About Wedding Traditions & Meanings

Showing posts with label wedding ring history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wedding ring history. Show all posts

Friday, April 26, 2019

Celtic Wedding Rings: Ancient Symbols with Modern Meaning

(Updated October 2025)

Wedding rings have no beginning or end. As perfect circles, they symbolize eternity and everlasting love.


For couples seeking even deeper meaning, Celtic Wedding Rings adorned with intricate Celtic knots offer a powerful connection between ancient tradition and modern romance.





What is a Celtic knot?

Celtic knots are among the most recognizable motifs in ancient art. Historians trace their origins as far back as 500 B.C., though they became prominent in Celtic manuscripts around the third century A.D.

Each knot is formed from a single, unbroken line woven into loops with no beginning and no end, representing eternity, spiritual unity, and the interconnectedness of life.

When engraved on wedding bands, Celtic knots symbolize values such as loyalty, friendship, faith, and everlasting love.







Popular Celtic Wedding Ring Designs

Over centuries, Celtic artisans developed unique patterns, each with its own story and meaning. Today’s jewelers continue that legacy with rings that blend history and modern design.

Claddagh Ring

The Claddagh ring is among the earliest gold rings crafted in Celtic tradition. Its design includes:

  • Two hands – friendship 

  • A heart – love 

  • A crown – loyalty 

Traditionally, it’s worn with the heart facing outward during engagement and turned inward after marriage. Many families pass Claddagh rings down from generation to generation, making them treasured heirlooms.

Celtic Love Knot Ring


Celtic love knot ring

The CelticLoveKnot is created from graceful interlacing patterns symbolizing the eternal bond between two people. Historians believe Celts once exchanged these knots much like we exchange rings today.

A popular variation, the Celtic oval knot, offers simple elegance—perfect for couples who want timeless design without excess ornamentation.

Celtic spiral knot

The spiral knot features three interwoven sides representing water, fire, and earth. The spiral itself is a sacred Celtic symbol, signifying life’s journey as it unfolds.

  • Its continuous design reflects unity and oneness of spirit, making it a powerful choice for couples beginning their new life together.


Celtic Trinity Wedding Ring

Trinity Knot (Triquetra)

With the spread of Christianity, Celtic art merged with Christian symbolism. The TrinityKnot, or Triquetra, emerged as a powerful emblem of faith.

  • Its three points represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  • Its unbroken form expresses eternal devotion.

Today, the Trinity Knot is one of the most popular Christian wedding ring motifs, combining faith and heritage in a single design.

Choosing Your Celtic Wedding Ring

Ancient Celts crafted jewelry from bronze, gold, tin, silver, coral, and enamel. Modern jewelers honor that legacy using gold, platinum, silver, titanium, and mixed metals, allowing couples to match tradition with their own personal style.

When choosing a Celtic ring, consider:

  • Design: Which knot best expresses your relationship?

  • Material: Do you prefer classic gold or modern mixed metals?

  • Personalization: Engraving initials or vows inside adds intimacy. 


The Meaning Endures

Celtic wedding rings are more than decorative jewelry.
They are wearable stories, symbols of eternity, unity, and love that has no end.


Whether chosen for their ancient symbolism or their modern beauty, Celtic designs continue to inspire couples who want their wedding rings to carry both artistry and meaning.

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Monday, May 14, 2018

When did people start engraving wedding rings?

Engraving wedding rings dates back almost as far as wedding ring history, which can be traced back about 4800 years ago to Ancient Rome. The first rings were made of leather, bone, or ivory, but then transitioned to something more permanent. The newer version of wedding rings presented to the bride were made of iron, and while we may not consider it a precious metal worthy of a wedding ring, back then it represented strength and permanence. However, as I’ve mentioned before, brides of Ancient Rome actually received a second wedding ring made of gold. This is the ring that was to be worn in public. Along with the introduction of wedding rings, the Romans of the day are also said to be the first to engrave wedding rings.



First inscriptions of wedding rings

Wedding rings evolved and the fede ring design of two clasping hands became popular, but within the Byzantine Empire in the Middle Ages, inscribing images of the couple became a popular practice. Once Christianity became the state religion, rings often depicted Jesus or the cross between the couple which was thought to bless the marriage. In the second half of the Middle Ages, poesy rings became popular, a popularity which stretched from the 5th to 15th century. Engraved rings designed during Medieval times tended to have words engraved on the outside of the band. Latter on, rings sported lettering inside the band.

Rings for the Finger

Common sayings on wedding rings historically

The original inscriptions found on wedding rings let people dictate what saying to have inscribed, just like we do today. This allowed people to make their rings personal. However, the Victoria & Albert Museum has determined that certain inscriptions appear on multiple rings. It is thought that the goldsmiths probably had a list or book of “stock” phrases that customers could choose from. A 1917 book titled Rings for the Finger by George Kunz includes phrases and words from back then that show words like “honey” and simple phrases like “joy without end” were used, or more elaborate Greek lettering rendered “To her who excels not only in virtue and prudence, but also in wisdom.”

Ideas for engraving your wedding ring

You can find plenty of ideas for inspiration when it comes to engraving wedding rings. Today Bible verses are a popular choice for engraving wedding rings, but some couples choose funny sayings, or something that has personal meaning for the two of them. Some people choose to include the date of the wedding followed by words like “forever begins.” On a practical level, I have to say, that’s one way you won’t forget your anniversary date. Plus engraving your ring makes it easier to identify if it should happen to become lost or stolen.


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Photo credits: Wikimedia