagements are not the only rings that couples exchange though. Engagement rings and wedding bands aren’t the only types of rings that couples exchange during weddings either. For the most part, engagement rings and wedding bands are just the tip of the iceberg. The exchange of all sorts of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, chains, earrings, necklaces, rings, pins, brooches and tiaras is also commonplace at weddings and engagement ceremonies.
Wedding rings and engagement rings aren’t the only types of jewelry couples exchange though. Brides and grooms also sometimes trade and buy rings. Traditionally, if a couple was married they would exchange a gold ring for their engagement ring. In more modern times though, many couples choose to just purchase a plain band that will be worn during the ceremony itself.