Engagement ring etiquette is oh so important, because your chick will be
retelling the story of all the details related to her engagement ring
and proposal over and over and over....i'm not joking. Here are some
common questions that guys have about engagement ring etiquette.
1) Who pays for the ring?
Sorry guys, but you are supposed to foot the entire bill. Plus, you can
use this as leverage for the next fifty years when your wife asks you
what you've done for her lately. You can point to her ring and recount
the many hours you toiled saving up for it. If your financial situation
sucks, consider gettting a less expensive ring now and upgrading later
or taking out a loan. Is it fair? No, but life isn't always fair.
2) Must the engagement ring be a surprise or does the bride pick out her own ring?
The ring does not necessarily have to be a surprise. In the past,
engagement ring etiquette dictated that the man choose the ring, and
then presentit if the woman accepted his marriage proposal. Today many
couples purchase the ring together. Or, the woman may drop some hints
about the kind of ring that she wants, so that it is still somewhat of a
surprise. It is always kosher for the groom to present the ring as a
surprise. He may want to enlist the help of her friends or family
members in choosing a ring that she will love and fits with her style.
There is an episode of Sex and the City where the lead character Carrie
comes across the engagement ring that her man is going to give her in
the near future, while he is in the shower. She gets physically ill when
she finds out that it is a pear shaped diamond on a gold band. Luckily,
one of her friends tactfully intervenes to help him out with the ring
purchase. The pear-shaped ring is returned and replaced with one that is
more Carrie-esque.
3) Do I have to call her parents beforehand and ask for their blessing to go ahead and propose?
I would strongly recommend that you do. It is a very classy way to seal
the deal. Her parents will feel respected and it is a good way for you
to begin your relationship with them. After all, they will become
members of your family after the wedding.
4) Does engagement ring etiquette call for me to get down on one knee when I propose?
It is romantic and chivalrous to get down on one knee and propose. If
you don't do it and I wouldn't sweat it too much, but it is a nice
touch. Keep in mind that it is pretty much guaranteed that your woman
will be asked by one of her girlfriends in the aftermath of the proposal
if you did.
5) Who do we tell first about the engagement
If you want to go by the rules of enagement ring etiquette, the bride's
parents are told the news first, followed by the groom's parents.
Whatever you do, don't keep the news from parents, as this will only
start things off on the wrong foot. Close family and friends can be told
soon after, followed by an announcement in the local paper.
6) God forbid one of us breaks off the engagement, what happens to the ring?
It depends on the woman you are dating as well as the state you are
living in. If a woman breaks off the engagement than engagement ring
etiquette dictates that she should promptly return the ring. However if
the guy breaks off the engagement because it's just not meant to be,
it's a little more questionable. Engagement ring etiquette dictates that
if the guy is a gentleman, he may tell the woman to hold onto it,
depending on his financial circumstances. Of course, what woman really
wants to hold onto an engagement ring from a guy who just dumped her.
(This happened to a girl in my sorority and she kept the ring but turned
it into a pendant). However, I think if the engagement is being broken
off because the guy has done something heinous (i.e. cheated on his
fiance with her best friend) than he should let her keep the ring. The
actual laws on returning engagement rings vary from state to state with
some requiring that the ring must be given back because it was a gift
with other states viewing engagement rings as unconditional gifts that
the bride can keep regardless of the circumstances. A friend of mine
ended up going to court over her ring after the engagement was broken
off....yikes!...it's a long complicated story! Hopefully this is not
something that you will have to even consider
A man's proposal to a woman would never be complete without an
engagement ring. Engagement rings have been part of the tradition of
countries all over the world. Engagement rings symbolize love and
commitment to the person given with it.
All engagement rings come with diamonds from various sizes and no other
stone can be placed with it. It has been interpreted that the round and
never ending shape of the ring symbolizes the never-ending love and
devotion to a woman. It is also a sign of offering ones commitment to
the other person.
There are many types of engagement rings that are sold in the market.
However, there are things that need to be considered before buying one
like the type of ring, the diamond, the trends that are in the market
and even the value. When choosing an engagement ring, these are the
things that buyers need to check on.
The diamond of the engagement ring should be considered before all
things. There are four areas to look for in a good diamond. They are the
cut, clarity, color and carat.
When the cut is considered, it simply means the number of angles that
are in the diamond including their proportions. The cut gives luster to
the diamond. The fire or the shine of the diamond will depend on how
many cuts are in it. The more cuts in the diamond, the more costly it
becomes.
Diamonds are colored yellow in nature. The colorless ones are considered
to be the most expensive and the most sought for diamonds. These
colorless diamonds are very rare, which is why they are priced higher
than the yellow ones. When considering an engagement ring, it is better
to choose one that has a colorless diamond.
Clarity of diamonds refers to the impurities that are in them. These
impurities resulted from pressure, heat, and rock sedimentation for over
thousands of years. Clarity of a diamond could not be judged using the
naked eyes. However, those diamonds that are priced higher are
considerably high in clarity.
