How to Choose the Perfect Engagement Ring
The median age for marriage for men is 30 years old; meanwhile, brides are typically 2.5 years younger than their husbands, with a median age of marriage of 28.
Whatever your age, when you’re ready to pop the question (or be asked the question!), you know that one of your biggest considerations will be visiting the jewelers to buy engagement rings. This process isn’t the same for everyone, though. For some couples, the days leading up to engagement are filled with excited secrecy, as one of the plans to surprise the other by asking for their hand in marriage. Other couples are more open about the process, and more hands-on about buying each other’s rings and wedding bands.
No matter which way you and your partner want to go about it, you’ll probably need some help picking out the right ring. Luckily, jewelers are there to help you every step of the way. But to get you started, here are the top things you need to know about choosing the perfect engagement ring.
Make Sure You’re Both on the Same Page
Surprises are lovely, but only when they’re good surprises! And one thing that should never be a surprise to you or your partner is the budget either of you has in mind. If you fall in love with the “perfect” wedding band or engagement ring, but it falls far above your partner’s spending ability, there are likely to be hurt feelings on both sides.
This is one of the reasons why it’s a good idea to be open with your partner about your intentions leading up to marriage. By making sure you’re on the same page regarding what you can spend, you can avoid heartache and frustration for both of you.
Know Your Ring Size (or Your Partner’s)
One of the number-one things jewelers recommend to women getting engaged is that they ensure their partner knows their ring size. Again, if you’re both being secretive because your partner wants to surprise you with a ring, this can be tricky.
If speaking openly about your intentions for your relationship is difficult, you can always find a work-around to make sure your partner knows important things like this. If you like, you can have a friend let your partner know what your ring size is. Or if you can tell that your partner is trying to figure it out, it might work to drop a hint by mentioning it casually or leaving an indiscriminate note out with your ring size on it.
Try Lots of Options
If you and your partner will be trying on rings, make sure you experiment with several, especially if you’ve never tried on rings before. You need to get a clear idea of what feels right on your hand, so try on a wide variety of styles.
These steps may seem simple, but they’re important to keep in mind as you search for the perfect engagement ring.