It's February and that means one thing. Valentine's Day, the day when couples love more, exchange cards and gifts and go on dates.
In a recent
survey Valentines Day was second only to Christmas Eve for the best time of year to propose. So with that in mind we can expect to see a lot of lovers getting engaged this Valentines Day.
Of course after the Engagement comes the wedding and I have complied together 15 facts about the all important wedding ring. Some are really quite interesting!
1.
It is believed the Egyptians started the exchanging of rings about 4800 years ago. archaeologists have found images in hieroglyphics of ancient Egyptian brides wearing a ring. They think these rings were made of sedges, rushes and reeds, however these rings weren't very hard wearing and where eventually replaced with ones made of leather, bone or ivory. To Egyptians the rings where symbolic symbolizing never ending love.
2.
The Romans also used a ring in a wedding but they where altogether less romantic and more you belong to me now! It would mean the man had put a claim to their woman.
The ring it self was made of iron and inscribed.
3.
Christians didn't start using a ring in their ceremonies until 860 and would engrave pictures of doves, lyres or linked hands on them. The carved rings where replaced around the 13th century when a movement by the church decided these carved rings where heathenish and the traditional wedding band was introduced.
4.
Throughout the history of the wedding ring it hasn't always been worn on the 'ring finger' its been associated with all the fingers and even the thumb.
5.
We traditionally wear the wedding ring on the left hand on the 'ring finger' because the romans thought there was a vein that ran from that finger to the heart called the 'Vena Amouris' or 'Vein of Love'. Scientists today have disproved this nowadays but at least this fact shows that the romans weren't all about fact 2 and were at least a little bit romantics.
6.
A Christian theory for why the wedding ring is worn on the ring finger is a priest would recite this during the wedding before putting the ring on the brides finger. He would start at the thumb "In the name of the father", Then move on to the index finger "the son" Then the middle finger "and the holy spirit," before finishing on the ring finger and saying "amen."
7.
The smallest known engagement ring in history was worn by Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VII. It was presented to her when she was 2 years old!
8.
World War 2 is considered to be when men started to opt for wedding ring also. Many men where away fighting and the ring was a reminder of their wives at home.
9.
In the Middle East centuries ago, when a man and woman married the man would give his wife a puzzle ring. These puzzle rings where a way for the husband to tell if his wife was unfaithful to him. It was believed if she took off her ring, which was actually several rings worn together to make a band, that she would not be able to put it back on again and her husband would be able to tell she had cheated.
10.
In the united states alone seventeen tons of gold a year goes toward making wedding rings.
11.
In Colonial America a bride would be given a thimble instead of a ring as it was seen to be of more use then a ring. Many women eventually turned these thimbles into rings by cutting the top of when the thimble had finished being practical.
12.
In Renaissance times a posy ring was given to lovers, which had a poem or expression of love inscribed on a Stirling silver ring.
13.
Prince William decided against having his own wedding ring because he "isn't one for jewellery."
14.
Even today not all countries wear their wedding ring on the left hand. Russia, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Germany, Bulgaria Poland and Austria all wear their ring on the right hand
15.
A Gimmel ring is a ring that when a couple get engaged both receive a ring, then when they marry the two rings interlock and the bride wears it as her wedding ring. These rings where popular during the 1500's and 1600's.
Hope you have enjoyed my wedding ring facts as much as I did learning all about them for this post.
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This necklace was the result of being sick of cold weather and feeling cold so decided to make a nice, sunny warm coloured piece. First I brain stormed for colours and came up with yellow, which to me represents daffodils in spring and the sun returning. Next I created the pendant out of gold and yellow jewel enamel and added a pinch of black to add a little depth to the colours. I like how the heart turned out because it looks like a satellite picture of the sun, Perfect!
