Which finger is wedding ring finger? Which finger for engagement ring? This is a question that people often ask but we’ll tell you exactly what you need to know! Read on for more + subscribe for the latest.
Your engagement ring is sparkling… but you want to know, am I wearing it on the right finger? And what about my wedding band? Which ring goes first? So many questions! :)
Today we’re tackling the question of which finger does a wedding ring go on and really, it’s pretty easy! Today we’re telling you why and answering a question from bride-to-be, Sophia, who wants to know which finger to put the wedding ring on. She writes,
“Hi Emmaline, Which finger does a wedding ring go on? I’m wearing my engagement ring on my ring finger, but for the wedding day, which ring goes on first? How do you properly wear a wedding ring set? Thanks for your help!”
Great questions, Sophia! Thanks so much for writing. :) As a rule of thumb, the engagement ring is worn on the fourth finger, also known as your ring finger, on your left hand.
The wedding ring is also worn on the ring finger of the left hand, UNDER the engagement ring.
But why do you wear a wedding ring or engagement ring on the fourth finger? And do you have to? We’ll tell you!
Which Hand is Ring Finger On?
Do you have to wear your wedding ring and engagement ring on the ring finger? Not necessarily. However, it is customary to wear it on your ring finger — the fourth finger from the right — on the left hand, particularly in the United States.
The placement of the ring finger on your hand varies in tradition depending on where you live and what customs you follow.
Also traditionally, the wedding ring is worn on the fourth finger on the left hand.
Left Hand
The left-hand ring finger is also the custom for the following countries:
| United States | United Kingdom | Canada | Australia | South Africa | France | Italy | Mexico |
Right Hand
In other countries, it is customary to wear your wedding ring on your right hand in the following countries:
| India | Latvia | Russia | Germany | Bulgaria | Belgium | Denmark | Poland | Norway | Austria |
| Greece | Ukraine | Hungary | Spain | Colombia | Venezuela | Jordan | Peru | Cuba |
In the countries listed above, many wear the wedding ring on the right hand on the fourth finger from the left.
Why is a wedding ring worn on the ring finger?
Traditionally, the wedding ring was worn on the fourth finger from the right on the left hand for a symbolic reason. It was the belief that your vein in the ring finger ran directly to the heart. This means when you wear your wedding ring, it is as close as possible to the bloodline running to your heart.
Whether or not that is true is unclear, but it’s a nice thought for wedding ring wear. :)
Does engagement ring go on before wedding band?
No! The wedding ring goes first on the ring finger, so it is closest to the heart.
Then, the engagement ring is placed on top of the wedding ring.
Do I wear my engagement ring on my wedding day?
This is a great question! Do you wear the engagement ring on your wedding day? Yes! However, there are two things you can do.
Some recommend wearing your engagement ring on your right hand on your ring finger for the wedding day, as the wedding band will be placed on your left hand ring finger during the ceremony.
Then, you can place the engagement ring on top of the wedding ring on the left hand so it’s perfectly in place.
Hope it helps! If you have more questions, ask in the comment box below!
xo
Emma
