Who chose your engagement ring?
Grooms are happy to choose the engagement ring
It seems that romance is alive and kicking, with almost half of Easy Weddings husbands-to-be choosing their fiance’s engagement ring themselves so they have the ring ready to slip on her finger when they pop the question.
Many films have that fairytale proposal scene, where the guy gets down on one knee and surprises the girl with a sparking diamond. So does that actually happen in real life? Well apparently it does. Of almost 1,800 Easy Weddings couples that took part in an online poll, 46% said that the man had chosen the engagement ring.
If your husband-to-be chooses your engagement ring himself there is the element of romance and surprise. You will know that you are wearing a ring he loves which will make it extra special, and you won’t necessarily know how much he spent on it or where he bought it adding that extra bit of mystery. However, you do run the risk of him choosing something you don’t like very much, which you have to wear for the rest of your life, or at least for the duration of your engagement.
A popular alternative is to go shopping with your fiance and choose your ring together, and 37% of couples that took part in the poll said they chose this option. That way you can be sure you get something you both like, and you can make a day or even a weekend of it. If your boyfriend isn’t confident about buying a ring that you will like perhaps he could buy a temporary ring just to propose with, and then you can go shopping for the actual engagement ring together.
Some brides-to-be prefer to choose their engagement ring themselves and 17% of Easy Weddings brides went for this option. Deciding on the ring yourself not only ensures that you pick something you love, it gives you more time to browse and be sure you have just the right one.
Here are a few tips for shopping for an engagement ring, with or without your fiance:
- Have a manicure before you go; you will spend a lot of time looking at your hands
- Talk about your budget beforehand so you don’t fall in love with a ring you can’t afford
- Don’t expect to come home with your ring that day; you may have to order it in your size or have it made
- Try to stay cool; hot hands get swollen and you’ll end up with a ring that’s too big for you
- Do some research so you have an idea what you want before you go, otherwise your fun shopping trip could turn into a jewellery store nightmare
If you think your boyfriend may propose, try to let him know whether you want him to buy the ring himself or not. If you pass a jewellery store comment on what you like and what you don’t like, and don’t be afraid to point out a ring that you particularly love.
If you see a proposal scene on TV, tell him what you really think. Perhaps you could say “It’s so romantic that he had the ring already,” or “What if she doesn’t like the ring, she’s the one that’s got to wear it?”
If you think your boyfriend might buy the ring himself, leave another ring that fits you well in an obvious place so that he gets the size right. If he’s close to your best mate he may well ask her what you’d like, so make sure she’s fully briefed on whether you like gold or platinum and whether or not you’re a diamond girl.
