What Is A Wedding Band?

So much leads up to the beautiful union of two committed partners once the engagement ring has been accepted - such as the choice of a wedding band! During the wedding ceremony, the exchange of wedding bands marks a physical symbol of love and legal unity.

Simply put, a wedding band is a ring you wear once you are officially married. While people traditionally wear the wedding ring on the left hand, some cultures wear it on the right hand. Ultimately, it is up to you and your partner to decide.

While women traditionally wear a sparkly engagement ring, wedding bands allow both spouses to get in on the wedding jewelry excitement. So why not have fun with it and take the time to choose a wedding band that is unique to you and the story of your relationship.

The wedding band itself has often been fairly simple. However, people have begun to personalize their wedding bands with diamonds, gems, and even engravings. Couples can use their style and personal stories to choose and design a wedding ring special to them.

Where Did The Wedding Band Tradition Start?

We can date the wedding ring back centuries to the Egyptians, who preferred jewelry made from organic items. They viewed wedding rings as a symbol of eternal love and a gateway to the future.

As such, they chose to wear wedding bands on the ring finger of the left hand, which has a vein that runs to the heart. While many Western cultures continue this tradition, others don’t. In some countries, like Spain, Norway, and Russia, couples wear the wedding ring on the right hand.

The style of modern wedding bands dates back to ancient Rome and Greece when they used gold and precious stones to create rings. However, it wasn’t until around the 12th century that the Catholic church in Europe began using rings for a formal marriage ceremonies.

Women's Wedding Rings

Women's wedding rings vary from simple metal bands to stunning gem-encrusted showstoppers. There are many different women’s wedding ring styles to choose from, including plain gold or platinum rings, diamond rings, sapphire rings, and eternity rings. You can even choose more than one ring and stack as many as a finger can hold.

Wedding Ring Styles

There are many different styles of wedding rings to choose from, including plain gold or platinum rings, diamond rings, sapphire rings, and eternity rings.

How to Wear Your Wedding Ring

Discover our tips for styling your wedding ring and engagement ring, whether you decide to wear them together or separately.

Men's Wedding Bands

Traditionally men’s wedding rings have consisted of a plain metal band. And while that’s still the most popular option for men’s wedding jewelry, the options for customizing bands to one’s personality and style have become expansive.

Men’s wedding bands now come in a wide variety of metals, including tungsten, titanium, and palladium. And men’s wedding bands can also consist of diamonds, gemstones, textured metal designs, and engravings.