You know that when you are getting wed, you need the perfect set of rings for you and yours. The same applies if you are considering renewing your vows after a while. You sift through jewelry stores and you are shown the lot; anniversary bands, gold men’s wedding rings, groom’s rings, bride’s rings, women and men’s diamond cuts, cobalt rings, ceramic rings and so on. Sometimes, you know exactly what you are looking for; something luxurious – luxury men’s wedding bands, luxury women’s engagement rings, a unique pair; unique men’s wedding rings, unique women’s bands. However, while partaking in the very important culture of wedding rings, we never really stop to ask why it is so important in weddings, engagements or anniversary. When we do think about it, we at most may assume that it is a sign, an emblem of the love we have and carry for each other. But is this all it is? Another important question is how and where did it originate?

About 5000 years ago in ancient Egypt, sedges, rushes and twines found growing along papyrus trees were harvested and ornamentally twined in circular forms on fingers of newlywed women. This circle, which is an endless loop, represented eternity and infinity. Rather than the modern-day “till death do us part”, it was an insignia that meant “our love, this bond, and alliance, even in death, in the afterlife”. Although the materials the bands were made of at the time did not last for very long after the wedding ceremonies and had to often be replaced, the concept was well accepted. Over time, they found more durable materials to make these rings. The material not only became more durable, it as well became more expensive, more aesthetically pleasing and more customized.

When it was adopted much later by the Romans, it signified ownership rather than love. With the offering and receipt of the ring, it meant that they had a claim on the girl or lady. The Romans were the first to make their rings of iron, signifying strength and lastingness when someone was to be betrothed. They also were the first to make engraving on their rings. Subsequently, the idea of wedding bands was accepted by Christians. However, while in the Christian religion, it is worn on the fourth finger (the pastor touches the ring on each finger beginning from the thumb; acknowledging God, the father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and finally slides the ring in the fourth), other religions and cultures have different ways of wearing the ring. For the Jews, it is worn on the index finger for example. However, regardless of the religion, culture or where it is worn, wedding rings or bands ultimately signifies a promise of infinite, unending love.

Asides from the promise of love, the ring is worn always to show that your union matters a lot to you, as a symbol of respect for your partner and testimony of marital status. Needless to say, the symbolism of the wedding ring is what has made it so popular and easy to accept. The simplicity of it and the importance of a promise to that person you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with.

You may ask “does not have a wedding ring or not wearing one change that fact that you love your wife as much?” The answer is truly that it does not. There are so many cultures in the world and you can imagine that a lot of these cultures do not regard the wedding ring. However, the question is about the same as asking “why does anything represent anything?” or “what is the importance of symbolism in the world?”

Wearing your wedding ring conveys a whole lot of information with necessarily actually speaking. It is a subtle announcement to the world that you are now one that has bonded in body, spirit, and soul with another human and hopes to stay that way. It deters you from infidelity as it constantly reminds you of your promise. It also renews your partner’s confidence in you. It is a material you carry that tells your partner that “as long as I wear this band, I am yours and yours alone”. Wearing this ring is making this promise, every moment of your life to your partner and truly, in marriages or partnerships of any sorts, it is important to restore this confidence in each other as often as possible, even when there are quarrels, misunderstandings, and disagreements in the relationship. It reminds you that for you, they have an endless love that triumphs.

Today, you find wedding bands made of several materials; cobalt rings, ceramic rings, gold rings, diamond rings and so on. People often decide to buy the most expensive they can afford to show that their love for their partners is worth more than money can buy. Men’s wedding rings are as well usually very different from women’s bands. While women’s bands are generally smaller and thinner with flashy appeals, men’s rings are usually wider thicker and less flashy although this is not always the case. A man may decide on a luxury men’s wedding band or gold men’s wedding rings. They may as well decide on a men’s white diamond ring or men’s milgrain wedding band, men’s rope ring, men’s tungsten wedding bands or men’s carved rings. It is rather interesting that more often than not, men find it hard to choose what to get for themselves.

Most times, the task of getting an engagement or wedding ring falls on the man. When it doesn’t come from their parents or grandparents as a family heirloom passed down from generations, it becomes imperative to go in search of a set of rings. While it is hard for men to choose which rings to get for their wives-to-be, they almost instinctively know when they find the perfect rings for their wives. However, for themselves, it is harder to decide which one out of the so many available choices. They have to ask themselves if they would prefer to get the men’s unusual wedding rings, men’s plain wedding bands, men’s hammered wedding band or men’s black diamond wedding rings. It often becomes a tough choice to decide on one. Sometimes, just like they find for their wives, they are lucky to find one for themselves that feels just right, just enough to carry all the promises in their hearts. Other times, they settle for one of the two or three choices they were most attracted to.

People often as well make the choice to customize their wedding bands, marking it in their names or their initials. This is to make the bands feel more personal, more unique to them rather than a set of bands that another couple may as well possess.

In the current world where half of all marriages fail, we need to understand the truth and importance of wedding bands or rings. About how it is not necessarily about how much we spend on it or how flashy it is and it is not just a gift we present to people we have chosen to marry. We have to understand what it symbolizes; that “with the this, I become yours and you mine, now and forever”, that “with this ring, I promise a forever, an eternity in love with you”, that “with this ring, I give all of myself to you, now and every day and I won’t want it to be any other way” and most importantly, that “with this ring, I promise to try, every day and to choose you every day”. While getting engaged and shopping for the perfect ring, we should keep in mind the importance and promises we want to convey with them.