One of the most recognizable symbol of an American wedding is the traditional diamond wedding ring, but how traditional is it really? Whether you’re considering purchasing one or you’re just curious what they meant in the past, there are several interesting concepts tied to the traditional diamond wedding ring that you should know about!
Step back into time and youll find that ring wearing is popular among ancient cultures. The different is that your metal ring today is equivalent to yesterdays lei of flowers, reed bracelet and the like. For instance, among Egyptians, the ring appears as a circlet of flowers and braided reed which the groom gives to his bride. The ring doesnt necessarily have to go around the fingers but can also encircle the neck or the wrists.
Other cultures used rings not to symbolize the union of two lovers, but the passing of a womans ownership from one man to another. Here, youre seeing the bride as a possession given up by her father in favor of her groom. In yet other cultures, the ring symbolizes a new luxury. In fact, it is supposed to be the first gold that the bride gets to don in her entire life.
A myth connects the heart to your left hands third finger. Whenever you wear a ring on this finger, the ring is said to faithfully bind you to your spouse. This tale did not originate from the Americans, but you see this myth alive today in American soil ” even among men who now wear their wedding bands after marriage vows.
Now that you know the ancient origin of rings, its time for you to trace the emergence of the diamond wedding ring. Actually, De Beers ” and not early civilizations ” started making diamond wedding rings part of the hand-giving tradition. De Beers employed a marketing campaign so powerful that got America and the rest of the world believing the diamond solitaire to be the one and only stone for genuine wedding rings.
One of the first things to understand when considering the “traditional” wedding ring is the wedding industry. Even a generation ago, the wedding industry did not exist. Weddings were handled privately and it was just as likely that a relative would bake the cake as a bakery.
The so-called traditional wedding which you see so dreamily promoted by media is really nothing but the product of superb marketing genius. Aside from the wedding ring, for instance, there was no such thing as a wedding gown in the past three decades. A bride in the 1930s only had to buy a nice dress or look good in an old one to grace the wedding ceremony.
Tradition is always evolving and youll be amazed that the traditions of today were no more than the artists imaginations of yesterday. When you plan your wedding, dont force yourself to obey the expensive traditions set by commercial giants. Just focus on the things you want, the stuff you can afford and the new future you can look forward to.