With all the rules and traditions concerning wedding day etiquette, it can be hard knowing whether you are coming or going. Even if you both don’t want a traditional wedding, it is easy to get wrapped up in the dos and don’ts of the day.
One of the traditions that often trip people up is whether an engagement ring should be worn on your wedding day.
Many people get confused over whether it needs to be kept on the wedding ring finger, whether it should be worn on another finger, or whether it should simply be left at home.
In this article, we are going to be exploring some of the traditional approaches to wearing an engagement ring on your wedding day, as well as covering some other engagement ring-related queries.
Do You Wear Your Engagement Ring On Your Wedding Day?
When we first get engaged, we want to wear our engagement ringseverywhere and relish every chance we get to show them off. With this in mind, it seems only natural that a person will want to show it off at their wedding. After all, this is the ring that made the wedding happen!
However, if you look into advice from other people, it can be quite conflicting. Some people say that your engagement ring should be worn, others say to leave it at home. We think that this choice is a very personal one and should be down to the individual.
If you want to wear your engagement ring on your wedding day, you should certainly do so. Likewise, if you feel better wearing it on another finger or even leaving it at home, then it is your prerogative.
The reason why people decide not to wear it on their wedding ring finger is that, traditionally, the wedding ring goes on first. If your engagement ring is in the way then you will have to remove it first or have the wedding ring on top.
Is it bad luck to wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?
No, it is not necessarily bad luck to wear your engagement ring on your wedding day. Traditions do not state that the reason why people don’t wear them is due to fear of bad luck. Instead, it is because the wedding ring traditionally gets put onto the finger first.
Taking your engagement ring off for the day of your wedding, or even putting it on another finger temporarily will mean that it is easier for your new spouse to slip the wedding ring onto your finger. Therefore, it is not bad luck per se, but more of a question of convenience.
It is, however, thought to be bad luck if you wear your wedding ring before you get married! You should avoid doing this if you are a particularly superstitious person who wants to avoid all the bad luck for their big day.
Which ring goes on first wedding or engagement?
Traditionally, the wedding ring goes on first. That being said, we would like to make it clear that just because this is the traditional way of doing something, does not mean you too have to follow this tradition. If you prefer your engagement ring to be on your finger first then that is fine.
In fact, to us, it makes more sense to keep your engagement ring on your finger and then palace the wedding band on top of it. After all, you did get the engagement ring first, right?
Do you wear your engagement ring when you walk down the aisle?
You can indeed wear your engagement ring when you walk down the aisle if that is something that you wish to do. As we have already mentioned, this is a personal choice and you should weigh the pros and cons.
Decide whether you are happy for the wedding ring to be placed on top of the engagement ring. If you are not you can remove it for now and keep it with a member of the bridal party for safekeeping.
What happens to an engagement ring after the wedding?
After your wedding, you will usually tend to keep wearing your engagement ring alongside your wedding ring or band. This is typically how things are done, but as we have mentioned a billion times already, if this doesn’t suit you then you don’t have to do it!
In general, it is normal for people to wear their wedding ring, engagement ring, and even their eternity ring altogether on one finger.
Some people may even have a ring for their first baby on that finger. As such, many people choose a wedding band that matches well with their engagement ring.
Should you ever take off your engagement ring?
It depends on the situation! There is no reason why you need to take off your engagement ring after you are married. After all, it is still a symbol of your marriage and can be worn alongside a wedding ring.
However, some instances may require the removal of your engagement ring for other practical reasons.
For example, if your engagement ring has a precious stone such as a diamond or an emerald, then you may need to be very careful with it.
This may mean removing it when you are using cleaning products when you are washing your hands, and even when you are preparing food. The same can be said for all rings since they can be easily tarnished.
You may also wish to remove your engagement ring (and your wedding ring) if the weather is particularly hot. Hot weather can cause our hands to swell and make it very difficult to get rings on and off our fingers.
Likewise, if your ring needs to be cleaned then you should remove it before this. If you lose or gain weight, your ring may no longer fit you. As such, it is best to remove it to either get it altered or to wear it on another finger. You may even want to wear it on a necklace chain around your neck.
