My engagement ring. I absolutely LOVE it!!
In today’s American society, there is so much hype about the engagement ring! I’m not denying it, when I was a bride, I was all about my engagement ring (shout out: my hubby picked out an AWESOME ring!). Who isn’t excited, right?
There are a few things that you want to know about before choosing an engagement ring. I call them the 4 s’s: shape, setting, style, spending amount.
Shape:
You want to make sure that the shape of the main stone looks great on the woman’s hand. I have long fingers, so an emerald cut looked great. For others, a princess cut, a round cut, or a cushion cut will look perfect! So, go and try on a few different cuts to see which look best on your finger. For details on the different cuts, check out this website: http://www.gthrapp.com/the-many-facets-of-diamonds/
Setting:
Do you want a solitaire look? Do you want cushions or side stones? Do you want a halo? What about a more elaborate band? Do you want your wedding band to fit into the engagement ring? Yes, there are TONS of options! This can be overwhelming for the poor boyfriend. It doesn’t hurt to go to a local jeweler and try on a few different types. Plus, it’s fun to try on engagement rings!
Style:
What is your own personal style? Are you traditional? Modern? Eclectic? Your ring should say something about you and your style. After all, you’re going to wear this ring every day for the rest of your life. Also take into consideration the different metals available. Do you like gold? Silver? Do you want a pop of color with some sapphires? Like I said earlier, go and try on a variety of styles of rings and see what works and what doesn’t work!
Spending amount:
This is the most important! Be sensible about your ring. Do you want this purchase to put your future hubby into major debt? Some rings can cost as much as a car!! I know, right? Yes, pick out something you like, but be sensible about your budget. I recommend figuring out your ceiling price, and shoot for something a few thousand less than that. At the end of the day, you’ll still have your wedding bands to purchase too.
Lucky for me, my husband was sensible but saved up for the ring for a while before he purchased it. We went and tried on rings together, and I felt so giddy and it was so much fun! I’m so glad we were smart about it but I still got the ring (and man) of my dreams. Happy ring shopping!!