Whether you choose a funky stackable sapphire number, or a more traditional diamond, engagement rings are an incredibly popular way to announce your wedding plans to the world.
And it has been that way for a very long time indeed.
Engagement rings can be traced right back to 13th century Rome, when Pope Innocent III declared a mandatory waiting period between betrothal and marriage.
Which means that, yes, people were legally obliged to wait a certain amount of time between getting engaged and getting married.
No shotgun weddings for early Christians, eh?
As a result, Christian couples decided to don a simple silver or gold ring in a bid to show the world that, despite the fact they were not yet wed, they were well and truly off the singles market.
And, yes, they wore them on the fourth finger of their left hand - just as we do today.
So what was the reason behind it?
Well, it’s actually very romantic!
According to Greek and Roman belief, there is a special vein that runs directly from the ring finger to the heart.
This was known as the "Vena Amoris" - or, in English, “the vein of love”.
Nowadays, of course, pesky medical practitioners have proven that this traditional belief is factually inaccurate as all the fingers in the hand have a similar vein structure.
However the ancient belief of the “Vena Amoris” seems to be based more on magical and spiritual properties, as opposed to a working knowledge of our circulatory systems.
Throw in the fact that the endless cycle of a ring represents a couple’s eternal bond and you have a pretty adorable tradition… if a little pricey!
Would you ever wear an engagement ring? If so, would you want to wear it on your left hand? Why?
Let us know via Facebook or Twitter (@CloserOnline) now.