Lincoln & Herndon

[Eva Elisabeth]

I tried to find out more on when and where wedding rings for men became customary. I drew a blank on when exactly it started in Europe, and to what extend, but it definitely did (in Continental Europe) earlier than in the USA.

Ancient Egyptians and Romans had already sealed marriages with wedding ringes, and about 860 the Christians used the ring in marriage ceremonies. It usually was highly decorated with engraved doves, lyres, or two linked hands. The Church discouraged such rings as ‘heathenish’ and, around the 13th century, wedding rings were considerably simplified, and given a more spiritual look which was very aptly expressed by a Bishop when he dubbed it a “symbol of the union of hearts.”

The wedding ring was not only a symbol of eternal love and devotion, but also symbolic for the exchange of valuables at the moment of the wedding. It is a relic of the times when marriage was a contract between families, not individual lovers. Both families were then eager to ensure the economic safety of the young couple.

In the United States, the use of wedding rings for both partners first began with little success in the late 19th century with a marketing campaign the jewelry industry started. In the 1940ies, changing economic times, and the impact of World War II (soldiers appreciated having this "connection" to their wifes with them) led to a more successful marketing campaign for male and female wedding bands, and by the late 1940s, double-ring ceremonies made up 80% of all weddings, as opposed to 15% before the Great Depression.

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(07-14-2014 07:41 PM)L Verge Wrote:  The U.S. seems to set the gold standard.

Reminds me of this:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon_Shock

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Laurie once asked about the relationship/mutual opinion of A. L. and his stepfather which were obviously positive. What about Mary and the Lincolns? She didn't accompany her husband when he visited his stepmother the last time, did she? Did she meet Dennis Hanks when he came to the White House? Did she ever comment on her husband's family/relatives or "background"?