The following is a guest post. If you have something completely awesome to contribute to Budget Blonde, please e-mail it to me at Cat [at] BudgetBlonde [dot] com.
You have the girl, you’ve spoken to her father, and you’re ready to pop the big question: “Will You Marry Me?”
Those are the four words that every girl wants to be asked, and the majority of women have been dreaming about it since they were children.
So, choosing the perfect engagement ring has never been more important, but as with every big decision in life, it can be confusing.
So, we’ve put together a definitive guide for picking exactly the right ring that will be perfect just for her:
1) Know Your Budget
Many people commonly panic when they begin to consider how much to spend on that one ring that will change your life. Everyone has a different theory over how much is acceptable, or right. The honest answer is that you set a budget that you can afford. It really is that simple. You may have been saving for months, or you may not. Either way, you should have an amount of money set aside and avoid going into debt over the purchase.
The ring is a symbol of your love for each other, so if you don’t have the budget that you want then don’t let that postpone the proposal. You can ask the big question and find the ring at a separate time; there are after all hundreds out there to choose from. Have a look at the collections in different stores such as Michael Hill for some inspiration.
2) Know Her Style
This may sound completely obvious, but knowing her style is the key to picking exactly the right ring (and let’s face it, many of us simply don’t know.) If you don’t want to ask outright, then you are going to have to get a little creative, starting with looking at her current jewelery choices. Does she wear more silver than gold? Or, is she a fan of precious stones like rubies? You can learn a lot from looking at her current collection.
Once you have a starting point, then you can look at her fashion choices in general. Is she a glamorous lady or a tom boy? The clothing she chooses to wear is a great way to look for color choices and the type of ring she would like.
Finally, you can ask her family or friends; this is where you would have to be very careful of who you would trust to know your plan to marry your partner. You don’t want the news to get back to her!
3) Brush Up On Your Diamond and Metals Knowledge
By this point you will have a pretty good idea of the style that you are looking to buy. Now you just need a little research behind you so that you can find the ultimate ring. There are many cuts of diamonds, from hearts to ovals. This will determine the main shape of the ring, and you will need to take into consideration the size of the diamond as well. Plus, you have to look at different fittings such as Pave or Bezel Set.
These final details will determine the price, size, and style of the ring that you choose, so do your homework first. If you head to the jewelers with a well thought out plan, you will be a lot less confused by viewing multiple styles.
Editor’s note: I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having a budget. If she’s the right girl for you, she wouldn’t want you to go into debt over the purchase. Remember, there are a lot of alternatives to diamonds and many ways to go about choosing the perfect ring.
Does anyone else have advice on picking the perfect engagement ring?
We skipped this, since we bought the wedding bands directly. And we made a very careful purchase, with eyes on the budget. We have many plans ourselves (including a baby that’s already on the way) so ‘blocking’ money on a golden ring wasn’t the best option. The bands cost us little compared to what others would have paid, they were well bellow the set budget and they’re still very beautiful.
Just as mentioned in the article, don’t go over your budget. If she’s expecting you to go into debt or over-spend on a ring, maybe she’s not the right match.