Wedding 101 Blog

Wedding rings are a potent, and most easily recognizable symbol of eternal love, marital commitment, and fidelity towards each other. It is a final gift which the couples give as a pledge of love to each other. In many western cultures the ring, which is usually a circular band that adorns the ring finger (3rd one of the left hand).
The ancient Greek physicians and Egyptians believed that the ‘vena amoris’ or the ‘vein of love’ ran through the third finger of the left hand and that made the hand to heart connection. As wedding was considered sacred bond of eternal unity, wearing the ring on the left hand was the closest it could be to the heart.
In many ancient cultures women were considered inferior to man and since left hand was considered inferior to the right brides would wear the ring on the left hand as a symbol of their submissiveness to their husbands.

In 12th century Pope Innocent III declared that weddings could only be complete with the symbol of love, the wedding ring as part of them and all the Christians adopted that. Then, in the 16th century King Edward VI declared the left hand (heart side) to be the marriage hand and so began the tradition of wearing the wedding ring on left hand.

Yet another explanation for wearing the ring on the this finger could be that as the bridegroom faces his bride he, if he favors his right hand more, conveniently reaches for his bride’s left hand, and slips it on her finger.  It is simple and natural.

Wedding rings are now days worn on left hand mainly due to the age old tradition of eternal commitment and love for each other and to keep alive the etiquette and customs of weddings. Most of the wedding bands are made with Gold, Silver or Platinum and in many cases they are worn by both the partners. Earlier only the women wore them but slowly after the Second World War men began to wear them as a gesture of their love for their beloved wife.
Even as the modern medical science discredits the traditional theory, the tradition continues because most people are right handed and wearing such a sacred ring on the left makes it less exposed to damage, loss and injuries during everyday activities.