The Rings
The Rings (“With this ring I thee wed …”)
By “rings” we mean the engagement ring and the wedding ring for the bride and the wedding ring (or “wedding band”) for the groom. The engagement ring usually is a diamond ring, often a solitaire, but not always. Brides really get off on the design of engagement rings and how they will look with the wedding ring next to it on their fingers. The rings have a lot of emotional and spiritual resonance for brides, something which may mystify you, but so be it. The engagement ring is usually presented to the bride as a gift at the time of the proposal, but not always. Sometimes the parties agree to shop for the engagement ring together either before or after the formal proposal. Just be prepared for a lot of verbalized esthetic appreciation and design commentary from the bride on this subject! And, hey, it is important. The rings are a symbol of your love for each other and your commitment to live your lives together. And, yes, that’s a very big deal.
As for the wedding bands, the Best Man is entrusted with them just before the wedding and hands them off to the bride and groom at an appropriate moment (decided upon at the rehearsal) for them to then slip them on each other’s fingers.
