Author: Rebecca Klein

Engagements and wedding have all kinds of rules and etiquette that are very confusing.  In addition, because different religions and cultures have different customs when proposing a marriage, what is done at the wedding and who exactly get what gift or ring, a man who wants to propose to his beloved will find himself, not-surprisingly, quite confused and overwhelmed.  Below is a short overview of what traditional etiquette (especially the Christian tradition) requires of a groom and bride.
Engagement Ring Etiquette
Regarding engagement rings, the general expectation is that the man covers the entire cost of the ring.  The original expectation was that the ring would be the equivalent value of one month’s salary; however, DeBeers, a diamond miner and distributor based in Antwerp, Belgium, through an advertising blitz has changed it to be two month’s salary.  In addition to this, the expectation is that the ring fits the bride’s finger and should have at least one diamond on it.  The expectation of a diamond is because the diamond is the strongest substance on earth and it is supposed to represent the new marriage which is expected to be as strong as the diamond.

If the engagement ring is an heirloom, the bride should be able to have to the option to modify the ring to a degree, albeit it not so much that is completely unrecognizable.  The engagement ring is to be worn on the left hand, on the 3rd finger because of the ancient roman belief that the vein in that finger ran directly to the heart and thus was most appropriate for a symbolic piece of jewelry to be worn on.
Even though these are the traditional guidelines, the groom should not feel beholden to these rules.  Every situation is different and therefore these traditional rules are open to interpretation.
If the engagement is unfortunately broken off, there is also some etiquette to be followed.  If the groom calls off the engagement, then the bride is allowed to keep the engagement ring; however, if she calls the engagement off, she is expected to return the ring.  However, there are also some state laws to keep in mind as some state laws require the ring to be returned because it has the a status of a conditional gifts and other states allow the bride to keep it as it considered an unconditional gift.

Wedding ring etiquette
In terms of wedding rings, the etiquette is much simpler.  In general, the rings are supposed to match, meaning they should be of the same metal and have a somewhat similar design.  The tradition is that the bride and groom pay for each other’s wedding rings.  In terms of wearing the ring on the wedding day, before the wedding the bride wears her engagement ring on her right hand and the left hand has no jewelry on it.  After the wedding ceremony, the bride has two options:  She can wear the wedding ring on her left hand and her engagement ring on the right, with each ring on the ring finger.  Alternatively, she can wear them both on the same finger, with the wedding ring closest to the heart.  The groom traditionally wears his ring on the left hand, although wearing it on the right is equally acceptable.  Like the engagement ring rules of etiquette, these supposed rules are just guidelines and brides and grooms should feel free to do as they wish.


Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1634927_41.html