When I was younger the feminist in me used to say that my future husband was going to wear an engagement ring. I thought it was odd that only women wore them because if both people are getting married then they both should be proud to display it. I didn’t want to feel like I had a ball and chain around my finger while he had nothing. As I grew older, I kind of forgot about those feelings as the allure of jewels took over me. But oddly enough it all worked out because I didn’t end up wearing an engagement ring.

Here’s some interesting engagement customs and facts:

• The original purpose for an engagement ring was a sign that a woman was purchased and belonged to the groom-to-be. The first people to use rings in a romantic way were the French.

• In Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany both the man and the woman wear engagement rings.

• In Spain the woman buys an engagement watch band for the man after accepting a marriage proposal.

• Traditional German couples prefer to exchange simple gold rings on the day of their engagement. These rings will be worn on their left hands until the day of the wedding. During the marriage ceremony, they are moved from the left to the right, and become the actual wedding bands.

[ Sources 1, 2, 3]

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