How to Wear Your Wedding and Engagement Ring With Style

One key question recurs regarding matrimonial bling: how to wear both your wedding and engagement ring? Which goes on first: the engagement ring or the wedding band? Do you wear both on the same finger? Do you have to wear both?

It’s entirely your call. Wedding traditions have their place, but as with all things nuptial these days, how and when you choose to partake is a matter of personal preference. According to Zola’s 2024 First Look Report, 83% of couples are challenging the normative expectations tied to the wedding day, from toxic diet culture to the expectation that brides will change their last name. Ring etiquette, too, is due for review. 

Below, find all the wedding jewelry guidance you need to wear your ring set, including insights into tradition; after all, you need to learn the rules before you break them—in style. 

What is the history behind the ring finger?

According to ancient Roman lore, the fourth finger on the left hand harbored a special vein, Vena Amoris, or the “vein of love,” believed to connect straight to the heart. Placing your eternity band on this “ring” finger was seen as a symbolic union of two hearts. 

Modern science has debunked this theory (we now know there’s a vein in every finger leading to the heart), yet the sentiment lives on, keeping alive the romantic meaning of the ring finger. Western countries (like the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, etc.), and many Asian nations, adhere to the left ring finger tradition. But in other regions, including many Eastern European, SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa), and Latin American countries, the right ring finger is favored. Some LGBTQ+ couples have also opted for the right hand as a subtle rebellion against Western heterosexual norms. 

So, how should I wear my engagement and wedding band?

Deciding how to wear your engagement ring and wedding band is an individual choice, based on your personal style and the type of jewelry you choose. Here are three inspiring ideas for ways to showcase your rings. 

The traditional approach: wedding ring first