Wedding rings are the part of the ceremony for centuries. It is a sign of relation, love, and care. Different traditions have different wedding ring finger anyhow, majority of the today’s culture follows the same tradition. In this article, you will know all about wedding ring fingers as well as some other ring fingers with their meanings.
What is Wedding Ring Finger?
The fourth finger of the left hand is known as the wedding ring finger. It is believed that it has a vein that directly goes to the heart so; this finger is used to wear engagement and wedding rings.
From a historical point of view, all the fingers including the thumb are being used for a wedding ring. There are still some cultures like India, Spain, Russia, Norway, and Russia that use the right-hand finger as the ring finger. It is an interesting fact that people tend to change the marriage cultures with the passage of time and the ring finger is also one of those.
Types of Ring Fingers & their Meanings
All the five fingers are being used for wearing rings and they have different purposes or meanings. Today, mainly the fourth finger is used but there are still some cultures have different believes about the fingers.
Engagement Ring Finger
In Western culture, the fourth finger of the left hand is used as an engagement ring finger. People of the Middle East use the right hand’s fourth finger as an engagement ring finger.
Wedding Ring Finger
Just like the engagement, wedding rings are also worn on the fourth finger of the left hand in Western culture whereas the eastern people wear it on the same finger of the right hand.
Promise Ring Finger
Wedding and Engagement rings are not the only ones. In some cultured people also used to wear rings of the promise of engagement and then marriage. This is also known as a pre-engagement ring. It started in the 16 century. Couples exchange the rings during their first date as a promise to marry in the future.
Depending on the nature of your boyfriend or girlfriend, people share neckbands, lockets with pictures or names but rings are the most popular and attractive. Most people use the middle finger of the left hand to wear the promise finger. People also wear the ring around the neck by using a chain.
Wealth & Influence Ring Finger
In the past, only the specific family people used to wear rings on the index finger. It was a sign of wealth and higher rank. People below a specific rank in some parts of Europe were forbidden to wear rings on the index finger.
Now a day, men also wear the ring on their thumb, especially in North America. It is also a sign of wealth and bravery.
History of Wedding Ring Finger
The Romans called the ring finger “Vein of Love”. The tradition of exchanging wedding and engagement rings is back to accent time. This finger was used to wear rings since that time.
Now, the studies proved that not only the fourth finger of the left hand but all the fingers have a direct connection to the heart. But, there are still traditions that consider the fourth finger as a vein of love and use it while engaging rings.
Which Finger Do You Wear Wedding Ring On?
If you are going to marry, you might be wondering that on which finger you will wear the ring. There are several traditions and cultures about the wedding and engagement ring fingers. Many cultures use the left hand’s fourth finger for engagement as well as wedding rings. In some cultures, a wedding ring is worn on the right hand’s fourth finger. Let’s check these cultures based on the regions.
Asian Culture
In Chinese culture, the bride wears the ring on the middle finger of her hand while the groom wears it on the opposite hand’s middle finger. It is considered that as the bride is in charge and caretaker of the house so as a sign, the wedding ring should be on her right hand’s middle finger.
Do not wear a ring is also a part of some Chinese traditions. People believe that having more than one woman’s partner is a sign of the strength of a man so, they do not wear rings.
Western Culture
In Western culture, a ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. They use the same finger for engagement and wedding rings. Couples take off their engagement rings from the left hand’s fourth finger and wear them on the right hand’s fourth finger so that his/her partner can wear the wedding ring on that finger.
After that, some couples keep both rings on both hands or they wear both rings on the left hand’s fourth finger.
Eastern Culture
Many Eastern European countries wear the wedding ring on the fourth finger of the right hand. These countries include Denmark, Norway, Russia, Poland, and Bulgaria.
Northern Culture
Like the Eastern European countries, Northern region couples also follow the same traditions and wear the classic wedding ring on the fourth finger of the right hand.
Wedding Ring Finger for Men
Well, we have you read all about the wedding ring finger as well as the different regional traditions but your queries might be gender-based.
The fourth finger is the most popular for wedding and engagement rings and known as the vein of love. Asian couples wear the ring on the middle finger. Chinese grooms wear it on the middle finger of their left hand. Eastern and Northern grooms wear the ring on the fourth finger of the right hand.
Compared to the volume, the left hand’s fourth finger is the most popular then we can rank the right hand’s fourth finger, and lastly the Asian culture who wear the ring in the middle finger.
Wedding Ring Finger for Women
Ring finger traditions are just like the men’s traditions all over the world. The fourth finger of the left hand is the most popular. In Asian culture, brides wear the ring on the right hand’s fourth finger which is opposite to the groom’s.