Acquiring an engagement ring may be done through cash or credit in
jewelry stores. There are various types that are sold and some may come
in installment plans. When buying from a jewelry store, the name and the
credibility of the store should be considered. This will ensure that
the engagement ring is authentic and has a very good quality. There are
also engagement rings that can be found in pawnshops where great savings
are guaranteed.
There are also some who use an inherited ring as engagement rings. These
may be rings that were passed over to the sons and grandsons and should
be given to the women they would like to marry. Those who have
inherited these rings are considered fortunate since they surely saved
thousands of dollars plus, they were able to impress their girlfriends
with this romantic approach.
Engagement rings come in different trends and styles. This will depend
on the taste of the person who selected a specific engagement ring.
There are men who prefer the classic or the antique types of engagement
rings. On the other hand, many prefer the trendy ones. The trend
nowadays includes platinum and white gold for rings.
Men should not forget the commitment that comes with an engagement ring,
no matter the price, the style or how large the diamond is in the ring.
The symbol engagement rings carry should not be forgotten. It does not
matter whether a ring is expensive or not, what matters is the
commitment to love and devotion that should be kept once a ring is
offered to a woman.
Diamond Rings Dallas:
Wedding Rings
Once a couple has decided to walk down the aisle together, the next step
is often purchasing wedding rings together. Because there are so many
different kinds to choose from, it helps to know what distinguishes one
wedding band from another. There are several tips that you can follow to
ensure that you purchase wedding bands that suit your individual
preferences and budget.
First and foremost consumers should keep in mind that it certainly pays
to do their homework. The best advice for wedding ring shoppers is
patience. Couples should take the time to shop around and look at
several different wedding bands, and have in mind an idea of what
exactly they are looking for. Far too often customers compromise because
they feel they can't find exactly what they are looking for; chances
are you can find what you are looking for at a reasonable price, if you
give yourself plenty of time to research wedding rings thoroughly before
purchasing.
An article in Today's Summer Bride in Summer of 1989 suggested that
consumers be patient and shop wisely, but also have faith that they will
find what they are looking for. The article was referring to purchase
of a wedding gown, but buying wedding rings follows the same logic. You
probably didn't bump into your partner overnight, and likewise you
should expect it to take some time to find the perfect wedding rings as
symbols of your love and devotion to one another.
Marriage represents a commitment and shared love between two people.
Wedding ceremonies are often shrouded in symbolism, among the most
significant of which is the exchange of wedding rings between husband
and wife.
Engagement Rings Texas:
You have been dating the person of your dreams for quite some time now.
You may or may not be staying together as a couple, either of the two
has its own relationship problems; if you do not live as a couple, the
feeling of loneliness that surges through your heart every time your
partner says the words "good bye" after a lovely day well spent together
inspires you to do more and every time you turn mistakenly to share
with him or her your feelings, the empty space that greets you, quickly
turns your inspiration to do more into a resolve to do more now! For
those who have taken their relationships a step further by moving in
together.
Due to the loneliness felt each time a partner says good bye, different
forms of pressures and feelings set in they could be the need to make
your love official for the whole world to see or you both want to start a
stable family. Whatever motivates you into finally making the first
step to the most important commitment you would ever make in your entire
life might not be off importance but the symbol which you must provide
while taking this step is of the utmost importance - "The Engagement
Ring".
Today purchasing an engagement ring has now become the status quo of
identifying yourself as one who is already taken and ready for marriage
but have you ever played with the rock or band on your hand and thought
about its history? Since it's not specified in the bible or the oldest
documents that give detailed accounts of practices before marriage in
time passed.
The popular engagement ring of the modern age had its beginning as
recent as the 19th century and wasn't always a symbol of undying
affection, it was more or less the first part payment of the bride price
to be paid to the bride's family but handed over and worn by the bride.
It was a kind of insurance provided for the woman, in case the
prospective partner which was always the man at that time disbands the
marriage thereby compromising the woman's virtue and appeal to other
men.
The true meaning and symbol of the engagement ring started shining
through in the 20th century, when men gave their fiancées a band that
symbolized their love and intentions for a marriage union, the
engagement ring signified that she had been taken, out of limits and
ready to be married to her true love and it was placed on the fourth
finger of the left hand, for that finger was believed to have a vein
running through it which came directly from the heart therefore
symbolizing the finger as a "heart finger". Earlier rings could just be a
piece of silver or an iron band without any adornment, which the woman
inserts into her fourth finger on her left hand, this was the practice
for a short time till commercial rings and the media took over the
engagement scene.
The Adverts shown on engagement rings in the middle of the 19th century
suggested that men should spend no less than 2 months of their monthly
income to purchase the perfect ring for his precious bride to be and
just with an advert the definition and style of the engagement ring took
a new direction.
The modern engagement ring is a symbol that shows that a person is
engaged to be married with style. The cut, pricing and make of the
engagement ring although not all important, adds a certain flavour to
your engagement day or ceremony and has spurned a new jewellery market
all on its own.
The Engagement ring now comes in different designs; it could be a band
made of precious materials such as Gold, Platinum or Silver or it could
be a band laced with gem stones to provide an irresistible beauty to the
ring. The different major designs of engagement rings shall be
discussed below.
More about Avior:
Diamond Rings Dallas,
Jewelry Dallas.
