Archive for July, 2009

 

A Real Life Engagement Story – Choosing the Ring

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Choosing the perfect engagement ring is one of the most important decisions a couple will make in their new lives together, but there are several ways to go about it. Either you can keep the proposal a secret and hope you find the perfect ring, or you can enlist the help of your bride-to-be and allow her to choose.

 

In the case of my sister and her boyfriend, it was a little bit of both.

 

About a month prior to the actual proposal, they visited a jewelry store in the local mall. This was not unusual, as my sister often looked at engagement rings to get an idea of what she would like if and when she was ever proposed to. She immediately spotted a gorgeous bridal set made from platinum with several round diamonds surrounding the engagement ring (almost like a partial eternity band.) The wedding ring was a simple platinum band. The total carat weight amounted to 1 and 1/2 carats, so as you can imagine it was not a cheap ring by any means.

 

Little did she know that her boyfriend was paying very close attention to her jewelry preferences, and filed the information away for later use. He was actually very smart, as a matter of fact.

 

For anyone who is planning to propose but would like to keep it a secret, pay attention to her likes and dislikes when it comes to jewelry. While you may not be able to follow her into a jewelry store and know the exact ring your bride-to-be covets, you can get a clue of her stylistic preferences from the type of jewelry she already wears. Anyway, about a month later, the ring my sister had longed for ended up on her finger. Not only did her boyfriend pay attention to her subtle clues, he remembered them and went back to the jewelry store to purchase the perfect engagement ring. How sweet is that?

 

Needless to say, my sister was floored and readily accepted the gorgeous ring. Even though she had picked out that exact design one month prior, the proposal was still kept a complete secret and she had no idea he had actually bought the ring.

 

In the next few posts, I hope to have pictures of the engagement ring/bridal set, as well as the complete list of specs so other couples can compare a real-life engagement ring with their ideas.

 

Hopefully, this post has taught you that you can get input from your bride-to-be about her idea of the perfect engagement ring without letting her know you’re planning to pop the question!

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A Real Life Engagement Story – The Proposal

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

My sister dreamed of the perfect proposal. Since she was a young girl, obsessed with fairy tale princess and romantic notions of true love, she fantasized about what her marriage proposal would be like. After four years of dating “Mr. Right,” she found out – and it met every one of her wildest dreams, and then some.

 

After a normal Saturday night dinner, my sister and her boyfriend decided to take a walk down towards the beach. Since they live in a coastal town, this isn’t unusual. They often hang out at the beach after a nice dinner, watching the waves and walking along the sand.

 

I say this isn’t unusual so that you understand my sister had no idea what was coming. They settle down on a couple of rocks and watch as the sun sets over the Pacific. (I know, romantic right?)

 

As they sit there in comfortable silence, my sister’s boyfriend breaks the silence by asking when she is going to give him an engagement ring. This sounds like a complete give-away of what’s to come, but still she had no idea. Laughing, she tells him there’s no way he’s getting a ring until one gets slipped on her finger. On that note, he gets down on bended knee and proposes, ring box in hand and a smile on his face.

 

At this point, I’m sure most women can imagine what transpired. For a woman who has waited years for the perfect proposal, this is one that definitely should go down in the history books. With tears in her eyes, my sister happily accepts the proposal and he slips a gorgeous ring on her finger.

 

I plan to talk about the ring in a later installment of “A Real Life Engagement Story,” including how the ring was picked out and what helped him make his decision.

 

While my sister’s proposal was classically romantic, not all proposals have to follow the same theme. Whether you propose on the beach or in a restaurant; a crowded airport or the patio of a chic cafe or even on your couch, it will be romantic because of the message and intentions behind it.

 

In later articles, you will learn how this real-life couple set out to find the perfect engagement ring, as well as the process of having the ring sized, appraised and insured.

 

Learning about how real couples went about the engagement process offers an in-depth and informative look at what you can expect if you are planning to wed, and I hope you join me as we continue on this journey of discovery.

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A Real Life Engagement Story – Introduction

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

No matter how many factual articles you read about diamonds, the 4 C’s, wedding or engagement rings and everything in between, nothing is as powerful or as informative as a true story about the engagement process.

 

After four years of dating, my sister’s boyfriend finally popped the question. She couldn’t be happier, and I couldn’t be happier for her. Because I am curious to know how they went about the process of finding a ring, managing the hurdles of dating and living together, and finally proposing, I plan to create a series of in-depth articles to help other couples learn exactly what it takes to get from dating to the all-important proposal.

 

Over the next few weeks, I will be talking to my sister to get information first-hand about how the perfect engagement ring was selected (it’s gorgeous, by the way,) how he proposed and what it took to get to that step.

 

You can learn everything there is to possibly know about engagement rings, gemstones, settings, precious metals and ring designs, but none of that information compares to a real-life story of the engagement process.

 

It is my hope that these articles will prove useful to anyone who is considering an engagement or is already beginning the process of searching for the perfect ring, and wants to know how a real-life couple managed to do so.

 

Even if you’ve already started looking for the ring or are already engaged, I believe this series will not only offer a factual and informative look into the lives of an engaged couple and how they got there, but also offer both hope and inspiration for the future.

 

I hope you will join me during this series, and even if only one person benefits from what I have written, it will be worth it to share the story of a real-life couple who have become engaged and loved every minute of the process!

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How to Upgrade your Engagement Ring

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

Sometimes, the engagement ring you’ve always hoped for doesn’t end up being the perfect piece of jewelry you thought it would be. Other times, you may just decide your tastes have changed. Whatever your reasons, upgrading your engagement ring is a simple way to make sure your engagement ring will be treasured forever.

 

Reasons for Upgrading your Engagement Ring

 

There are many different reasons for upgrading an engagement ring. Perhaps your original ring was an heirloom piece that, while sentimental and a nice gesture, just isn’t your style.

 

Many couples use synthetic diamonds or other gemstones in the initial engagement ring because they can’t afford to buy the real deal at first. Once they become more financially stable, they often choose to upgrade the original engagement ring to include all of the elements the bride-to-be always wanted in a ring.

Other times, a woman decides her style has changed, and the first engagement ring no longer matches her preferences. Whatever the reasons, it’s perfectly acceptable to upgrade an engagement ring when it no longer suits you.

 

Refresh your Memory

 

When shopping for your new engagement ring, it is just as important to research your options and decide what you want and can afford as it was when you bought the original ring.

If your engagement ring will include diamonds, read up on the 4 C’s (cut, clarity, color and carat weight) which can help you in determining the quality of the stones. You may even want to consider new or unique settings, gemstones or metals if you are looking for a more contemporary design.

 

Upgrading to a Completely New Ring

 

While some women keep the existing ring but change a few features to make it more up-to-date with their preferences, others decide they want an entirely different engagement ring than the one they were originally presented with.

 

In this case, you can play around with all sorts of options because you are not limited to designing around the original ring.

 

Consider adding a bit of sentimentality to your new, upgraded engagement ring by engraving the inside of the band with a special word, phrase or date that means something to the two of you. Incorporating your birthstones into the design of your newly upgraded ring can also add a touch of symbolism and is a special way to make your new ring unique.

 

Many women also like the look of three stone rings, and these are especially beautiful to symbolize a relationship, as each stone represents the different stages of that relationship (the past, the present and the future.) If you choose to upgrade your engagement ring to a three-stone design, you are making a lovely choice that is extra sentimental.

 

The reasons for upgrading your engagement ring are varied, and there is nothing wrong with changing the ring if it does not meet your expectations. This is a piece of jewelry that you will ideally own for the rest of your life, so you want to be happy with your choice!

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