How to Wear an Engagement Ring and a Wedding Band

It’s common for brides-to-be to proudly flaunt their engagement rings…

And we can’t blame them!

Diamond engagement rings are designed to showcase the promise of marriage and the start of a new life together. It’s truly exciting! In fact, many people notice that diamond engagement rings tend to be fancier or have more “bling” than traditional wedding bands.

So when the big day comes, this raises a lot of questions: what do I do with my engagement ring during the wedding ceremony? Do I wear my engagement ring down the aisle? And after we’ve said our vows, how do I wear my engagement ring with my wedding ring?

There are no hard-set rules, but there are some traditions and customs that you’ll want to know. Let’s take a closer look below.

The Traditional Way to Wear Wedding Bands

If you’re wondering how to wear a diamond engagement ring with your wedding band, it’s important to know the traditional way to wear a wedding band.

Gold wedding rings always go on your fourth finger (right next to your pinky) on your left hand.

Here is where we want to think about the symbolism.

What does a wedding ring represent? It is a symbol of love, sacrifice, and the closest bond we can have between two people.

So with that being said, you want your wedding ring to be as close to your heart as possible. This means that your wedding ring should be as close as possible to the base of your finger — no other physical object (other than your own flesh) should be between your wedding ring and your heart.

In this context, wedding rings are traditionally put on first, and diamond engagement rings are put on second. This way, the wedding ring is as close to the heart as possible!

How to Wear an Engagement Ring on Your Wedding Day

Since wedding rings are traditionally worn as close to the heart as possible, you’ve probably realized that that is not possible if you’re wearing your engagement ring during the wedding ceremony.

So how should you wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?

There are three main options:

Put it on the opposite hand. This way, your wedding ring is closest to your heart!
Leave the engagement ring. Some brides choose to wear the engagement ring like normal and simply swap the order of the rings after the ceremony.
Don’t wear it. Aside from alleviating the stress of how to wear both rings, you eliminate the chances of pointy diamond engagement rings accidentally damaging your dress.

With these tips, you can confidently wear your engagement ring and wedding band!