History and Symbolism of Men’s Wedding Bands

The tradition of wearing wedding bands can be traced to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where women used braided straw, grass, and reed to fashion a makeshift band to show their marital status. Although men had been wearing signet rings to symbolize power, wealth, and royalty, it wasn’t until the twentieth century that the wearing of wedding bands by men started as a physical marker of marital status, fidelity, and love. Today, men wear wedding bands, albeit a simple one, to show responsibility, respect, love, and a promise of fidelity to their spouse. 

Let’s explore the origins of men wearing wedding bands, the symbolism and cultural significance of men’s wedding bands, events that led to the embrace of wedding bands for men, and how men’s wedding bands are now socially and culturally prominent.

Origins of Men’s Wedding Bands

Signet rings were the earliest and most common rings worn by men. They often bore family crests and symbols and were used to symbolize power, wealth, fortune, and royalty and to sign different documents. To show a marriage contract between two families, these signet rings were used as betrothal rings, and the women were obliged to wear them as wedding bands to indicate their ownership of their husbands’ families. 

These rings evolved into what is known as Fede or Gimmel rings. They consisted of two interlocking bands which both man and woman wore upon their betrothal. However, after their wedding ceremony, the man would place the fede ring onto his wife’s finger, making the fede ring a double ring set on the woman’s finger.

Posy rings, featuring love poems and letters, were popular.

Historical Events That Led To Men’s Wedding Bands Being Prominent

Some events led up to men’s adoption of wedding bands. The common ones include:

World War II 

After the failed jewelry industry introduction of men’s wedding bands in the late 19th century and early 20th century due to financial constraints from the great depression, the popularity of men’s wedding bands usage increased due to World War II as this wedding band was the only source of comfort and bond for their wives who many for these soldiers never got to see again. It was a token of their love and relief from the separation leading up to the reason behind the sentimental meaning of wedding bands today.

Equality/Women’s Rights Movement

Women used to wear wedding rings to indicate what family they belonged to and as a tool to control their husbands’ household and properties. It was perceived as a proof or token of ownership. The gender equality/women’s rights movement, rise in feminism, and social change challenged men’s authority and influenced men to wear wedding bands. To make the wedding ritual equal for both men and women and do away with the ownership representations, brides started pushing for regularization and usage of men’s wedding bands

The Glitzy 70s

The heavy gold Disco scene of the 1970s influenced the popularity of men’s wedding bands. With the popularisation of gold accessories and men’s rings in general, it’s natural to assume that men’s wedding bands and usage, which had just become popular two and half decades earlier, became more socially familiar and accepted

Symbolism and Cultural Significance of Men’s Wedding Bands

A common belief among the ancient Egyptians is that the “vena amoris” (vein of love) leads directly to the heart, although it is anatomically incorrect. They exchanged rings made of reeds, grass, and braided straw to profess their love to one another.

The Greeks adopted the Egyptian ring exchange tradition, embracing their representation of devotion between couples with the depiction of their god of love. The Romans, after conquering Greece, adopted the wedding ring exchange tradition, using iron and copper as their materials to symbolize the wife’s control over the household goods.

The Roman’s Fede and Gimmel rings evolved from the European-styled Claddagh ring, which showed a pair of hands holding a heart.

The symbolism of Men’s wedding bands goes beyond the simple act of wearing just a piece of jewelry. It represents:

• Family: A man’s wedding band signifies the love between spouses and the connection between families and communities.
• Equality: Unlike ancient times, where a woman wears wedding bands to show ownership and allegiance to her husband’s family, in modern times, men’s wedding bands serve as a symbol of marriage equality. Both partners wear a ring, signifying their equal commitment, respect, and partnership in the marriage.
• Commitment: A man’s wedding band is a physical marker of his marital status. It symbolizes and reminds of a man’s commitment to his wife. It reaffirms his dedication to his marriage and family.
• Tradition: Men’s wedding bands carry on the sentimental tradition of ring exchange and connect today’s couples with the generations before them who held their love through this symbolic gesture.
• Responsibility: Socially, a man wearing a wedding band shows respect and responsibility, especially in African countries. The wedding band symbolizes his authority as the head of the family in charge of the family’s welfare and responsibilities.
• Continuity: Just as the ancient Egyptians believed that a circle with no beginning and end represents eternity, the wedding band symbolizes the continuity of love for eternity.

Conclusion

Men wearing wedding bands is a recent tradition and didn’t start as a romantic token, as wedding bands used to be viewed as a mark of ownership. Now, men wear wedding bands as a physical marker of their marital status and carry on generational sentimental traditions.