Wedding rings are a symbol of marriage in the Western Christian
tradition. The exchange of wedding rings in the wedding procession made
during the pronunciation of the commitment the bride and groom to live
together. Nevertheless, the wedding ring is not the most important
symbol of the main reasons is the pronunciation of the commitment
between the bride and groom wedding rings are tersebut.Pertukaran
secondary symbol that may be eliminated.
Compositions and styles
In
Western countries, wedding rings are made of gold Often. Common
Engravings on the inside of the ring include the name of the partner or
the names of both parts in the relationship, and / or date of the
wedding.
Traditional customs
Pre-wedding customs
According
to some customs, the ring forms the last in a series of gifts, roomates
also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a
betrothal present. This tradition was already in use in Ancient Rome and
is possibly much older.
Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern
Catholic Christians, the exchange of rings is not technically part of
the wedding service, but rather are exchanged at the betrothal. It is
always a two-ring set given to her by the priest or by the best man. The
orthodox Christian Church of Greece has recently stopped performing
betrothal blessings separately, as these were Often non-committing, and
now a betrothal ceremony is the initial part of the wedding service. In
many families an informal blessing is now performed by the betrothed
ones' parents in a family dinner that formalizes the betrothal. The
ceremony of betrothal is now possibly performed immediately before the
wedding (or "crowning" as it is more properly called), and the actual
symbolic act of marriage is not the exchange of rings, but the public
exchange of wedding vows.
Wedding ceremony customs
A groom placing a wedding ring on the finger of his bride during a wedding ceremony
In several traditions, the best man or maid of honor has the duty of
keeping track of a couple's wedding rings and to produce them at the
symbolic moment of the giving and receiving of the rings during the
traditional marriage ceremony. In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer
(who is Often part of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in
the ceremonial parading of the rings into the ceremony, Often [citation
needed] on a special cushion.
In older times, the wedding rings
were not only a sign of love, but were also linked to the bestowal of
'Earnest money'. According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the
words 'with this ring I thee wed' follow the words 'This gold and silver
I give thee', at roomates point the groom was supposed to hand a
leather purse filled with gold and silver coins to the bride.
Historically,
the wedding ring was rather connected to the exchange of valuables at
the moment of the wedding rather than a symbol of eternal love and
devotion. It is a relic of the times when marriage was a contract
between families, not individual lovers. Both families were then eager
to Ensure the economic safety of the young couple. Sometimes it went as
far as being a conditional exchange as this old (and today outdated)
German formula shows: 'I give you this ring as a sign of the marriage
roomates has been promised between us, Provided your father gives with
you a marriage portion of 1000 Reichsthalers'.
The double-ring
ceremony, or use of wedding rings for both partners, is a relatively
recent innovation. The American jewelery industry started a marketing
campaign aimed at encouraging this practice in the late 19th century. In
the 1920s, ad campaigns tried introducing a male engagement ring, but
it failed due to the necessity that its advertising campaigns
make-secret appeals to women. Marketing lessons of the 1920s, changing
economic times, and the impact of World War II led to a more successful
marketing campaign for male and female wedding bands, and by the late
1940s, double-ring Ceremonies made up for 80% of all weddings, as
opposed to 15% before the Great Depression.
Post-wedding customs
A gold banded engagement-wedding-anniversary ring combination welded together.
Byzantine wedding ring, depicting Christ uniting the bride and groom, 7th century, nielloed gold (Musée du Louvre).
After
marriage, the ring is worn on the hand it had been placed on during the
ceremony. By wearing rings on the fourth finger, a married couple
symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. This has now
Become a matter of tradition and etiquette.
Some cultures exchange
additional rings: In some parts of India, Hindus may use a toe ring or
bichiya roomates is worn instead of a ring on a finger; although this is
only for women, and increasingly worn along with a finger ring. In the
eastern parts of India, primarily West Bengal, an iron bangle, or
'loha,' is worn by women. Increasingly, this bangle is given a gold or
silver coating to improve its appearance. In Romania, spouses celebrate
their silver wedding anniversary (25 years of marriage) by exchanging
silver wedding rings, roomates are worn on the 4th finger of the left
hand along with the original (usually gold) wedding ring.
Religion
Wedding Ceremonies that reference rings
Church
of England (1662 Book of Common Prayer): "With this ring I thee wed,
with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
"
Jewish: "You are consecrated to me with this ring According to
the law of Moses and Israel."-Said in Hebrew by the groom at an Orthodox
Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform Jewish
wedding. [Citation needed]
Roman Catholic: "N., take this ring as a
sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit."
Eastern Orthodox: "The servant of God (N.)
is betrothed to the handmaid of God (N.), in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."-From the Eastern Orthodox
Service of Betrothal, part of the mysterion of Holy Matrimony
("crowning"), said three times while the Priest makes the Sign of the
Cross with the bride's ring over the Bridegroom's head, he then places
the bride's ring on the groom's hand. The same words are said three
times over the bride, reversing the names of the bride and groom,
placing the groom's ring on the bride's hand. The rings are then
exchanged three times (either by the priest or by the best man), so that
the bride and the groom end up with their own rings. [Citation needed]
In Eastern Orthodox tradition the wedding ring is worn on the right hand
rather than the left.
