- Traditionally, the wedding ring goes first, to be closest to your heart, with the engagement ring on top.
- The most common way to wear rings in the US is on the left ring finger.
- Some cultures wear wedding rings on the right hand.
- But there’s no “correct” way to wear your rings, and your choice can depend on your culture or style preferences.
Modern wedding ring traditions are influenced by ancient Rome and the medieval concept of “vena amoris,” or the vein of love. The left ring finger was thought to have a direct connection to the heart, which is why most people in the US and other Western countries wear engagement and wedding rings on the left hand.
But which goes first, the engagement ring or the wedding ring? Most commonly, the wedding ring is worn at the bottom of the stack so that it is closest to the heart. But some people wear the engagement ring first. On a major anniversary, it’s also customary to add a third ring, bringing more options for how you wear and style the rings.
Find out more about the different ways to stack your wedding and engagement rings.
Is There a “Right” Way to Wear Your Rings?
The short answer is no, there’s no correct way to wear your rings. It depends on cultural traditions, personal symbolism, and your style. You can use the traditional engagement ring finger or switch hands, and arrange the ring stack however you like.
Which arrangement looks best depends on your wedding ring style and engagement ring style, how well they match, and how closely they sit together.
Engagement Ring on Top
Wearing your wedding ring first (with the engagement ring on top) is the most traditional option in the US and many other Western societies, symbolizing the importance of your marriage and closeness to your heart.
There are many ways to style this look that lean into the traditional or add a little personal flair.
Wedding Band on Top
Wearing your engagement ring first at the bottom (with the wedding ring on top) symbolizes the progression of your relationship, with the engagement coming first and the wedding after.
While it’s not as traditional, many couples embrace wearing rings this way for symbolic or style reasons.
With An Anniversary or Eternity Ring
Wearing three rings comes with a milestone, such as a 5th or 10th anniversary. The anniversary ring, or eternity ring, is a reaffirmation of commitment and love. Once there are three rings, you have more options for how you wear them.
Wearing the engagement ring in the middle is the most traditional and balanced way to wear three rings. But nothing is stopping you from moving it to the top or bottom of the stack for unique and bold styles.
Wearing Rings on Your Right Hand
While wearing wedding rings on the right hand is not common in the US, it is traditional among Orthodox Christians and in European countries, such as Greece, Germany, Norway, Spain, and Russia. Someone who worships at a Greek Orthodox church in the US, for example, might wear their rings on their right hand.
One Ring on Each Hand
Wearing a ring on each hand is also uncommon, but it’s your relationship and your choice. Some people might choose to do this if they feel connected to two different cultural traditions.
You also might want to do this if you have rings that are sentimentally important, but that don’t match. For example, you might have a vintage engagement ring or even an heirloom that you feel looks better alone.
Everything about the way you wear your rings is your choice. Base it on how connected you do or don’t feel to the traditions and cultural norms.
Styling Your Wedding, Engagement and Anniversary Rings
How you plan to wear your wings influences what designs will work best, and how they complement each other. It’s important to consider the size, style, and setting of your engagement ring when you choose your wedding ring. If your partner is buying the ring for you, you may want to guide them about your preferences.
Some wedding rings are shaped to hug an engagement ring and sit closer to it on the finger. This gives a cohesive look, but each ring will stand out a little less.
If you want each ring to stand out, you can get different but complementary styles. However, they will look less like they fit together.
Fitted Rings That Stack Like a Pair
Many modern wedding rings incorporate swooping or V-shaped designs that allow them to fit alongside an engagement ring with a stone. These rings are beautiful complements to trendy engagement rings with large stones.
This style works well with the traditional order of the wedding ring first, and when you add an anniversary ring, you can use another band with the same shape for balance. If you want your rings to match, you can buy an engagement and wedding ring set and put the wedding ring away until you’re ready for it.
Stacking Rings With a Twist
If you like the stacking idea but want something with a more unique look, try on some wedding rings that have more dramatic curves or even a gap. Because they’re a little quirky, these styles work well no matter how you want to wear your rings.
A Tall Engagement Ring with a Simple Diamond Wedding Ring
Tall engagement rings pair well with straight wedding bands because the stone can layer on top of it without bumping it askew. The right pairing looks just as cohesive as a curved band and evokes the most traditional style. When you or your partner is choosing an engagement ring, consider how it might match with future wedding rings.
Alternatively, you could use different metals or ring styles to create a complementary but differentiated look between the engagement ring and wedding band.
If you choose the more traditional matching pair, it might make the most sense to wear the wedding ring at the bottom. But if you intentionally vary the rings, try wearing the engagement ring at the bottom and see if you like it.
With an Anniversary Ring
Many people add a third ring at a major milestone, like an anniversary. This adds more options, and you can purchase rings individually or as a set.
Wearing your engagement ring in the middle of the wedding and anniversary ring provides a balanced style, especially if the engagement ring has a prominent stone.
Wearing your engagement ring at the top of a stack of three is a great way to highlight a particularly impressive or heirloom ring.
Wearing your engagement ring at the bottom of a stack of three can symbolize the progress of your relationship from proposal to wedding to anniversary.
Some people choose to modify or even replace their wedding bands. Weddings are expensive, so a thrifty couple might use a simple wedding band during their wedding with plans to upgrade it later.
This is a great opportunity to purchase an insert ring, which prioritizes the balanced style of the traditional way to wear wedding rings. You can also solder rings together to get the convenience of wearing a single piece of jewelry with the exact mix of designs you want.
However, you could choose to place the engagement ring at the top or bottom of the stack instead. You could purchase a connected two-ring stack that complements the engagement ring, like these examples.
Or you could get complementary but separate rings to create a beautiful ring stack that looks like it belongs together, but gives you the flexibility to experiment with the order you wear them.
Show Off Your Commitment in Style
In the end, it’s your hand, your relationship, and your choice. There’s nothing wrong with choosing a traditional or non-traditional way to wear your rings, depending on what means the most to you.
Choose a wedding ring that speaks to you and represents your relationship, and then wear it in whatever way feels best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, you would wear the wedding ring first, at the bottom of the stack, and the engagement ring on top. This is traditional, but it isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, and you can wear your rings however you like.
The four most common types of rings are:
- Engagement rings: Given to a partner during a marriage proposal.
- Wedding rings: Exchanged by both partners during a wedding ceremony.
- Anniversary rings: Anniversary rings are often purchased for a major anniversary, and are usually a set of small stones at the top of a metal band.
- Eternity rings: Eternity rings are similar to anniversary rings and are often bought for the same reason. The difference is that they have stones going all the way around the band.
The most common way to wear only one of your rings would be to wear the wedding ring and not the engagement ring. The wedding ring is the symbol of your marriage. However, if you love your engagement ring and want it to serve as your wedding ring as well, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Soldiering your rings together is a great way to stop them from rubbing against each other on your finger and make them simpler to store and put on. However, if you have a very unique or antique engagement ring, you might not want to modify it.
Orthodox Christians traditionally wear wedding rings on the right hand. It’s common in some European countries, like Germany, Norway, Russia, Spain, and Greece.
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