I didn’t know this until after Austin proposed, but I tried on my engagement ring before he bought it. One day we were at the mall, and Austin said we should check out a jewelry store. We spent a few minutes looking at engagement rings.
He asked the jeweler to let me try on this particular ring in the case. I didn’t know that he was eyeballing that ring for me and wanted to see what it would look like on my finger. Later on, he went back to the store and put it on layaway.
Buying an engagement ring is one of your first financial investments in your marriage. You need to make sure that you are buying the right thing. I brought on Loraine Brenner to share about how to choose the perfect engagement ring.
Here’s what she has to say-
Purchasing an engagement ring can be complicated. If your partner isn’t really comfortable with making these kinds of decisions (or your tastes are quite specific), you could make the decision to choose a ring yourself.
Your partner could propose with an inexpensive ‘token’ engagement ring which would allow you to then choose the real thing yourself. Or you could give them an idea of the kinds of styles and designs you like ahead of time, so when they do come to propose they know what to buy.
Since this is a piece of jewelry you will (hopefully!) be wearing forever, it’s important to get it right. Here are some of the ways you can make sure it’s the perfect piece for you.
Set a Budget
Setting a realistic budget is one of the first things to do in your search for an engagement ring. The traditional method for setting a budget was to choose a ring that cost around one month’s salary. However, modern priorities have changed. Many couples getting engaged may also already have children, or be saving for things like mortgages.
You may decide as a couple that you’d rather spend less on an engagement ring, so you have more to spend on the wedding. How much you spend is entirely dependent on your views as a couple and your situation. But knowing what your maximum budget is will allow you to search for rings more efficiently.
The Stone
Diamond is of course the traditional choice for engagement rings. But if you wanted to go for something different, there’s no stopping you from picking another gemstone. You will want to go for something that’s hard wearing so that it lasts you over the years without becoming scratched and dull.
You could choose a stone in a color that means something to you, for example, yours or your partner’s birthstone color. Or just a gemstone is a color that you love and reflects you.
The Size, Shape, and Setting
There are a wide variety of settings that will all hugely affect how the overall ring looks. One good way to go about making your decision is to choose a brand of engagement rings, and then browse through all of the settings they have to offer. For example, you can see how different stone sizes and settings look here with Tacori rings.
The Material
Yellow gold and white gold are popular choices. Although these days you can even opt for metals such as platinum, rose gold, silver, palladium, and more. Your budget will usually determine the best metal for you.
One tip when deciding on an engagement ring is to take your natural coloring into consideration. For example, if you have a warmer toned complexion metals such as traditional gold will look nicer against your skin.
Cool-toned complexions will suit white gold, silver, platinum, and other ‘cool’ colored metals. Rose gold is a more modern choice for engagement rings and works beautifully with both warm and cool-toned skin.
Did you/ would you choose your own engagement ring? Or would you leave it up to your partner to decide?
