Many spend a lifetime searching for their dream woman, whereas others are more serendipitous and cross paths with the women they want to marry early on. No matter how it happens, few can dispute that there is any feeling greater than finding that person. With nerves coursing through your veins at an accelerated rate with the rapid beats of your heart, it is easy for your ideal marriage proposal to not play out like it did in your head. Maybe the ring you got was too big or too small? This is very common with a surprise proposal. Maybe the mood was not quite what you pictured? Maybe your movie worthy speech about your undying love for your hopeful bride did not come out as smoothly as you hoped. No worries. Here are a few tips to help your proposal a moment you will both cherish forever.
1. Surely you have spoken about it by this point, if you’re mustering up the courage to ask her. Maybe you were taking a stroll at the mall and she started dropping hints as to what rings she thought looked gorgeous. It has even become somewhat common for couples to go together for the girl to pick out the ideal ring. The route you choose, whether piecing together the clues that have been dropped over the course of your relationship and preserving the element of surprise, or if you take her to the jewelry store, will make the moment that much more special. Either way, enlist help, whether it is her directly or, if you are preserving the element of surprise, ask her parents, siblings, close friends, or whoever else would be able to provide helpful insight, while keeping the secret.
2. Perhaps an underrated and overlooked thing, you must know her ring size! You can ask her, but that could give it away. You can enlist the help of someone to ask her for her size. Another route is to find a ring she wears semi-regularly, borrow it, and get it sized. Return it quickly, so she doesn’t think it’s lost or stolen.
3. After you know her size and what she’d like (probably diamonds), it’s time to figure out your budget. While your future bride to be is undoubtedly worth millions to you, it is probably prudent to find something that is reasonable and within what you can afford. Industry standards state that a man should use the equivalent of 2 months’ salary. However, do not feel obligated by this number. Once you figure out your budget, it’s time to find a reputable jeweler.
4. Finding a reputable jeweler is extremely important. An engagement ring is a huge purchase, and you don’t want to get ripped off. The guy you walked by on the street offering you jewelry from watches to tungsten rings may seem reputable, but chances are he is not. Read up on your options and go somewhere reliable and reputable.
5. Next, find out if there are any family traditions. It may be a cultural thing to ask permission of the woman’s family, or just the father. It is extremely important to do this as you don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with the future in-laws.
6. Learn all you can about diamonds! If you do not wish to be taken advantage of, it is imperative that you take the time to learn all you can about diamonds. Scour the internet and learn all you can. There are generally four major things you need to know about: clarity, color, carat, and cut. More detail on diamond must knows can be found in a separate blog entry.
7. Now that you have that all planned out: you know what she wants, you know where to get it, and you have her family’s blessing … it’s time for the next big step: finding the perfect location. One of the most memorable and important parts of the proposal is the perfect location. As you can imagine, most people will ask her how you proposed. You undoubtedly have shared many memories with her and can find a romantic, yet significant location to pop the big question.
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