The Plentiful Platter Store

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.

In some cultures, the ring symbolized ownership, of the ownership of the bride being passed from her father to her husband, while in others, a gold ring was the first gold a bride was allowed to wear in her life, something that her husband placed on her hand to symbolize their union.

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.

With this variety of myths and stories, where does the wedding ring enter modern usage? In America, one of the prime reasons that the diamond solitaire is considered the stone for wedding bands and engagement rings is thanks to an extremely aggressive marketing campaign by De Beers, the diamond merchants. While diamonds have long been thought to beautiful and valuable stones, until De Beers' campaign, there was no more reason to use a diamond than an opal or an emerald.

When you start nitpicking the definition of tradition, youre going to have to consider the time frame. How traditional is traditional? Generations ago, no wedding industry even existed yet. There was absolutely need for one because weddings were largely a private affair. Family members took care of the preparations and needed no outside help.

Thanks to powerful marketing though, the wedding industry successfully emerged as a seemingly inseparable component of traditional wedding ceremonies. If you compare yesterdays traditional wedding to todays traditional re-enactment, youre apt to spot huge differences " and these dont just cover the rings. They involve wedding gowns and sundry as well. A 1930s bride would probably look plain and shabby compared to the modern-day bride who gets dolled up on her wedding day.

When you are thinking about wedding traditions, you should think about why you want them in your wedding. If you like them for their own sake, that's one thing, but don't feel compelled to obey a tradition just because "it's always been done like that." Chances are, the tradition's newer than you think!

Shop for Exquisite Platters below:

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE, COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.