Last updated 21:12, Wednesday, 03 December 2008

The exchange of wedding rings is one of the oldest wedding traditions. They are the symbol of the bond of marriage and most civilisations since the Egyptians have used some form of a ring for this.

Popping the question : If you are buying a surprise ring for your bride, you need to look at the style she likes

The Egyptians wore wedding rings made of braided grass, hay, leather, bone and ivory, as a sign of their commitment. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, the circle represents eternity, having no beginning and no end.

Wedding and engagement rings are worn on the third finger on the left hand and it has been suggested that this is because the vein from this finger leads straight to the heart.

Another theory about why this finger is used is that the priest or groom would put the engagement ring on the thumb and first two fingers in turn when saying “the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost”, finishing on the third finger where it would then stay.

The wedding ring is always put on the finger first, with the engagement ring placed on top.

For the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring should be placed on the third finger on the right hand so that the finger on the left hand is left clear for the wedding ring. The engagement ring can later be placed over it.

CHOOSING YOUR RINGS:

You will wear your ring for the rest of your life so you need to make sure that you are 100 per cent certain of your choice.

One of the first questions to ask is how much you want to spend.

When it comes to the engagement ring, traditionally it is thought the man should spend one to two months’ salary on the ring, but it is completely down to the individual.

Go for a style that is timeless – trends will come and go, but you will be wearing your ring forever.

ENGAGEMENT RINGS:

There are several versions of how the giving of engagement rings came about. One is that engagement rings did not exist until the 13th century when Pope Innocent III declared that a waiting period should precede the actual wedding ceremony.

The tradition of a man proposing with a gold ring is thought to date back to 860, when Pope Nicholas I stated that a man should give his bride a gold ring to show the personal financial sacrifice he was willing to make in exchange for her hand in marriage.

If you are buying a surprise ring for your bride, then look at the style she likes. You should borrow one of her rings to take with you to find out her ring size.

Popular rings include diamond solitaires, clusters and three-stone rings.

WEDDING RINGS:

Traditionally, it was the bride who wore a wedding ring but it has become more popular for the groom also to wear a wedding ring, although your groom may choose not to wear one.

You will need to decide if you are going to get matching rings.

Wedding bands are traditionally quite plain, but they don’t just have to be a band, so you may want to consider getting a diamond added.

Bear in mind that the groom’s ring may cost more because they are usually bigger and therefore weigh more.

You may want to get your initials or the date of the wedding engraved on your rings. If you want to do this then you should think about choosing a wider band and you should make sure that you give yourself enough time before your wedding to get the work done on it.

You must choose rings that are practical – you will be wearing them all the time so they need to fit in with your lifestyle.

BESPOKE RINGS:

If you want something unique then sitting down with a ring designer and discussing the options and price is a good idea, although you may already have an idea of the design of ring you want.

A designer will be able to advise you, design and make the rings.

TIPS:

n Take your time and don’t be pressured into making a decision if you are not certain.

n Wedding rings and engagements rings need to sit together perfectly so make sure you are wearing your engagement ring when you look for your wedding ring.

n Shop around and compare prices.

n Make sure your wedding ring is made of the same metal as your engagement ring so that they don’t react with each other.

n You should order your wedding rings at least three months before your wedding day.

n Getting the right size of ring is important because you don’t want your ring to be too small as it will be uncomfortable, but if it is too loose you risk losing it.

n You may want to think about whether the ring fits in with other jewellery you have and wear regularly.

n Rings with gems may need to be checked from time to time to make sure that the stone has not been knocked or loosened.

n Remember that you will wear your ring for the rest of you life so be careful about going for too fashionable styles.

n And don’t forget to get your rings insured – you will be surprised at the number of wedding rings that are lost.

WEDDING RING SUPERSTITIONS:

It is thought that if the groom has trouble putting the wedding ring on the bride’s finger then this symbolises that she will always boss him about!

It is seen to be unlucky to wear the wedding rings before the wedding ceremony or to drop the rings during the ceremony.

Buying the engagement ring and wedding rings at the same time is thought to bring bad luck.