Wedding Ring or Wedding Band
A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. It is usually forged from metal and traditionally is forged of gold or another precious metal.
What Hand Does Your Wedding and Engagement Ring Go On?
Depending on culture, a wedding ring is typically worn on the base of the left or right ring finger, if the wearer is left-handed often it will go onto the right hand. Many spouses wear their wedding rings day and night, causing an indentation in the skin that is visible even when the ring is removed.
Why Wedding Rings Are Worn on THE Third Finger?
Wedding rings have been in use since the time of the Egyptians, though they became widely popular in the ninth century. It was thought in Roman times that there was a vein that ran directly from the third finger to the heart.
Because of this symbolic connection, it was this third finger that was chosen as the site for rings of love. That practice eventually spread to many other parts of the world.
Of course today we have a better understanding of the body’s circulation, however, tradition has stayed.
Wedding Ring Location
The fourth digit or ring finger of the left hand has become the customary place to wear a wedding ring in much of the world, though in certain countries the right-hand finger is used. This custom was practically established as the norm during World War II.
The use of the fourth finger of the left hand (the ‘ring finger’) is associated with an old belief that the left hand’s ring finger is connected by a vein directly to the heart: the vena amoris or vein of love. This idea was known in 16th and 17th century England when Henry Swinburne referred to it in his book about marriage. It can be traced back to ancient Rome when Aulus Gellius cited Appianus as saying the ancient Egyptians had found a fine nerve linking that particular finger to the heart.
Occasionally rings have been re-purposed to hang from bracelets or necklaces.
Ring Finger Meaning
The left ring finger symbolizes engagement and marriage for men in Western cultures, and the right ring finger symbolizes the same for men in other countries, such as Germany, Russia, and India.
Wedding Ring Compositions and Styles
Wedding rings are often forged of gold (or gold plated), palladium, platinum, Argentium, silver, titanium, tungsten, or more recently, silicone. The perpetuity of noble metals symbolizes the permanence of the marriage. Common engravings on the inside of the ring include the name of one’s spouse, the names of both spouses, the date of the wedding, or a phrase of significance to the spouses. In many nations, the engagement rings are plain while the bride’s wedding ring commonly is bejeweled.
Custom Bridal Jewelry
Many brides would like to order custom bridal jewelry, but I don’t want to go over budget. Here are a few tips to help you find affordable custom bridal jewelry.
The cost of your custom bridal jewelry will be based on a few things namely design, materials, and time. A simple pendant necklace with colors from your wedding on a chain is a simple, but lovely design for the bride as well as the bridesmaid’s jewelry. In this case, the bride would have her necklace designed to match her dress. I suggest a color from her dress or a bead similar to the one on her gown. The bridesmaid’s pendant necklaces could be one color or a combination of colors from her shoes and dress or some other color at the wedding. The next thing to think about is what materials will be used in your custom jewelry.
If you use precious metals like sterling silver and 14kt Gold or 14kt Gold-filled, your cost is more. If you opt to go with base metals, your cost will be cheaper, but after a few wear the metal finish will wear off never to return to its original color. Also, glass pendants can be very pretty, but if you want your wedding jewelry to sparkle, Swarovski crystals add the perfect amount of sparkle to your design. Time also plays a part in the total cost of your custom bridal jewelry. The more time or elaboration you design the more your custom jewelry will cost.
Ring Size
Ring sizes can be measured physically by a paper, plastic, or metal ring sizer (as a gauge) or by measuring the inner diameter of a ring that already fits.
Ring sticks used to measure the inner size of a ring can be made from a variety of materials including plastic, delrin, wood, aluminum, aluminum with wooden handles, and so on. Digital ring sticks also exist.
There are several systems for denoting the sizes of jewelry rings in use around the world:
• In the United States and Canada, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, with quarter and half sizes. An increase of a full size is an increase of 0.032 inches (0.8128 mm) in diameter or roughly 1/10 inch (more precisely, 0.1005 in or 2.55 mm) in inside circumference.
• In Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Australia, ring sizes are specified using an alphabetical scale, with half sizes.
• In India, Japan and China, ring sizes are specified using a numerical scale, that only has whole sizes, and does not have a simple linear correlation with diameter or circumference.
• In Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Switzerland, ring sizes are specified as the circumference minus 40mm. A 50 ISO was a 10 in Switzerland.
