A Wedding Ring is for Life, Not Just Your Wedding Day…

The venue. The guest lists. The dresses, The suits. Not to mention the flowers, decorations, entertainment, and food. Oh, and don’t forget about the cake! Wedding lists are endless. All that planning and organising involved for one day of festivities. One day to celebrate two people making a lifelong commitment.

But after the guests have gone home and the cake has been eaten, there is something important remaining to reassure you it wasn’t all a dream! Something that sits comfortably on your left hand and signifies you made those vows. Something that is worn every day and stays with you long after the honeymoon. A purchase which deserves prominence and consideration, but is sometimes a little overlooked in favour of…well, wedding favours.

Wedding rings are traditionally exchanged during a marriage ceremony and the responsibility of being ring bearer usually rests with the best man, or page boy. However, some more elaborate choices can include family pets or farm animals! Either way, there is a lot of emphasis on making sure the rings make it to the ceremony and are in place ready for their magic moment. Once the rings have been given, a commitment has been made and the couple will have officially ‘tied the knot’ (with just the legality of signing the register to go, but where’s the romance in that?)

It’s believed the custom of exchanging wedding rings dates back thousands of years, with evidence being found in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. Early wedding rings were made of natural materials, such as woven reeds. The ancient Egyptians chose to wear these on the fourth finger of their left hand (known as the ring finger) because they believed there was a vein there that led directly to the heart. This is known as the ‘vena amoris’ in Latin, meaning vein of love.

In some countries, it’s actually customary to wear wedding rings on the right hand. This comes from religious belief that the right hand is more righteous. Ultimately, there is no set rule, it’s all about personal choice and comfort. The most pivotal thing is choosing a ring which reflects your devotion and commitment to each other. But more importantly, choose something you like because you’ll hopefully be wearing it for a very long time!

Like all jewellery, wedding ring designs have been influenced by the trends and fashions of their era. They can also be influenced by what’s available, and more recently by great advertising and marketing!

Some historical examples are:

• Gimmel Rings – Popular in the 16^th and 17^th centuries and made up of two interlocking bands. An engaged couple each wore one of the bands, which were then ‘reunited’ during the wedding ceremony. The wife then wore the combined ring. 
  
• Poesy Rings – A common design during the Renaissance period, poesy rings were usually a silver band inscribed with poetry or religious verse.
  
• Fede Rings – These became prominent in the Middle Ages and consist of a band featuring two hands clasped in betrothal.
  
• WW2 Utility Wedding Rings – The impact of wartime meant precious metals and jewellery manufacturing was restricted. Wedding rings were made from 9ct gold (instead of the more popular 22ct) and restricted to 3 grams in weight. A special hallmark included the addition of a ‘U’ after the date to show regulations had been met.

An interesting observation is whether the price of precious metals directly impacts wedding jewellery trends. Platinum wedding and engagement rings became particularly popular towards the end of the 20^th century, and was also more costly than gold. By coincidence, with the price of gold rising considerably over recent years, it has started to become the precious metal of choice again. So, does the perceived value of love and long-term commitment have to correlate with a premium price tag? Or,
is the marketing for wedding trends deliberately associated with higher value items?

Maybe it’s time to buck trends and flout tradition. Don’t be dictated to by the choices available on the high street. Your wedding doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s, so neither should your wedding ring! Take time to consider what your partnership and commitment means to you and what it represents. Consider how you want to convey this into a piece of jewellery.

Ultimately, your wedding ring can be whatever you want it to be. As bespoke and individual as you and your relationship are, or a classic design tailored to your own tastes. Just make sure it’s not an afterthought, or at the bottom of the to do list for your forthcoming nuptials!  Afterall, a wedding ring is for life…