Wedding Ring Traditions From Around the World

What would you like to know about wedding rings from around the world? Whiteflash the engagement and loose diamond experts proudly showcase our knowledge of different wedding ring traditions.

Wedding rings are worn the world over and there are many interesting traditions about wedding rings: how they’re worn; what they symbolize; and what they are made of.

Although wedding rings are given during a Russian wedding ceremony their giving and acceptance does not itself confer that status of husband and wife on the bride and groom.

As recently as the early 19th century it became common for Russian wedding rings to be made from three inter-twining bands of different colored gold: yellow gold; white gold; and rose gold. These unique and beautiful wedding rings take their symbolism from the Russian Orthodox branch of Christianity and are said to symbolize the Holy Trinity. An alternative explanation says that the three bands each represent one vital component of a successful marriage- husband, wife and God.

The wedding ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger of the right hand.

According to the tradition in Indian wedding ceremonies, the wedding ring should be made of 18 or 22 carat gold. There are a few reasons for this.

The giving of gold to the bride has some origins in religion, and it believed that the more gold she is given at her wedding the happier she will be in life. Another reason is that in India gold symbolizes beauty, superiority and attractiveness, so the more pure gold wedding ring is symbolic of the bride herself. Finally, a ring with an increased gold content is also believed to last longer than a less pure gold wedding band, so the wedding ring represents the long lasting marriage that everyone wishes the couple will enjoy.

In Indian tradition the wedding ring is worn on the right hand.

In the Jewish tradition the wedding ring is a central part of the ceremony not just a special gift for the occasion. This is because for a Jewish wedding to be legally valid, the groom must give the bride “something of value”. This item of value must be his own property and there is a legal minimum value.

A wedding ring meets all these criteria, although technically, a Jewish groom could give his bride a laptop or cellphone and they would still be married so long as she accepts! Once the bride accepts places the ring on her right index finger, the couple are legally married.

Additional customs dictate what is considered a wedding ring as opposed to any other ring, although these are traditions rather than legal requirements. A ‘kosher’ wedding ring should be a single unadorned band of gold or silver. This is said to symbolize a marriage devoid of conflict or other distractions. If you want to read more, check out our traditional vs non traditional engagement rings guide.

Whatever your tradition, you can find the perfect wedding ring in Houston from Whiteflash.