Marriage is when two people combine their lives into one new adventure. It is the moment of truth, when you are giving more of yourself to someone else than you expect to receive in return. The commitment of marriage and the event of a wedding give reason to want and expect the best. If this is going to be you’re “happily ever after” then at the very least it has to be nothing short of perfection. This starts from the very beginning gentlemen, so listen up. You start this whole wedding/marriage thing out on the right note by selecting the most amazing engagement ring. How in the world, you ask yourself, are you going to make sure you get something that will amaze your beautiful bride to be?
There are many things to consider when asking for a ladies hand in marriage. One thing you should decide is if you are requesting her hand in marriage with her knowledge and for sight in the whole process. This is important if you think she would prefer to be a part of the selection process of her ring or is she more apt to love the excitement of being surprised when you finally decide it is time. Again, this is something to consider based on if you think she already is aware that a proposal is impeding and the amount of input she would like to have in picking out the ring that will be a part of her for the rest of her life. Many women are excited about the whole proposal and like being surprised at the choice her mate has made for her.
The first step to take if you have decided that you would like to surprise your girl friend with a proposal is to determine, to the best of your ability, what she wants. The idea of seeing a shiny diamond engagement ring in a velvet box is ideal however if you were to somehow gauge ahead of time a preference. The first step to this is to actively start listening. Almost all women will drop hints. It is up to you to decipher the code. I guarantee she will eventually let you know what she wants without you ever having to ask or call her attention to the event.
Another tip is to take a sneak peek into her jewelry box and see what type of jewelry she tends to purchase for herself. Take a look at her. What does she wear daily now? Does she like jewelry with color? Is she into more classic styles? Or does she prefer chunky rings? This should give you a good idea of something she would choose for herself.
Another aspect you will need to find out is the size of her ring finger. This is not only important for the obvious, you want to ensure the ring will fit perfectly as she will for surely want to wear it immediately but also different size fingers are destined for rings and diamonds of different sizes and shapes. For instance a fine, classic, delicate ring works more easily on a shorter hand while it could get lost on a long, slim finger. The opposite is true also. A large and bold chunky piece with extra gem stones could look awkward on a hand with shorter fingers. The width of the band also affects its appearance on the hand as well.
The stone shape in itself is an important. The most common shape for a diamond is round, otherwise known as a diamond solitaire engagement ring. There are a variety of shapes, sizes and colors in diamonds. A choice should be made on personal choice. Women accent their hands using their jewelry. If your significant other has short fingers it might be beneficial to opt away from the popular solitaire and look at oval diamond engagement rings, those length short-handed fingers.
If you are feeling bewildered you can enlist the aid of another female. Unless you are afraid the surprise might be ruined. Another option is to choose a loose diamond for the proposal event and later takes your bride-to-be to pick out the perfect setting. This is also a good comprise if you are nervous about making such a big decision on your own.