Ep. 62 - Why Do We Wear Wedding Rings On The Ring Finger of Our Left Hand?

As human beings we have an innate need to express ourselves to the rest of the world. Whether through our clothes, our time pieces, sharing our tastes in music, wearing our favorite team's merch…and of course, wearing a ring on the ring finger of our left hand, to tell others that, “Hey!  Hands off.  This girl or guy is spoken for.”

But how did this come to be an almost universal practice in Western cultures?

You may have never thought about it because it’s pretty much a non-negotiable these days, but where did this all start? Apparently the roots of this tradition began in ancient Egypt, where rings were given as a symbol of eternity and an unbroken circle of love.   That remains true to this day, even if you’ve never thought about rings in that way.  (Like I said, strong symbolism there.)

In previous episodes and actually in real life, I tell guys all the time, "Rings say more than any other piece of jewelry you can give someone, so if you give a ring, you better mean it."

We can thank the Romans for that, since they started that tradition. The specific choice of wearing wedding rings on the fourth finger, now commonly called the ring finger, of our left hand found its prominence in ancient Rome. They held a belief that the "vena amoris" or the "vein of love" ran directly from the ring finger to the heart. Hence, placing the wedding ring on this finger became a ritual symbolizing the eternal connection and love between the betrothed. So wearing a ring on the ring ring finger of one's left hand was and is a profound gesture, echoing the idea that love flows directly from the heart.

Medieval Europeans and the Christian Church played a pivotal role in solidifying the practice during the ring ceremony, infused with religious significance, that involved the priest placing the ring on the left hand's ring finger while invoking the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It was a sacred act that further enshrined the tradition in the hearts and minds of the people that attended, witnessed, and took part in such ceremonies. Obviously this still happens in one form or another in similar ceremonies to this very day.

As history unfolded, the tradition traversed continents and cultures and continued to gain momentum. However, it wasn't until World War II that the left hand, ring finger tradition gained widespread recognition in the United States.

Soldiers and their brides would wear their wedding rings on the left hand, ring finger as a visible and tangible connection to each other. It sounds like that’s when it found a permanent place in our culture, because it became a cherished tradition that endured beyond the war.

Of course this tradition continues today…even if, until now, you didn’t know why. So there you have it, a shallow dive into the history of wedding rings and why we wear them where we do.

This information might come in very handy someday. How? I can't rightly say, but of course life is a miraculous thing, and there just might be a free beer in your future because you can correctly name the vena amoris. Stranger things have happened...

If you want to talk with me personally you can email me at  andy@buylikeaguy.com. I'm happy to personally help you find the right jewelry for your special occasion, or put you in touch with a jewelry pro that's closer to home.

Music credits: Preacher Man by Miles Neilson and The Rusted Hearts, used with permission. A killer band with original songs that get stuck in your head.  They're awesome.

Listen To Preacher Man on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/track/7ImcaJKIk0ZVtPzuUVV4vc?si=80581c74a9be4987