May 21, 2020

Wedding Rings: What Do They Represent?

Ever wondered what the point is in exchanging wedding rings or what it symbolises? Today we’re here to answer just that for you! 

Traditionally, wedding rings have been seen as a symbol of eternal love and date all the way back to Egyptian culture and times when wedding rings were woven from plants from the river Nile, such as reeds or hemp, and handed to each other. The earliest evidence we’ve seen of exchanging rings is over 3000 years old and was found inside ancient Egyptian scrolls.
These scrolls were later translated to show that the Egyptians believed their rings symbolised eternal love between the couples. Eventually these hemp or reed style rings were replaced with more durable, long lasting materials such as bone or ivory. Later, they were incorporated into Christian (and basically all) wedding ceremonies and it became a common occurrence for a bride to be given a wedding ring at her wedding ceremony.

We tend to get one of the three following questions asked of us, so we wanted to cover all three for you.

Why are wedding rings a circle?

The reasoning behind wedding rings being circular in shape stems from the idea of infinity - circles have no beginning nor end - they are eternal and never-ending, much like the love you and your partner will hold for each other. It was also believed by the ancient Egyptians that the centre of the circle symbolises the opening of a door to the future that the couple would share together.

 

bride in white wedding dress placing wedding ring on finger

(pictured: #euphorierealbride Carina on her wedding day) 

Which finger are wedding rings worn on?

Wedding rings are also worn on the third finger on the left hand as shown in the photo of our beautiful real bride Carina above (fourth if we’re counting thumbs!) because the ancient Egyptians were under the belief that this finger enclosed a special vein that was connected directly to the heart. There are some cultures and individuals in general who forego this custom and use their right hand instead but traditionally speaking, the majority of couples tend to follow the left hand idea. 


Who carries the ring at the wedding ceremony?

This will vary based on what the bride and groom decide on but it’s usually one of three people; the maid of honour, the best man or a ring bearer. The ring bearer is often a child within the family unit, sometimes a child of the bride and/or groom, or a close friend/family members child.

Are there anything else you’ve ever wondered about wedding rings? Let us know below and we’ll be sure to add it in!

Written by Anne Horton

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