Ring Size Chart
Inside diameter | Inside circumference | Sizes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(in) | (mm) ISO | (in) | (mm) ISO | United States, Canada and Mexico | United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand | China, Japan, South America | India | Italy, Spain, Switzerland |
0.458 | 11.63 | 1.44 | 36.5 | 0 | ||||
0.466 | 11.84 | 1.46 | 37.2 | ¼ | ||||
0.474 | 12.04 | 1.49 | 37.8 | ½ | A | |||
0.482 | 12.24 | 1.51 | 38.5 | ¾ | A½ | |||
0.49 | 12.45 | 1.54 | 39.1 | 1 | B | 1 | ||
0.498 | 12.65 | 1.56 | 39.7 | 1¼ | B½ | |||
0.506 | 12.85 | 1.59 | 40.4 | 1½ | C | 0.5 | ||
0.514 | 13.06 | 1.61 | 41.0 | 1¾ | C½ | 1 | 1 | |
0.522 | 13.26 | 1.64 | 41.7 | 2 | D | 2 | 2 | 1.75 |
0.53 | 13.46 | 1.67 | 42.3 | 2¼ | D½ | 2.25 | ||
0.538 | 13.67 | 1.69 | 42.9 | 2½ | E | 3 | 3 | 3 |
0.546 | 13.87 | 1.72 | 43.6 | 2¾ | E½ | 4 | 3.5 | |
0.554 | 14.07 | 1.74 | 44.2 | 3 | F | 4 | 4.25 | |
0.562 | 14.27 | 1.77 | 44.8 | 3¼ | F½ | 5 | 5 | 4.75 |
0.57 | 14.48 | 1.79 | 45.5 | 3½ | G | 5.5 | ||
0.578 | 14.68 | 1.82 | 46.1 | 3¾ | G½ | 6 | 6 | 6 |
0.586 | 14.88 | 1.84 | 46.8 | 4 | H | 7 | 6.75 | |
0.594 | 15.09 | 1.87 | 47.4 | 4¼ | H½ | 7 | 7.5 | |
0.602 | 15.29 | 1.89 | 48.0 | 4½ | I | 8 | 8 | 8 |
0.61 | 15.49 | 1.92 | 48.7 | 4¾ | J | 9 | 8.75 | |
0.618 | 15.70 | 1.94 | 49.3 | 5 | J½ | 9 | 9.25 | |
0.626 | 15.90 | 1.97 | 50.0 | 5¼ | K | 10 | 10 | |
0.634 | 16.10 | 1.99 | 50.6 | 5½ | K½ | 10 | 10.5 | |
0.642 | 16.31 | 2.02 | 51.2 | 5¾ | L | 11 | 11.25 | |
0.65 | 16.51 | 2.04 | 51.9 | 6 | L½ | 11 | 12 | 11.75 |
0.658 | 16.71 | 2.07 | 52.5 | 6¼ | M | 12 | 12.5 | |
0.666 | 16.92 | 2.09 | 53.1 | 6½ | M½ | 13 | 13 | 13.25 |
0.674 | 17.12 | 2.12 | 53.8 | 6¾ | N | 13.75 | ||
0.682 | 17.32 | 2.14 | 54.4 | 7 | N½ | 14 | 14 | 14.5 |
0.69 | 17.53 | 2.17 | 55.1 | 7¼ | O | 15 | 15 | |
0.698 | 17.73 | 2.19 | 55.7 | 7½ | O½ | 15 | 15.75 | |
0.706 | 17.93 | 2.22 | 56.3 | 7¾ | P | 16 | 16.25 | |
0.714 | 18.14 | 2.24 | 57.0 | 8 | P½ | 16 | 17 | 17 |
0.722 | 18.34 | 2.27 | 57.6 | 8¼ | Q | 17.5 | ||
0.73 | 18.54 | 2.29 | 58.3 | 8½ | Q½ | 17 | 18 | 18.25 |
0.738 | 18.75 | 2.32 | 58.9 | 8¾ | R | 19 | 19 | |
0.746 | 18.95 | 2.34 | 59.5 | 9 | R½ | 18 | 19.5 | |
0.754 | 19.15 | 2.37 | 60.2 | 9¼ | S | 20 | 20.25 | |
0.762 | 19.35 | 2.39 | 60.8 | 9½ | S½ | 19 | 21 | 20.75 |
0.77 | 19.56 | 2.42 | 61.4 | 9¾ | T | 21.5 | ||
0.778 | 19.76 | 2.44 | 62.1 | 10 | T½ | 20 | 22 | 22 |
0.786 | 19.96 | 2.47 | 62.7 | 10¼ | U | 21 | 23 | 22.75 |
0.794 | 20.17 | 2.49 | 63.4 | 10½ | U½ | 22 | 23.25 | |
0.802 | 20.37 | 2.52 | 64.0 | 10¾ | V | 24 | 24 | |
0.81 | 20.57 | 2.54 | 64.6 | 11 | V½ | 23 | 25 | 24.75 |
0.818 | 20.78 | 2.57 | 65.3 | 11¼ | W | 25.25 | ||
0.826 | 20.98 | 2.59 | 65.9 | 11½ | W½ | 24 | 26 | 26 |
0.834 | 21.18 | 2.62 | 66.6 | 11¾ | X | 26.5 | ||
0.842 | 21.39 | 2.65 | 67.2 | 12 | X½ | 25 | 27 | 27.25 |
