There are 4 main ways that a guy chooses the engagement ring for his number one girl. Which way is best? That is personal to each couple. The first option is the most traditional- the guy chooses the ring secretly, usually with help from her best friend/sister. This does put a lot of pressure on the guy and while he may have access to his lady's current jewelry and style, guessing on an engagement ring is enough to make any guy anxious. Beyond style, there are the 4 C's of diamonds (cut, carats, color, and clarity) not to mention price range. Whew. Talk about stress times 20! But some couples are very traditional and wouldn't be happy any other way.
Is she laughing at the ring or is she thrilled? Source
The second option is probably the second most common- for the girl to show her man a few rings that she likes before a proposal. She can leave wedding magazines open to ring ads, email him pictures or whatever crafty way she can think of. This is great because it does eliminate the guess work for the guy, but the major downside would be ring hinting before the guy is ready may cause some relationship tension. Ideally, if marriage has been discussed and even better, if the guy has brought up rings and engagement, feel free to send some pictures his way. Recently while on Ellen, Jennifer Love Hewitt spilled her ring thoughts. She has 3 rings already picked out at Tiffany's for when she gets close to that question popping time. J. Love feels like she is helping her future husband out by leading him down the right path but not every guy may take it that way. Right or wrong, this is definitely going to differ from couple to couple.
The third option is for the couple to go ring shopping together, after a lot of marriage talk but before an actual proposal. This works best for a couple who knows they want to get married and for a girl that doesn't need the surprise of the ring. The proposal is still a huge surprise and knowing that she will love her ring when she gets that proposal is the perfect combination for some girls. This also allows for the couple to discuss the ring budget together so everyone is on the same page. The fourth option is for the guy to propose without a ring and then for the couple to go ring shopping together after the proposal.
Each couple needs to think about what works best for them. As every girl remembers, Carrie Bradshaw had quite the adverse reaction on 'Sex and the City' when she accidentally found the ring Aidan Shaw bought for her. I've included not only a general idea of the ring she hated, but the SATC clip to refresh your memory (starts around 2:15). Enjoy & good luck!
Most girls have an idea of what their dream engagement ring will look like by their early to mid twenties. You have seen friends get engaged and checked out what they are rocking on their ring fingers, having picked apart what you like and what you don't. Are you a classic solitaire kind of girl or are you open to more unique rings? As we tend to do, let's take a look at celebrities colored engagement rings and maybe that will give you a better idea of what you like.
But colored stones aren't just for engagement rings, Zooey Deschanel has rubies alternating with diamonds on her wedding band. Obviously celebrities have a much larger bank account with which to purchase these engagement rings. But if you really like a certain gemstone, maybe your birth stone, don't be afraid to incorporate in the most important piece of jewelry you will ever own. Enjoy!
