When did men start wearing wedding rings? When you look at the history
of wedding rings, it is speculated that wedding rings in general date all the
way back to ancient Egypt. At that time, couples exchanged rings as a symbol of
their love, but the ring exchange wasn’t part of any particular ceremony.
Later, in ancient Rome, the tradition of metal wedding bands started with brides
being presented with two rings -- an iron ring to be worn around the house and a gold
ring which was worn out in public. But what about male wedding rings?
Male wedding rings: The history
In today’s western culture, the man’s wedding ring is
as important as the woman’s ring as part of the marriage ceremony and
the couple's married life together.
Wedding rings are considered symbols on more than one level. First, it is a symbol of the bride and groom’s relationship as they join to become husband and wife. They also symbolize unending love and just wearing the ring represents the fact that the two people are married and no longer "available." But the tradition of men wearing wedding rings is actually a fairly new addition to the wedding tradition, because while women have worn wedding rings since ancient times, the practice of men wearing wedding rings only dates back to the 20th century and it wasn’t for the reasons we think of for wearing wedding rings today.
Wedding rings are considered symbols on more than one level. First, it is a symbol of the bride and groom’s relationship as they join to become husband and wife. They also symbolize unending love and just wearing the ring represents the fact that the two people are married and no longer "available." But the tradition of men wearing wedding rings is actually a fairly new addition to the wedding tradition, because while women have worn wedding rings since ancient times, the practice of men wearing wedding rings only dates back to the 20th century and it wasn’t for the reasons we think of for wearing wedding rings today.
The practice actually started during World Wars I and II, when soldiers wore wedding
rings as a reminder of their wives back home. It wasn’t until after the Korean
War that wedding rings for men took on the sentimental value we associate with them
today. At that point in time, matching wedding bands grew in popularity and
rings designed specifically with men in mind became available.
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| Silicone wedding rings make a safe alternative for everyday wear |
Things to consider when choosing male wedding rings today
While male wedding rings have become a traditional
part of today’s culture, when choosing a wedding ring for a man a lot of
different elements of life should be taken into consideration. For instance:
- The width. Is it comfortable on your finger? Remember you'll be wearing this ring the rest of your life.
- Metal choice. Do you need a more durable metal or will gold or silver suit your lifestyle?
- Do you want the ring engraved?
- What kind of finish do you want? And what about other detailing?
- What does the man do for a living? Many jobs don’t allow men to wear a ring for safety reasons. However, today, silicone wedding rings are crafted to be attractive, comfortable, heat resistant and non-conductive and make a “safe” alternative for everyday wear and are allowed at many jobs that don't permit metal rings to be worn.
So really the same guidelines apply to men and women when choosing wedding rings. You want to take lifestyle as well as preferences into account. Traditionally, men wore plain metal bands because most men worked with their hands, but ring styles have changed along with the times. Men who don’t have to worry about safety or dirt collecting in intricate designs can choose a ring based on how it looks and feels with choices in metals now ranging beyond gold and silver to include more durable choices like stainless steel, tungsten and titanium.
Meaning
of male wedding rings today
Of course the exact meaning attributed to a wedding
ring will vary depending on the culture. For example, many cultures wear the
wedding ring on the right hand to represent the wedding vows taken because the
right hand is the hand used when taking an oath. For others it is worn on the
left hand based on the ancient belief that the vein of love runs through the
ring finger of the left hand. A secondary reason for the left hand is that
usually the right hand is more dominant and so the ring would go through less
wear and tear being worn on the left hand. But beyond all this, the meaning of
the male wedding ring is the same as the ring worn by the bride. It’s a symbol
of eternal love shared by the couple.
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