0.85 | 21.59 | 2.67 | 67.8 | 12¼ | Y | 28 | 27.75 | |
0.858 | 21.79 | 2.70 | 68.5 | 12½ | Z | 26 | 28.5 | |
0.866 | 22.00 | 2.72 | 69.1 | 12¾ | Z½ | 29 | 29 | |
0.874 | 22.20 | 2.75 | 69.7 | 13 | 27 | 30 | 29.75 | |
0.882 | 22.40 | 2.77 | 70.4 | 13¼ | Z1 | 30.5 | ||
0.89 | 22.61 | 2.80 | 71.0 | 13½ | 31 | 31 | ||
0.898 | 22.81 | 2.82 | 71.7 | 13¾ | Z2 | 32 | 31.75 | |
0.906 | 23.01 | 2.85 | 72.3 | 14 | Z3 | 32.25 | ||
0.914 | 23.22 | 2.87 | 72.9 | 14¼ | 33 | 33 | ||
0.922 | 23.42 | 2.90 | 73.6 | 14½ | Z4 | 33.5 | ||
0.93 | 23.62 | 2.92 | 74.2 | 14¾ | 34 | 34.25 | ||
0.938 | 23.83 | 2.95 | 74.8 | 15 | 35 | 34.75 | ||
0.946 | 24.03 | 2.97 | 75.5 | 15¼ | 35.5 | |||
0.954 | 24.23 | 3.00 | 76.1 | 15½ | 36 | 36.25 | ||
0.962 | 24.43 | 3.02 | 76.8 | 15¾ | 36.75 | |||
0.97 | 24.64 | 3.05 | 77.4 | 16 | 37 | 37.5 |
Wedding Ring Engraving Ideas & Tips
- I love you
- Our love is eternal
- To my soul mate
- C.R. to D.L. July 10
- Always
- Forever
- Eternity
- C&D forever (use your first initials)
- I thee wed
- All my love
- I marry you
- You have my heart
- My heart is in your hands
- Never to part
- To my wife/husband
- Soul mates forever
- I’m always with you
- To have and to hold
- Schmoopie (Your private nicknames for each other)
- Here is my heart; guard it well!
- No one but you
- God for me provided thee
- God unite both in love
- In thy breast my heart doth rest (Old English)
- Pour tous jours (For all days, 15th-century French)
- Joie sans fin (Joy without end, French)
- Mon coeur est a vous (You have my heart, French)
- Je t’aime (I love you, French)
- Mon amour (My love, French)
- Il mio cuore e il tuo per sempre (My heart is yours forever, Italian)
- Amore mio (My love, Italian)
- Vivo per lei (I live for her, Italian)
- Myn genyst (My heart, Old German)
- Mizpah (May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent from one another, Hebrew, Genesis 31:49)
- Ani L’dodi V’dodi Li (My beloved is mine and I am his, Hebrew, Song of Solomon 2:16)
- Semper amemus (Let us always love, Latin)
- Semper fidelis (Always faithful, Latin)
- Pari passu (With equal step, Latin)
- Amor vincit omnia (Love conquers all, Latin)
- Deus nos iunxit (God joined us, Latin)
- 百年好合 (Happily ever after, Chinese)
- 花好月圆 (Blissful harmony, Chinese)
- A Lifetime Is All That I Need
- A Lovely View Of Heaven/But I’d Rather Be With You
- A Perfect Fit
- All I Refuse & Thee I Choose
- All My Heart
- All My Love, All My Life
- All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter
- All You Need Is Love
- Always
- Always And All Ways
- Always And Forever
- Always Faithful
- Always For Forever
- As You Wish
- At Last
- Baby, I’m Amazed By You
- Beautiful In My Eyes
- Beloved
- Better Part Of Forever
- Bless O Lord This Ring
- Body, Mind And Heart
- Bound To An Angel
- By Your Side
- Can I Keep You?
