Deciding that the woman you’re with is The One is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. At the same time,it’s probably one of the easiest, too!
After all, she’s kind, smart, beautiful, and she’s always been there to make you smile when you needed it most. What more could you possibly need?
With such an exceptional woman on your hands, you need a proposal plan that is just as special- and it all starts with the ring…
The right engagement ring should be a lot like her: one-of-a-kind, stunning, and an everlasting reminder of your love and devotion to each other. Unfortunately, choosing an engagement ring isn’t nearly as easy as choosing a bride! With so many options and pressure to get it just right, it’s no wonder that men tend to make some slip-ups when delving into the world of diamond engagement rings.
Keep reading to learn about some of the most common mistakes men make when buying engagement rings and what you can do to avoid them.
Mistake #1: A Lack of Legwork
Just because a jeweler offers expensive pieces doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily high quality. It’s of vital importance that you research the jeweler you choose before making a purchase. Beyond ensuring that you aren’t being scammed, though, you should also do a little research on wedding ring vocabulary.
You might think that “stone,” “band,” and “size” are all the words you need to know, but diamond rings come in an incredible array of cuts and settings to choose from. Learning the lingo before entering the store can save you a lot of time, and the staff will enjoy not having to explain each and every detail of the selection on hand to you.
Mistake #2: Forgetting Your Fiancé
You are choosing a piece of jewelry that she will be wearing each and every day for the rest of her life. Before making a decision, you really need to understand her sense of style! Does she prefer that her daily-wear sparkle and shine, or does she think that anything above a single karat is gaudy and flashy? Does she only wear silver necklaces and earrings? If so, a rose gold ring might be pretty, but it definitely won’t blend seamlessly with her other accessories.
This may all sound a little overwhelming at first, but the good news is that it may not be as challenging as you imagine to stake out her style. You can casually bring up the appearance of an engaged friend’s ring, or you can have a close and trustworthy friend of hers take her into a fine jewelry store ‘just for fun.’ Nowadays, many women put together Pinterest “wedding boards” as soon as the word “engagement” is mentioned! All it takes to figure out what your fiancé will love is a little bit of patience and observation.
Mistake #3: Rushing the Decision
Speaking of patience, many men make the mistake of rushing the ring decision because they are so excited to propose. It’s good to be eager about your engagement, but it takes time to set a budget, engage in ring research, and really make an effort to search for something that will make her smile!
Mistake #4: Getting Suckered into ‘Sales’
Sales that are too-good-to-be-true usually are, especially when it comes to fine jewelry. A beautiful engagement ring that was not very well crafted may be marked down as incentive to get you to make a purchase that you may regret later.
A spectacularly inexpensive engagement ring might not be made with real diamonds, after all, and a ‘sale’ that’s ending in only a few hours might just be a ploy to get you to make a rush decision on the ring. On occasion, you might encounter some savings but generally speaking, you should be wary of any price that is drastically out of the ordinary.
Mistake #5: The Budget Burden
It’s can be a challenge to figure out how much to spend on an engagement ring and the common wisdom is all over the board. Sometimes men burden themselves with a super pricey ringthat they can’t exactly afford. It’s important to figure out how much you’re comfortable spending before you go shopping so that you don’t make a snap decision and regret it later.
Weddings are enough of a financial burden on their own, without anyone going overboard on spending. You must rest assured that your fiancé would rather have a modest ring and monetary security than a really big rock and a dire amount of debt!
Buying the right engagement is such an important decision. And because it involves shopping for something you probably know very little about, you’re bound to feel some trepidation.
Just remember to go slowly, seek guidance from experts and keep in mind that the ring is a symbol of your love and commitment to one another. The rest will fall into place when you hear the word, “Yes!”
About the Author: Ed Bush is a jewelry expert and frequent guest author on a variety of blogs. As a managing partner for Barmakian Jewelers of Boston and New Hampshire, Ed has seen his fair share of nervous men shopping for engagement rings, so he hopes his expertise can help make the process as smooth as possible for grooms-to-be. For more info, head to Www.Barmakian.Com.