Wedding Jewellery and Traditions

I am often asked about some of the traditionally held wedding beliefs and traditions connected to a western marriage. Wedding rings and diamond engagement rings are obviously important but there are many other wedding traditions worth bearing in mind. Here are just a few of the wedding beliefs and traditions still practiced today with explanations of their origins. Click on the images for examples of the wedding jewellery we are able to offer you.

Diamond Engagement Rings

The Engagement Ring

Originally an engagement ring served as a 'partial payment' for the right to court a bride! It was originally placed on the fourth finger of the girl's right hand. On the wedding day it was transferred to the fourth finger of her left hand by the bridegroom. The same ring, therefore, served for betrothal and wedding. However the Marriage Act of 1754 ended the binding nature of betrothals and the engagements that replaced them were a less serious affair. As if to symbolise the difference, a plain gold band gave way to a more elaborate ring containing precious or semi-precious stones.

The Wedding Ring
A ring has always been part of a wedding, even if it was only loaned for the ceremony itself! The ring represented the original 'wed', or pledge placed on the fourth finger of the bride's left hand in the presence of a priest and congregation. The fourth finger of the left hand was thought to be the most suitable for a plain gold circle of 'unending love' because they believed a vein - the vena amoris - ran from it straight to the heart!

Diamond Wedding Rings

The Wedding Veil
The veil often represents the 'something borrowed' of the modern bride. An old veil is thought to be luckier than a new one especially if it was worn by a happily married close relative. Royal brides do not arrive veiled at church. Some say this tradition derives from a time when precautions had to be taken against any last minute substitution!


The Bride's Garter
Hundreds of years ago, it was common practice for the guests to follow the wedding couple to their bed. As the years past, the tradition started getting out of hand with some of the guests trying to disrobe the bride. To ward off the guests, the groom would throw the garter.


The Wedding Dress
The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress gained popularity in the Victorian Age. Queen Victoria wore a beautiful white dress to marry her beloved Alfred, and it started a world-wide trend. Prior to that most women wore their best dress--even if that dress was black. Whatever the colour, numerous superstitions attach to the wedding dress. It is unlucky to try it on in its entirety before it is donned for the wedding. For this reason a few stitches are often left to be added at the last minute. Above all the bride must not look at herself in the mirror in full dress until shortly before she leaves for the church.

"Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue"

Perhaps the best known of all wedding rhymes and faithfully observed by most brides today. It is relatively new having originated in early Victorian days. It symbolises the bride's old life and the new one on which she is now embarking. An antique piece of jewellery is an excellent idea for the something 'old'.

'Something borrowed' symbolises the community aspect of marriage. Blue is the colour of true religion and constancy. It may also account for the popularity of jewellery set with sapphires, blue topaz and aquamarines.

Wedding Theme - Silver Daisy Jewellery

The Bouquet Toss
Whoever catches the bouquet is the next one to wed! (Wedding etiquette and tradition still believed by many to this day!)


The Wedding Rice
A long held symbol of fertility.


The Honeymoon
It has been claimed that in medieval times, the bride and groom were given mead - a honeywine - in the evening after the wedding. It was said that the couple would drink of it and then make love. If, as a result, the bride gave birth nine months after the wedding it was a great honour to the brewer of the mead! It would increase his business and reputation, and often the baby would be named after him.


The Top-tier of the Wedding Cake
In the days of old, the top-tier of the wedding cake was to be placed under the couple's bed so that the bride would be fertile and bear strong children. After a year, the bride and groom would consume what was left of the cake for luck or health. Needless to say, the tradition has changed somewhat in recent years, but you still find the newlyweds putting cake in their freezer till the first anniversary.

Wedding Jewellery - Pearl Stud Earrings

Over the Threshold
The tradition of carrying the bride over the doorpost comes from as far back as the ancient Romans. It was tradition for the family to anoint the doorpost with fine oil and herbs. For this reason the groom would lift the bride over the threshold so she would not slip

"Marriage is popular because it combines the maximum of temptation with the maximum of opportunity"

- George Bernard Shaw

The Diamond Engagement Ring

This was the moment that he had been waiting for!