- Circle Of Love
- Circle Of Trust
- Come What May
- Committed to you
- Constant And True
- Desire Hath Set My Heart On Fire
- Don’t Hope, Believe
- Dreams Do Come True
- Each For Each Other, Both For God
- Endless Love
- Eternally Yours
- Eternity
- Eternity Together
- Everlasting Love
- Everything I Do, I Do It For You
- Faithful & True
- Finally Complete
- First My Heart, Then My Soul
- For All Days
- For All That Is Good
- For All The Days Of Eternity/Never A Dark Night
- For All Time
- For Ever And A Day
- For I’d Found Love/And Love Was You
- For Love So Sweet
- For My Greatest Love
- For My Sunshine
- For Time And All Eternity
- For Whither Thou Goest I Will Follow
- For You Alone
- Forever
- Forever Always
- Forever And A Day
- Forever And Ever
- Forever Dancing To The Beat Of Your Heart
- Forever Entwined
- Forever Friends
- Forever In My Heart
- Forever Mine
- Forever My King, Always Your Queen
- Forever Thine
- Forever Together
- Forever True
- Forever Yours
- Forever, True And Always
- Forevermore
- Forget Me Not
- Friends & Lovers
- From This Day Forward
- From This Day On
- From This Moment On
- Given With Faith, Hope And Love
- God Bless Us
- God For Me Provided Thee
- God Unite Both In Love
- God’s Blessing Forever
- Gotcha!
- Grow Old Along With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be
- Grow Old With Me
- Happily Ever After
- Have Love And All
- Heart · Mind · Body · Soul ·
- Here Is My Heart, Guard It Well
- His (wife’s ring)/Hers (husband’s ring)
- Honestly And For True
- Hope Is The Life Of Love
- How Do I Love Thee
- I Am My Beloved
- I Am My Beloved/My Beloved Is Mine
- I Am The Luckier One
- I Am Yours Forever
- I Belong to You/You Belong to Me
- I Choose Us
- I Choose You
- I Choose You As My Life mate
- I Could Not Ask For More
- I Do Not Wish To Love Any Other
- I Finally Found You
- I Found Love, And Love Was You
- I Have Nothing More To Give You But My Heart
- I Knew From The Moment I Met You
- I Live For You Loving Me
- I Love And I Hope
- I Love You
- I Love You Always
- I Love You More
- I Love You More Than Anything
- I Melt
- I Only Have Eyes For You
- I Promise You Forever
- I Wanna Know How Forever Feels
- I Will Always Love You
- I Will Be Here
- I Will Love You My Whole Life
- I Will Never Love Another
- I’d Still Choose You
- If God Be For Us, Who Can Be Against Us
- I’m Amazed By You
- I’m Forever Yours, Faithfully
- In God And Thee My Joy Shall Be
- In Heaven, Too, You Will Have My Hand
- In My Mind And Heart
- In Perfect Love & Perfect Trust
- In This Life I Was Loved By You
- It’s Been You All The Time
- I’ve Found All I’ve Waited For
- Joined As One
- Joined In Love
- Joined In One By Our Love
- Joy Without End
- Keep It Real
- Kismet
- Let Me Always Be With You
- Let The Winds Of Heaven Dance Between Us
- Let Us Be One Til We Are None
- Let Us Live As One
- Let Us Live In Love
- Life Has Begun
- Love · Faith · Honesty
- Love All Our Day
- Love Always
- Love Comforteth Like Sunshine After The Rain
- Love Conquers All
- Love Eternal
- Love Ever
- Love For Love
- Love Is All You Need
- Love Is Enough
- Love Is Friendship Set On Fire
- Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind
- Love Knows No Distance
- Love Me
- Love Me And Leave Me Not
- Love Me As I Love Thee
- Love Of My Life
- Love Till Death
- Love Walked In
- Love Without End
- Love, Honor, Cherish
- Lovers Forever
- Maybe I’m Amazed
- Mine
- More Than Yesterday, Less Than Tomorrow
- My Beloved Is Mine
- My Best Friend
- My Cup Runneth Over
- My Dream Came True
- My Fated Soulmate
- My Favorite
- My First, My Only
- My Fondest Wish
- My Friend, My Love
- My Gentle Lover
- My Heart
- My Heart Is True, My Joy Is You
- My Heart Will Be Your Shelter/My Arms Will Be Your Home
- My Heart, My Life
- My Heart’s Desire
- My Lady, My Lover
- My Life And My Love
- My Life Began With You
- My Life, My Love
- My Life, My Love, My Center
- My Lord, My Lover
- My Love Is Forever
- My Love Is Forever Yours
- My Love Is With You
- My Love Will Forever Encircle You
- My Love, My Life, My Friend
- My Never Ending Love
- My One And Only
- My One Desire
- My One True Love
- My Pleasure
- My Precious
- My Soul Will Keep Thine Company
- My True Companion
- Near Or Far, I Still Love You
- Near You Always
- Never Another
- Never Another You
- Never In Doubt
- Never To Part
- No Joy Compared To Hearts Content
- No One But You
- No Regrets
- Not Fade Away
- Not For Pawning
- Nothing Else Matters
- Now And Forever
- Now I Am Complete
- Oh The Places We’ll Go!
