Derivation of a wedding ring
A wedding ring or a wedding band is a ring made of a costlier metal which is worn in the left hand ring finger indicating that the person who is wearing the ring is married. The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond Europe.
According to some customs the wedding ring form the last series of gift which is given by a groom to his bride given traditionally as a betrothal gift. This custom was usually used in Ancient Rome. The Romans are thought to have started the origin of engagement rings which symbolize a promise of marriage to the opposite sex. Nowadays the exchange of rings have become as a series of ring gifts often associated with courting which symbolizes the ongoing nature of lasting marriage.
An European tradition says that in those days people used to engrave the name of ones intended spouse and the date of ones intended marriage on the below surface of the wedding ring which seems to symbolize the sentimentality of a ring as it become family heirlooms.
Among the eastern orthodox and eastern catholic Christians with whom the exchange of rings is not a part of the wedding service but it is rather exchanged at the betrothal. But this practice of a two ring her by the priest or by the best man has been stopped by the orthodox Christian church of Greece as this practice is often non-committing. Nowadays the ceremony of betrothal is being possibly performed immediately before the wedding which in common words is known as ‘crowning’. And the actual symbolic act of marriage is not the exchanging of rings but the proclamation of marriage in front of a father figure.
After the wedding the wedding the wedding band is worn on the ring finger in the left hand and the engagement ring is just worn in front of it. Sometimes both of these rings get fused together to form one ring and it becomes difficult for another person to understand which one is the wedding and which one is the engagement ring. So nowadays in order to come out of this violence people have started using other wedding jewelers instead of wedding bands like brooch, necklaces etc.
In the olden times the rings were used to have a different meaning. They were not the sign of love but were also used as giving a handful of gold and silver coins. According to the prayer book: Edward vi : After the words “ with this ring I wed thee” follows the words” this gold and silver I give thee” at which point the husband is supposed to give a handful of gold and silver coins to his bride as a token of love.
Historically the wedding ring was connected with the fact that it was exchanged with valuables. Since the people were poor they had the idea that the marriage was a contract between both the families which told the marriage has to be such that it provides economical security.
The right hand is supposed to be believed as for taking oaths and vows. It is raised for the sincerity of an oath. According to Latin terms right means Dexter and left means sinister. From the word Dexter the word dexterity has come into use. Since the left hand has a negative effect the right hand is used for wearing a wedding ring according to the Romans.
Wedding rings are the most important part of a person’s wedding; this wedding ring forms the bond between the husband and the wife as long as they are alive. The ritual of using wedding bands for both men and women started a long time ago.
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