The Symbolism and Meaning Behind Custom Wedding Bands

The symbolism behind a wedding ring is deeply entwined with its shape - The Circle. The circle has been known to man since the dawn of time, and even the most primitive cavemen would have been familiar with the shape from looking up into the skies and seeing the Sun & Moon.  Furthermore, circles can also appear in nature, just as every drop of rain creates a circle before dissipation and every tree counts its age in rings within its trunk.  There’s something undeniably alluring about circles, and people from even the earliest cultures were fascinated by them.

From the beginning of time, the circle has been a cross-cultural, cross-faith symbol for infinity, since it has no beginning and no end. Circles appear in the artwork of the ancient Assyrians, the Ancient Egyptians, the ancient culture of the Indus Valley, the ancient inhabitants of the Yangtze River area and the Ancient Greeks and Romans.  They are even featured prominently in early sciences including geometry, astrology and astronomy.

The circle, therefore, is the perfect symbol not only for God's love for us, but also for our love for each other. Many of the Christian faith refer to verses of the bible for the meaning of the circle.  Many Christians come to Minter + Richter Designs because they want a ring that symbolizes the stone circle that was rolled away from the Tomb of Christ.  The circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, timelessness, all cyclic movement, God... 

• "When He established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep." Proverbs 8:27 
• "He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness." Job 26:10

"God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere." Hermes Trismegistus

The ring, therefore, is perfect for a permanent union between two people.  The only thing that has changed over the thousands of years that humans have been wearing rings is the materials out of which the rings are made.  In ancient Rome, wedding rings were most often made of leather, ivory or bone.  To this day, Minter + Richter Designs use many dinosaur bones and Woolly Mammoth Ivory (obviously Ivory from non-extinct animals is illegal, but Woolly Mammoth is very popular) in our rings as a nod to the infinite past as we step into an infiniste future. 

As time progressed, most rings were made of iron and only the wealthy had access to metals like silver and gold.

Today, however, rings are more unique and diverse than ever.  Minter + Richter Designs was the first hand made ring company in the United States to use such a wide array of materials for titanium and steel ring making.  From Whiskey Barrels to beach sand to stones from hallowed earth to car parts and alligator teeth, there is no item on planet earth that Minter + Richter Designs cannot incorporate into your wedding ring.  That is where the real symbolism takes off.  While the circle itself is still an important part, couples today can incorporate their own materials to symbolize their own romantic journey.  Whether their rings are inlayed with the sand from the beach they first kissed on or a piece of the home they built together, there is no end to the impact such personal materials can have on the symbolism behind a set of wedding rings.

According to early scientists, astrology and astronomy were essentially the same discipline, and to them, the circle represented Cosmic notions.  Even the various celestial bodies look to all be circles from where we stand on earth.  At Minter + Richter Designs, we love to leap from the symbolic circle into the symbol of the cosmos through the use of Meteorite and woods that highly resemble and symbolize the galaxy.  Some even say that within a woman's heart there lays the entirety of the galaxy.  We aren't sure how true this is, but we challenge you to disprove it!

Meteorite So Hot & Midnight Set by Minter + Richter Designs

In many religions including Islam and Christianity, the circle represents the idea of monotheism. In Christianity, God is seen as being the beginning and the end of everything – the alpha and omega – which is perfectly symbolized by the circle. Christians often choose to further the symbolism by integrating a Cross into their wedding ring, much like you see on rings like Eternal Turquoise Cross and Love Never Fails.  In Islam, the circle represents monotheism with God being at the center of the circle.  Both concepts are perfectly fitting with the wedding ring as the couple ventures forward entrusting their unity to God.

Circles have also represented royalty in many cultures – especially in the form of a crown, which is traditionally placed on the monarch’s head.  This is especially true for Queens and Dukes and other Royalty.  For a royal flaire, the best color to add to your circle wedding ring is Purple! We have you covered with our Royal Swim Line of Rings.

Royal Swim In Wedding Ring Set

 

Royal Swim In & Out Wedding Ring Set

 

Royal Swim Out Wedding Ring Set

 

The circle is often viewed as a symbol of feminine power and intelligence. It was said that this kind of power is present in all women. Nowadays, a circle is also considered a symbol of unity and connects life. It symbolizes wholeness and original perfection, eternity, and all cyclic movements.

Circles in the form of rings have long represented the union of man and woman as rings are exchanged along with marriage vows during wedding ceremonies in many Western countries. This practice dates back to Ancient Greece and Rome when valuable rings were first given as part of the dowry. Later, they came to represent the promise of fidelity, and this tradition continues to this day.

Similar to the idea of unity and fidelity, circles can represent democracy. When everybody sits at a round table, everyone is equal, everybody has the chance to express their views and everyone is included.  The way Two Kings Unite at a table to keep from battle.  This is how most of us view marriage in today's world, a meeting of minds, finding your True Partner.

Meeting of Two Minds, finding your true partner.

In certain cultures or traditions, circles represent protection. For example, in certain occult beliefs, standing inside a circle can protect you from evil spirits. In traditional Celtic wedding ceremonies, a protective circle known as a caim is placed around the husband and wife to protect them from outside influences. Circles can also represent our personal spiritual journeys because our spiritual journey is one without end, and even after we die, our spiritual journey continues in never-ending cycles.

Whatever meaning you find in your forever circles, we are here to help!