So the ceremony is over. The honey moon has come and went. With the traditional ceremonies out of the way and the special day gone, the memories of that day will always exist. They lie in your head, in pictures, with family members, and of course in that beautiful ring set that’s sitting pretty on your left hand.
Now over the last few years I’ve noticed that women wear their rings differently. On some occasions I see the engagement ring first on the finger followed by the band. Traditionally and for the most part it’s the other way around. Noticing this small detail triggered something in me. I began to wonder why some women wear their engagements rings first.
I already knew from working in the medical field that there’s an artery that goes from the heart to your left hand ring finger. But that didn’t give me the answer to my real question. That question probed me to go in search for the answer.
There I was looking at the hands of all the women who passed me by until finally I spotted one, “Excuse me.” I stopped her. “I have a question and it may seem a bit odd but I am doing research on a topic I’m curious about. May I ask you a particular question about your wedding ring?” The woman smiles letting out a weird giggle as she looks around, I guess maybe looking to see if she is on Candid Camera. “Sure, I guess.” She replies. Here’s my chance, I tell myself. With curiosity in my face I ask, “Why do you wear your engagement ring first on your finger instead of your wedding band?” She shrugs her shoulders and replies, “I don’t know, I really never thought about it. I guess I like my engagement ring better.” Ah, there it was the smell of truth.
I continued on stopping random women and for the most part they were willing to speak to me. Here’s more of what some of these women’s responses were:
“Really, there’s an artery that goes to that finger?”
“So I’m supposed to wear the band first because that’s the real ring to keep close to my heart. Okay I’ll switch it.” And she did, in front of me.
“Well I thought it didn’t matter because the engagement ring is the first ring to go on your finger. It’s not until the wedding that you get the band after.”
“It’s not going to make me love my husband any less.”
Then I had one woman teach me by saying, “You know the engagement ring wasn’t supposed to be worn after the wedding day. It was only supposed to be worn until the day. The rings became more expensive when it became more and more common to buy one with a diamond. Thus Americanizing the tradition of our ancestors.
Tell me what you think. How do you feel about this topic? Do you know anyone who wears their engagement ring first? If so share.
M.C. Addington 