Wedding Rings - Spin Off

Updated on October 02, 2012
C.S. asks from Saint Louis, MO
32 answers

Which ring to you wear first? The wedding ring or engagement ring and why?

I now wear a single band which acts as both. When I wore 2 rings, I wore the engagement ring first and then the wedding band, somewhat in sequential order, but I also heard that the wedding band locks in the engagement.

In photographing weddings I have heard a lot of reasons for doing one or the other. What do you do?

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R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

I have my husbands name tattooed on my left ring finger. A ring can be removed at anytime... a tattoo is always there.

I do wear my wedding band on my left middle finger ( it doesn't fit on my right ring finger) and my engagement ring on my right ring finger ( it doesn't fit on my left middle finger). But when I wore them together I always wore my engagement ring first then my wedding ring. Mainly because my engagement ring slid off easy and I didn't want to loose it and my wedding ring held it in place.

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~.~.

answers from Tulsa on

And this is where my OCD tendencies come in. You get two bands so you can have one on either side so the rings are symmetrical! That is the way I would have to wear mine if I ever get married.

3 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

oh too funny. i was the oddball here. i lost my engagement ring years ago and haven't got around to replacing it yet, but when i had both, i wore the engagement ring first (i received it first after all) with the wedding ring 'locking' it in.
never even really thought about it!
khairete
S.

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L.M.

answers from Dover on

I have always heard and seen that on your wedding day, you remove the engagement ring so the groom can slide the wedding band onto your ring finger. Then you slide the engagement ring back on...that way the wedding band (outward symbol of your commitment) is closest to your heart.

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

I agree with the answers below - wedding ring first, engagement ring on top of it. During the wedding ceremony, you wear your engagement ring on your right hand so that the wedding band can go on your left, then you place the engagement ring on top of that.

4 moms found this helpful

M.B.

answers from Tampa on

I don't wear either of my rings because my husband and I had ours tattooed on:)

4 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

I wear my wedding band closest to my hand with the engagement ring on top.
I always heard this is the way you are supposed to wear them because the wedding ring is closest to your heart and the reason for the ring finger of the left hand is because it is the only one with a vein leading straight to the heart.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

Oops! I guess I'm in the minority. My engagement ring is on first. It's a slippery, thin band, while my wedding ring is a thick, secure one. The wedding band keeps the other ring on! After 40 years of marriage, I think it has brought me only good luck!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Wedding band closest to the heart

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M.M.

answers from Dallas on

Wedding band goes closest to the heart. I have never heard of any other way to wear the wedding band w/ the engagement ring.

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C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

I wear my wedding band first, and then my engagement ring. My reason is simple - the day my husband and I got married, the wedding planner reminded me to move my engagement ring to my right hand just before the ceremony. My husband put the wedding band on my hand during the ceremony, and then afterward, I moved the engagement ring back to my left hand - so the wedding ring was on my finger first, then the engagement ring. It's been that way ever since! :)

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M.K.

answers from Columbus on

When I got married I figured wearing the wedding band first and then the engagement ring was just the normal thing to do. Then I did research and discovered why they are worn that way. And since I'm such a traditional type of person it made me want to wear them this way even more!!

"Wearing the band on the left hand ring finger is a Roman custom, as it was believed that through this finger the heart’s vein is passing and in this way, the symbol of marriage is closer to the heart – the place that was conceived as the place of the soul where love sprang."

It really just depends on what culture you're in and beyond that just whatever you are comfortable with.

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

I've always understood that you wear the band first because it's supposed to be closer to your heart. Then you put the engagement ring on 2nd. That's the way I've worn mine all these years...

Dawn

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

The wedding band should be worn closest to the heart.

This is also a good reason to wear the stoned ring on the outside, many take that ring off to do dishes and other stuff. Some women have never taken off their wedding band but the engagement ring is often taken off.

If you wear the band last it has to come off all the time too.

The symbolism of this tradition is that wedding ring sits closer to your heart. It's a fulfillment of love while the engagement ring is merely the promise.

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C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I have always heard that you are supposed to have the band first and then the engagement ring. My husband got me a new ring for our 10 year anniversary. Nothing fancy. It's a white gold band with a blue topaz with VERY tiny diamonds (almost can't see them) going around it. I love it! So, I only have the 1 band on now. A lot of people think I'm just engaged when I meet them, but I have to tell them, that, no, I've been married for 10 years :)

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Wedding band first. I had mine fused together, theoretically could wear either way, but wedding ring first is traditional. And to me, it looks wonky the other way!

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K.O.

answers from Atlanta on

I've always heard that the "love protects the marriage " and "the band goes closest to your heart" i.e. band on first, engagement ring on the outside. That's how I wear it.

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Mine is a set. The wedding band has to be inserted "into" part of the engagement ring for them to fit correctly. But technically, the wedding band sits below the engagement ring. I always heard that you wear the wedding ring "closest to your heart".

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H.P.

answers from Houston on

Wedding band first, because it's supposed to be closer to the heart. It looks strange and bothers me to see other women wear their rings "wrong".

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K.P.

answers from New York on

Band first, then engagement for the same reasons as cited below!

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I wear my wedding band closer to my heart, and the engagement ring second. I always wear my wedding band but sometimes do not wear the engagement ring.

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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

Same here, wedding band first because it's supposed to be closest to your heart. For our 10 year we bought another band that was as close a match to the wedding band to "lock in" the engagement ring. I take my rings off every day and wear them all a certain way. I look to see what way the numbers are before they go on my hand...lol. The 10 yr band is always on the outside, it is larger since it is on a thicker part of my finger.

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F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I have a diamond wedding band and an engagement ring. I always believed you wore your wedding ring first because its closest to your heart.

I never, ever take my rings off. The only time I did was last year when my husband won a trip to Puerto Vallarta and I didn't want to be killed for my diamonds so I purchased a fake set to wear. lol

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

It really doesn't matter to me.
I don't wear my engagement ring, just my wedding ring.
It doesn't fit now anyway, since I have had kids.
But so my Hubby got me a new wedding ring band.
I just like bands.
I just wear one ring.

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J.G.

answers from Cleveland on

I wear my wedding band & they another ring... my engagement ring (which was a ruby ring) lost a stone & I haven't been able to replace it, so I wear another ruby ring I have that has a heart shaped stone. The ruby is my hubby's birthstone... so it has more meaning to me then a diamond would anyday.

But I don't really know why - just that I was told at 17 that you take off your engagement ring on your wedding day & then put it back on after your wedding ring is on. Also, for years my wedding ring was to big (we bought it when I was 8 mo prego & my hands were HUGE), but my engagement ring was the right size, so it helped to keep my wedding ring on - actually the other ring still does.

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S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

I have one ring for both, always have.

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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I wear my wedding band first, because I heard its supposed to be closest to your heart.

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M.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have always heard that the wedding ring is supposed to be "closest to your heart" so you wear that first.

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

My wedding band is closest to my heart.

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B.K.

answers from Albuquerque on

Like everyone said, the wedding band is on the inside. But with my rings, I have 2 bands, one on either side, so it can go either way. Actually DH occasionally talks about adding 2 more to it.

S.H.

answers from San Diego on

Hi,

I'm a former wedding planner. The 'proper' way to wear your rings, is wedding band first, engagement ring on top - the wedding band should be closer to your heart being that it is the ring that solidified your marriage.

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J.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

I used to by die hard about following this tradition. That is until I gained weight. My engagement ring is smaller than my band. I like the set and see no problem wearing them chronologically. My husband loves me and will be there regardless which ring I wear first.

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