Choosing a Jewish Wedding Band
Jewish tradition has an opinion about this particular ring, and it is worth knowing before you start shopping. It is one of the few pieces of jewellery where the design is shaped by a rule rather than by taste.
Why the Ring Is Traditionally Plain
The ring used for kiddushin, the moment of betrothal under the chuppah, is customarily a plain band with no stones set into it. The reasoning is about value rather than modesty. The bride has to be able to understand what she is accepting, and a gemstone makes a ring's worth much harder to judge at a glance. A plain metal band is transparent about what it is.
Practices vary between communities, and some couples use a plain band for the ceremony and something else afterwards. We make jewellery, we are not poskim, so ask your rabbi how your community handles it before you commit. What we can tell you is that every band here is plain solid metal with nothing set into it, which is the shape the tradition points toward anyway.
Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li, and What Else Goes Inside
"Ani l'dodi v'dodi li" comes from Song of Songs, and it translates as "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." It is the verse most often chosen for Jewish wedding jewellery, and there is a piece in this collection built around it. If you want the background before deciding, we wrote about what the verse means and where it comes from.
Plenty of couples engrave something else entirely. The Hebrew wedding date. Both names. A line from the ketubah. A phrase that means nothing to anybody outside the marriage. Because these are cut to order rather than pulled from stock, the inside of the band is yours to decide, and the Hebrew is set in real Hebrew letterforms and proofed with you first. That last part matters more than it sounds: an engraving that is quietly wrong in a font you cannot read is not something you want discovering years later.
Metal, Fit and Wearing It Every Day
A wedding band takes more abuse than any other ring, because it never comes off. Solid 14k gold is the usual choice for that reason, and 925 sterling silver is the more affordable one, though silver is softer and will show its life sooner. Neither is plated. Sizing is worth getting right before rather than after, since a band engraved on the inside cannot be resized as freely as a plain one.
If you are still deciding on a shape, the wider Jewish rings and Hebrew engraved bands page has the full range, and the signet rings are worth a look for anyone who wants a face to engrave rather than an inner surface. For the couple buying for each other beyond the ceremony, matching engraved pieces covers the rest of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Jewish wedding ring have to be plain? Customarily yes, for the ring used at the ceremony itself, and the reason is that its value should be obvious to the bride. How strictly that is applied differs by community, so your rabbi is the right person to ask. Every band on this page is plain solid metal regardless.
What does Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li actually mean? "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine," from Song of Songs. Six Hebrew words, which is part of why it fits so comfortably around the inside of a band.
Which finger does the ring go on? At the ceremony it is traditionally placed on the bride's right index finger, which surprises people who expect the left ring finger. Many couples move it afterwards. Size for the finger it will actually live on.
Can the Hebrew date be engraved inside the band? It can, and it is one of the more common requests. Send the Hebrew date as you want it to read and it gets laid out and proofed before cutting.
Can we get two bands that match? Yes. Nothing here is made until it is ordered, so two rings can be made in different sizes carrying the same engraving. Order them together and mention that they are a pair.
