Do You Wear Your Engagement Ring Down The Aisle?
We have photographed and planned over 500 weddings, and one common question we hear from brides on the morning of the wedding is: “Should I wear my engagement ring when I walk down the aisle?”
You wear your engagement ring down the aisle but temporarily transfer it to your right ring finger. This allows your partner to place your wedding ring on the appropriate finger without the engagement ring getting in the way.
Here is what we cover in this article:
- Tips and advice from real brides and couples (what did they do with their engagement rings when they walked down the aisle?).
- Do you wear your engagement ring while walking down the aisle?
- What do you do with your wedding ring during the wedding ceremony?
- FAQ
- Which goes on first? Your wedding band or engagement ring?
Tips And Advice From Real Brides and Couples
We asked some of our readers what they did with their engagement rings while walking down the aisle. We got some fantastic tips and ideas.
Here is what they said:
“I wore my engagement ring on my left ring finger the entire day because I love it and wanted it in all my photos. Plus, it doesn’t fit on my right hand anyway, ha! The wedding band sat next to my engagement ring on the outside (I was too lazy to switch it around, and honestly, nobody notices anyway).“
“I wore my engagement ring on my right hand. Then after the ceremony, I put it with my wedding band.”
“My maid of honor held onto my engagement ring during our wedding ceremony. After the ring exchange, she just handed me the ring so I could put it back on. Typically your bouquet is going to cover up your hands anyway. Don’t overthink it.”
“The fingers on my right hand are bigger than my left-hand fingers, so I couldn’t wear my engagement ring on the opposite hand. I just took my ring off right before the ring exchange and held it with my right hand. Then after my husband put my wedding band on, I slipped my engagement ring on next to it. I thought about it way too much. Nobody cared or noticed, lol.”
“Most brides will wear their engagement ring on their right hand or not wear it at all so that their left hand is bare. I forgot to do this, so after the ring exchange and while we were waiting to sign our marriage license, I flipped my rings, so my wedding ring was on the inside.”
“Be careful about putting your engagement ring on your right hand, especially if it’s your dominant hand. Our dominant hand is typically a bit larger than our other hand. With all the stress of the wedding day, your hand might swell a little, and your ring could get stuck. It would be embarrassing trying to wiggle it off your hand in front of everyone.”
Do You Wear Your Engagement Ring While Walking Down The Aisle?
A very common question from brides on their wedding day is, “Do I wear my engagement ring when I walk down the aisle?”
As you read in the “real brides and couples” section above, most brides wear their engagement ring when they walk down the aisle.
The easiest way to do it is to wear your engagement ring while you walk down the aisle. You can wear the ring on the opposite hand and then move it over after the ring exchange.
Or you wear it on your left hand, have your partner put your wedding band on, and then just switch them later.
There is no right or wrong way to do it, but those two options are the easiest.
What Do You Do With Your Engagement Ring During the Wedding Ceremony?
The engagement ring can be placed on your right hand and then transferred to the left hand above the wedding band after the ceremony. This prevents the engagement ring from getting in the way of the wedding ring exchange.
If you don’t like the idea of wearing your engagement ring on your right ring finger (maybe you’re worried about the ring getting stuck), you can give it to your maid of honor or a trusted family member for safekeeping during the ceremony.
Wearing your engagement ring on your right ring finger during the ceremony is not a hard and fast rule, and you may choose to wear it on any finger that feels comfortable.
NOTE: Depending on your wedding ceremony’s religion, there might be a special protocol to follow regarding what to do with your engagement ring. In such cases, it’s best to check beforehand with your pastor, rabbi, or ceremony officiant.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) About Engagement Rings On The Wedding Day
If you are looking for quick answers to some of the most common engagement ring questions, this section is for you. We will get straight to the point and answer each question in just 1-2 sentences.
Are you supposed to wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?
Yes, most people wear their engagement ring the entire day. It’s not required, but most brides love having photos of them wearing it.
What do you do with your engagement ring when you get married?
During the wedding ceremony, you can wear the engagement ring on the opposite hand, have your maid of honor (or a family member) hold it, or you can put the wedding band on top of the engagement ring and then switch the rings after the ceremony.
Is it bad luck to wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?
No; wearing your engagement ring on your wedding day is not bad luck.
What finger do you wear your engagement ring on your wedding day?
Typically, your engagement ring goes on the ring finger of your left hand (your wedding band goes on the same finger/same hand)
Does your wedding band go on first? Or your engagement ring? What is the correct way to wear them?
Traditionally, your wedding ring goes on first (closest to your palm), and your engagement ring goes on top of your wedding band (closest to your fingertip).
What hand do you wear your engagement ring on? Do you wear your engagement ring on your left hand?
Yes, most people wear their engagement ring and wedding bands on their left hand (on your ring finger, which is next to your pinky).
Do You Wear Your Wedding Band Over or Under Your Engagement Ring? How Did This Tradition Start?
You wear your wedding band under your engagement ring, and it’s the first ring you place on your left ring finger. This makes it closer to the heart, symbolizing the marriage’s importance to the bride.
Wearing your wedding band under the engagement ring on the left-hand ring finger is a European tradition dating back centuries.
The Romans, in particular, believed that a special vein (the Vena Amoris, or vein of love) connected the left ring finger to the heart.
Although we have known for hundreds of years that each finger has veins leading to the heart, the tradition of wearing the wedding band on the left ring finger still exists.
Wedding rings were first worn in the second century, but engagement rings have only been around since the late fifteenth century.
When people first started wearing them, they placed them over the wedding ring to protect it from slipping off, making it another tradition we still follow. Â
But, like nearly every wedding tradition, you are free to do what you want with your rings after the ceremony.
Some people prefer to have their engagement ring on a different finger of the left hand; others keep the wedding bands safe in a box and wear silicone rings! It all depends on your personal taste.
