Getting engaged is an exciting time for any couple. Traditionally the pressure is on for the groom-to-be, but more and more brides are taking the lead in selecting their rings. The introduction of £1 engagement rings has made it even easier for brides picking their own.
Poundland, the retailer who invented them, sell 20,000 cut-price engagement rings per week, according to recent reports. As a result, the proposal can go ahead as planned and the £1 engagement ring replaced with the real thing once the bride has found a design that makes her heart flutter. The £1 engagement ring may be making the process of selecting your own simple, but is this too much of a break with tradition? Here we reveal whether brides picking their own engagement rings is a wedding do or don’t.
Pro: There’s no surprise
Some people just don’t like surprises, especially if you’re not all that confident in your partner’s picking ability. Joy will certainly be the main emotion you feel when your partner pops that question and reveals the engagement ring they’ve chosen for you. But what if your second emotion is distaste for the engagement ring they’ve picked? One Fab Day offers some words of wisdom when breaking the news that you don’t love your engagement ring:
“Your partner might be really hurt or disappointed, he or she may have put a lot of thought and time into choosing the ring, and there may be reasons why they selected the one they did. Listen to them and let them know that talking to them about it has been hard for you too, but you know they’d appreciate your honesty.”
Whether you’re planning a short or long engagement, the look and feel of your engagement ring need to be right. Being realistic and bringing the issues you have with your engagement ring up in a positive way will ensure feelings don’t get hurt and you end up with a design you adore.
Con: There’s no surprise
Knowing that your partner has picked the perfect design for you is quite possibly one of the biggest brownie points that can be earned. The ring selection is an important and exciting part of the proposal process. There’s nothing like opening that little jewellery box and seeing the engagement ring that you’ll cherish for the very first time. There’s also nothing like seeing the expression on a bride-to-be’s face when she realises that her partner really does know her inside out.
Pro: It’s a great way to kickstart planning!
By thinking of engagement ring shopping as the first task on your wedding to-do list you can really enjoy the experience. Shopping together is something you’ve got to get used to when planning a wedding. Shopping for your engagement ring is also a great excuse to spend some quality time with your partner, particularly before the chaos of wedding planning takes hold. Think of it as the ultimate date night!
When selecting your own ring, your partner doesn’t have to worry about reading your hints and you don’t have to worry about dropping them. You get to choose a ring you love and a ring you’ll be proud to show off for the rest of your life.
Know someone who’s just got engaged? Give them a present to remember for all the right reasons with our guide to the best engagement gift ideas of 2019.