Jasmine had just finished her crème brulée and, putting down her spoon, she gently brushed her long, silky, blonde hair away from her face. Mike was filled with awe. God, she was beautiful, he thought as he carefully observed her through the flickering candlelight.

Looking up at Mike she said, "Oh that was simply delicious, darling."

There was genuine pleasure on her face. Mike was pleased. It really had been a wonderful meal in the splendid surroundings of 'Le Ciel de Paris', the highest restaurant in Europe, situated on the 56th floor of the Montparnesse Tower in central Paris. Jasmine looked out at the incredible view which embraced a significant part of city including the Eiffel Tower in all its splendour. She marvelled at some of the monuments that she and Mike had visited by foot earlier that day. They were all so clearly visible from the restaurant and, as she looked out at them, she realised that she and Mike must have covered some considerable distance - it was no wonder her feet ached so much now!

Jasmine hadn't expected the last minute suggestion of a weekend in Paris. It seemed to come completely out of the blue. Of course she was delighted. After all it was so unlike Mike, who was usually entirely predictable, and this invitation was contrary to his methodical, premeditated approach to almost everything he did. At times it drove her crazy. Mike had a 'five year plan' for everything and having trained in the army after leaving school, he had become painfully neat and precise in his daily routine too. His clothes were always carefully pressed and stacked in his wardrobe and he clearly would not tolerate clothing being thrown on the floor. He had even told Jasmine off once for casually leaving a cardigan hanging over the back of a dining chair before a dinner party they held at his flat in Putney. "God ... what would he be like to live with!" Jasmine had thought.

Mike felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. All of a sudden the room seemed a little too warm and he yearned to open the window of this famous Bistro 200 metres above the streets of Paris. For once in his life he actually felt less than certain. Was this really the right moment? He certainly didn't want to break the spell of the magical evening he was having with Jasmine. But there was this gnawing fear in the back of his mind: "What if she said no?"

He hadn't mentioned the weekend break to Jasmine for weeks as he plucked up courage to actually go ahead with his plan. Indeed he had given careful thought to this for several months. Without a little 'forethought' it would have been impossible to get a restaurant booking at 'Le Ciel de Paris' at short notice. He had made the phonecall a fortnight ago. In his fluent French he had requested 'a discreet table for two' ensuring that the table he booked was by the window to the right of the entrance and not too far from the pianist. Having been once before, several years ago, he knew this spot had the best view and was well away from the kitchen door to the far side. Everything had to be perfect and he had planned this weekend break with military precision. Naturally he told none of this to Jasmine. He had kept the secret without any difficulty for over a month. He had only suggested it two days before they left! Of course he tried to sound spontaneous. But it felt awkward and he wondered if Jasmine was convinced by his clumsy attempt. She seemed surprised enough, he thought, and her eyes had lit up with an almost bewildered disbelief.

"Paris? For the weekend! ... Do you mean this weekend, Darling?" she asked.

"Yes of course," he said. "I just thought it would be nice to get away ... and so I booked the flights this morning .... A spur of the moment thing ... you know," he lied.

That conversation seemed a long time ago now as they sat here high above the lively streets of Paris enjoying this very special, memorable evening; this life changing moment! Mike fumbled nervously in his pocket, feeling out that small black box that held a symbolic gift that was so importantly attached to the question he was about to ask Jasmine. Christ! He had been amazed at how much he had actually needed to spend on the ring. He hadn't really given much thought to the value of a diamond. The man in the shop had given him some guidance and he had readily accepted the advice. He hadn't wanted to seem mean and, it was true, the rings with more affordable diamonds just didn't seem to sparkle as much as this one. No ... not nearly as much as the one that was now secretly hidden in his right hand pocket! The moment he was shown this ring he knew she would just love it. It was beautiful. How could she not? Shit! He would spend the next twelve months trying to pay it off but there was no doubt in his mind. She was worth it. He couldn't wait to give it to her....

...... He just didn't know exactly when!


Paul Wright has been designing and making diamond engagement rings and wedding rings since his jewellery business was incorporated in 1995. He has met hundreds of young couples who originally sought advice from him on the best engagement ring to buy. His romantic ‘vignettes’ and short stories are all actually based on real life experiences. The names and places have been changed, of course, to protect the identities of the innocent!

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Diamond Wedding Rings

Diamond Engagement Rings

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