- Olive Juice
- Once Two, Now One
- Once Upon A Time
- One Flesh
- One Life One Love
- One Love, One Lifetime
- One Sunset At A Time
- Our Love Is Fate
- Our Love Is Forever
- Our Unity Is Christ
- Pulse Of My Heart
- Put It Back On
- Real Love Is Forever
- Remember When
- Resistance Is Futile
- Ring of Hearts A’Fire
- S.W.A.K.
- See How Much I Love You
- So Will My Love Forever Encircle You
- Someone To Watch Over Me
- Soul Friend
- Soul Mates
- Sparkle Of My Life
- Sweet Love
- Sweet Treasure
- The Answer To My Prayers
- The Beginning Of Forever
- The Best Day Of My Life
- The Best Is Yet To Be
- The Best Proof Of Love Is Trust
- The Best Things Are Free
- The Music Will Never Stop
- The Other Half Of Me Is You
- The Road That Never Ends
- The World Moves For Love, It Kneels Down In Awe Before It
- They Dance Under One Sky
- Think Of Me
- This And My Heart
- This And The Giver Are Thine Forever
- This Hath No End, My Sweetest Friend
- This Is My Beloved And This Is My Friend
- This Is My Solemn Vow
- Til Infinity Plus One
- Til My Dying Day
- To Eternity And Beyond
- To Have And To Hold
- To Love, Honor & Cherish Always
- To The Moon And Back
- Today And Always, I Belong To You
- Today I Married My Friend
- Today, Tomorrow, Forever
- Together Forever
- True Love Always
- Trust Love
- Two Bodies, One Heart
- Two Bodies, One Life
- Two Hearts Together
- United As One
- Until Eternity Passes
- Until My Dying Day
- Until My Forever Ends
- We Are For Each Other
- We Are Forever
- We Are One
- We Fit
- We Shall Be Together Even In The Silent Memory Of God
- What The Eye Saw, The Heart Has Chosen
- When You Are With Me, I Am Free
- When You See This, Remember Me
- Where Two Became One
- Who So Loves Believes The Impossible
- Why Do You Have Your Ring Off?
- With All That I Am
- With Arms Wide Open
- With These Rings We Bind Our Love
- With You Always
- With You I Belong
- Worth The Wait
- Wrapped Around You Forever
- Yes, I Still Love You
- Yesterday, Today And Eternity
- Yin/Yang
- You And I Will Lovers Die
- You And No Other
- You Are Home
- You Are Mine Forever
- You Are My Desire
- You Are My Heart
- You Are My Home
- You Are My Life
- You Are My Strength And My Love
- You Are My Sunshine
- You Are So Beautiful
- You Are The Love Of My Life
- You Are The Reason
- You Are The Reason I Am
- You Complete Me
- You Fill Up My Senses
- You Have My Heart
- You Have My Whole Heart For My Whole Life
- You Make Me Grow
- You Make Me Whole
- You Own My Heart
- You Shall Never Walk Alone
- Your Love Is Better Than Ice Cream
- Your Love Is My Happiness
- You’re In My Soul
- You’re Still The One
- You’re The Answer To My Everything
- You’re The Answer To My Prayers
- Yours In All Ways
- Yours Only
- Yours Unfailing
- Lyrics from your first dance song
- I’ll never dance with another
- Don’t stop believing
- Finally found the love of a lifetime
- I would walk 500 miles
- I feel so close to you right now
- Truly, madly, deeply
- So happy together
- A whole new world
- An inside joke that only your partner will understand
- I’m not done with you
- No take backs
- Alarm will sound if removed
- To love, honor and irritate
- Legally mine
- You’re stuck with me
- No refunds
- Non-returnable
- Dibs
- To aid and abet
- Why is this off?
- I love you more than coffee
- Put your ring back on!
- Better than bacon
- Insert finger here
- You are my person
- Do or do not, there is no try
- May the force be with us
- Finders keepers