A wedding is undoubtedly a moment that remains etched in a person’s memory forever. The practices and ceremonies involved in weddings vary significantly between cultures. Nevertheless, the tradition of exchanging rings is a common feature found in marriage ceremonies worldwide. In the past, wedding rings were primarily worn by women, but today, men too wear these emblematic rings. This change leads to curiosity about the origin of the tradition of men donning wedding rings.
The story of the men's wedding rings is not that old. Below, we will briefly discuss when the men start wearing the wedding ring and the history behind it. keep reading the article.
History of Men Wedding Ring
Rings have been used even in the ancient period for marriage and other reasons. Even men used the ring in the Ancient Egypt period. During that time, Pharaohs and other men wore the ring to show their social value. They used the ring in the fingers of the right hand. That was from 1600 BC to 1100 BC. Apart from this, the men used rings for a variety of purposes apart from weddings.
However, this ornament was mainly used to display their significance, authoritative positions, power, social status, etc. They wore a ring that was made of gold or other precious materials. On the other hand, some poor people also worn rings made of bones and other materials. However, there was no ritual of exchanging rings during that time.
During 753 BC, when Rome was founded, the emperor gave gold rings to some of their soldiers to show ranks. Besides, the wealthy family of the Roman Emperor used gold bands to show express their superiority. The usual people of the society used silver bands while the slaves wore iron bands. The history of wedding rings started in 300 AD.
European Christians borrowed the ritual or roman emperors to give wedding rings to the bride during the ceremony. However, men didn’t wear the wedding ring at that time. During 610 AD, men that are connected to the church started wearing the ring. They wore gold rings that sometimes also included charming gemstones.
From 796 AD to 1066 AD, the first wedding ring exchange practice began between the Vikings. The bride and groom exchanged the wedding ring, after a few hits of their sword. However, there was no such practice was not in the European and Christian societies during that time.
When Did Men Start Wearing Wedding Rings?
The tradition of rings in marriage was first started in ancient Egypt. However, during that time, the bride was the only person to wear the engagement and wedding ring. The use of men's wedding rings started during the 17th and 18th centuries. Gimmel Rings or Fede Rings were two rings interlocked where one is for women and another one is for men. Although it started almost 3 centuries ago, it was not much popular then.
The uses of rings in the men start skyrocketing during the 1940s. During the very first world war, the men started wearing wedding rings. This was as a remembrance of their family and kids at home. This ritual becomes more prominent when the American soldiers started using it during World War II. The use of rings by men in the songs and movie scenes also played a great role in its popularization.
How Should a Men Wedding Ring Look Like?
Men are typically not that much aware of what their wedding ring should be like compared to the woman. However, while picking a wedding ring for the men, you should consider their preferences, lifestyle, and fitness. Earlier, the men's ring consisted of plain metal bands. Apart from looking gentle, this also comes in handy during their work.
However, currently, there are a lot of variations available in the men's ring. Usually, gold and silver are mostly used in these rings. You might also find men's wedding rings that are crafted from tungsten, titanium, stainless steel, and other durable materials. Although the men's wedding ring is a new tradition, it has become a widespread and common tradition in every society. Even it is taken as a sign of infidelity when men don’t wear the ring.
Currently, it has become a universal tradition to wear the ring on the ring finger. Typically, both the brides and the grooms wear the wedding ring in their right hand. It is like a promise or oath, or the sign of reliance and love between two persons. In some cultures, people also wear the ring in the left hand. That is because they believe the love veins run through the left hand’s ring finger. It also makes it easier for them to work.
How to Choose the Wedding Ring for Men?
Although men are not that much concerned about the ring, you need to pick it very carefully. That is because chances are high that it is once in a lifetime experience. One of the most important things while picking the ring is size. You mustn’t want to pick a ring that is of the wrong size and doesn’t fit the groom’s hand properly. Before buying or ordering the ring, make sure that you know the accurate size. Guessing the size shouldn’t even be an option.
Another thing you need to consider is the meta of the ring. The wedding rings for both males and females are available in various metals. These include gold, white gold, diamond, rose gold, platinum, titanium, etc. Typically, you might not want to pick a cheap ring for an event like marriage. The wedding ring is also available in multiple styles and you also need to be aware of it. The most important thing you need to remember is to pick a ring that suits his style.
Conclusion
Although the wedding ring for men is a new tradition, its significance is very high. You simply cannot think of a wedding without this little but precious thing. If you have been interested in when did men start wearing wedding rings, we hope that our article will help you with the required information.
