Summer 2018 has been the season for pop star engagements, (Ariana, Justin, Nick Jonas) so I felt like it was time to get engaged too. Juuuuuust kidding on the trendy part, but very serious about the marriage part! Jacob and I are engaged! We certainly have a few life changes going on at the moment, but I am beyond thrilled to call Jacob my fiancé.
Today I wanted to chat about the ring-shopping process, because it’s daunting! I asked you on Instagram if you had any questions, and ya’ll sure did, so let’s get into it:
My babe and the beach
Q: How do I make sure my boyfriend picks the one that I like?
You know your boyfriend and relationship best so ultimately, do what’s right for YOU! Here are the options I see:
- Be blunt. “Babe, I like a round cut, no halo, silver.”
- Go halfsies. Do some window shopping together so he gets an idea of what you like and ring size, but leave the final decision up to him.
- Trickery. Leave your Pinterest board open on your laptop when you go into another room, show him a friend that just got engaged on Facebook and throw in quick a comment, (“Look, Brooke is engaged! I love the halo on her ring!”), talk to a friend about a ring in front of him…you know the drill.
- Employ a friend or family member. Maybe he’s got it covered, maybe he’d appreciate the help. Just make sure your trusted helper knows exactly what you want in case he has any questions.
Q: Was your proposal a surprise?
The ring, no, the proposal, YES! We went through the shopping process together and both of us are so thankful that we did. We have also been living together for awhile now and are in the middle of a cross-country move, so we had to take finances into consideration. It was important for us to be on the same page about such a large purchase and depending on your relationship, that may be important for you too. So while I knew about the ring and designed it with Jacob I had NO CLUE it was finished and he had picked it up. If you want to read more about the actual proposal, you can read about that on How He Asked.
Surprised face
Q: Where did you get your ring?
About a year ago we popped into a national chain just for fun to browse and had a terrible experience. The saleswoman was very pushy and slightly rude. Fore example, I knew I wanted a thinner band and she told me, “that will never work when you have kids.” I was quite taken aback by this remark, not only because she was making the assumption that we’d have children, but also shocked at how dismissive she was. If you’re going to be involved in the shopping experience, it should be an enjoyable one! RUN if you don’t like your salesperson.
Jacob and I went to Fey & Company in Lincoln Park and had an incredible experience with Jon. Fey & Company has a second location in Naperville, which is how I knew about them. Jon was warm, friendly, was helpful offering advice and as cheesey as it sounds, really made my ring dreams come true. We had two appointments, which I would also recommend, so you get some time to marinate.
The day we picked out the ring
Q: This may be too personal, but what’s your carat size? Yours is perfect!
Firstly, thank you! I totally get this question. We see it everywhere as soon as a celebrity gets engaged and when you’re ring shopping, it’s easy to get swept up in the size. Here are my thoughts on size: a 1 carat marquise cut is going to look drastically different than a 1 carat cushion cut. Focus more on what looks good on your finger, because while you may like the look of one ring on your friend, it may look too small/large on you.
Q: Were the 4C’s important to you while choosing?
Yes and no. While I wanted a quality diamond, it wasn’t the end-all-be-all when it came down to picking the final stone. At Fey & Company, we set a price point and worked around that. Based on our criteria, we had two stones to choose from. The differences between the two were ever so slight; one slightly rounder than the other and one had a touch more yellow. Jon was great at explaining the differences but in the end he said, “It comes down to the look you want and what you want to see every day.”
Q: How did you decide on oval?
Just like finding a dress that fits your shape, you need to find a diamond that fits your hand. I knew I wanted an elongated-shape diamond because I didn’t like how the round or princess cuts looked on my finger. I was between an oval and pear but settled on oval once I started trying them on. If you’re too intimidated going into a jewler, go to Kohls! You’ll get an idea of what you like and don’t like as a starting point.
Q: I noticed you chose gold! So pretty!
Thank you! I only wear gold jewelry and it just fits my personality better. Jacob asked if I was sure about the gold while shopping and I was confident in my choice. In the end, he told me that once he picked up the ring and opened the box, he was “blown away” with how it turned out.
Don’t let trends determine what you do or do not choose. If you’re passionate about rose gold, only wear rose gold and love rose gold, get rose gold! Don’t be worried if someone tells you it will “go out of style.” If anything, I would say pick a stone you know you love because it’s more affordable to change a setting down the road.
Remember at the end of the day, a ring is just a ring. It’s all about making the choice to share your life with someone. I look at the picture above and get a little teary every time I see it. I get to spend the rest of my life with a human that makes me wildly happy, and that’s all I can really ask for.
Outfit Details
I bought this dress on a whim and now I’ll probably never get rid of it.
I completely agree with you, the ring is a just a ring. The reason behind it is what matters and that you’re committing to one another. Congrats beautiful. Have you guys picked out a date? Are you going to be a 2019 brides like me 😉
Author
Thank you so much!! Most likely 2019 but still up in the air 🙂