Let's talk bling: Engagement Ring Shopping
I remember sitting at a restaurant with some girlfriends several years ago fawning over my friend’s engagement ring. It was beautiful. Rose gold, pear cut, the perfect size. She told us how she and her then fiancé had gone ring shopping + picked out her ring. I remember thinking how mature and intimidating it sounded walking into a jeweler next to your boyfriend, knowing you look far too young to be purchasing anything in those glass cases.
Well, let me tell you, it does not have to be as intimating as it seems. In fact, it can be really fun!
My first experience ring shopping
The first time we ever went to a jeweler was in South Carolina in 2019. We went to the mall with zero intention of ring shopping, but as we passed the jeweler’s decided to pop in. I can’t express to you how out of place I felt. Even though we had been together for 6+ years, I somehow felt under-qualified for this experience. Thankfully, after some small talk, the woman behind the counter made us feel more at ease. I initially wanted to get my ring finger sized, but ended up staying a while and trying on different styles. I ultimately found one that was super unique, almost like a sunflower with diamonds cascading around the center. While it was beautiful, something in my heart told me it wasn’t me. We left the mall giddy after dipping our toes in the pool of engagement rings.
Choosing my ring
Fast forward to winter 2020, and we decided to go ring shopping at James Allen in Georgetown. We had seen some of their ads online before and were excited to visit their store in the city.
After much time spent on Pinterest, I knew I want something yellow gold with either a round or oval diamond and a very skinny band.
I promise this is not sponsored, but I feel like it should be, because we loved everything about our experience. We were first greeted by a worker who directed us towards a table full of engagement rings. Each of the rings had a fake diamond, which meant we were free to grab and try on anything without asking the workers for assistance. I can’t tell you how refreshing that is. No glass counter with a stuffy worker making me feel guilty about trying on every ring… and I do mean every ring.
We took our time, trying on almost every color + style imaginable. I should mention there were also lots of other young couples doing the same, which definitely made this experience even more comfortable. We took lots of pictures and ultimately narrowed it down to a few rings that we loved. Both gold with oval stones, one with diamonds on the band and one without.
When we got home, we looked through the pictures, talking through the options. I felt so confident in what we had seen that I swore I wouldn’t look at the pictures again. Why? I didn’t want to know what I would get. Sure I had an idea that it would be yellow gold, but I wanted to be surprised when the day finally came.
Designing the ring
I of course was not involved in this process, but I will give you the low-down from Pete. One of my favorite things about Pete is that he is very good at details. When I tell you he searched for the perfect diamond, trust me, he searched. I was shocked when I heard how much thought and analysis goes into finding the perfect stone.
He designed the ring on the James Allen website and ordered it in March. Unfortunately due to covid delays affecting shipping, the ring took longer than expected to arrive. But by June, he got the ring + had it hidden in our closet until he proposed in July :)
Here is what I ended up with: a yellow gold band with an halo oval diamond.
Why you should shop together beforehand
I can not recommend shopping for the ring together enough!! Oh my goodness. I personally knew that I would only feel comfortable picking out a ring after seeing it on my finger and that was the best decision I made. I quickly learned which color looked best on my skin tone, diamond felt the most my-style and size that seemed most practical for me.
Plus it is especially good to do if you aren’t a ring connoisseur and don’t know your ring size! It also allows you to ask questions like what the process of customization looks like or how much time your should expect ordering the ring to take.
I know one of the biggest reasons people don’t shop for rings together is to keep the element of surprise, but trust me when I say that the engagement itself will already be a massive surprise, and, unless you are getting engaged like the day after ring shopping, the bling will be too!
Tips for ring shopping
Decide what matters most to you
I know this might sound harsh, but how much of your partner’s opinion do you value? I have some friends who know exactly what ring they want and honestly don’t really worry about what their partner thinks + others who want to be completely surprised by their partner. Have that conversation beforehand to see where both of your priorities lie. I personally wanted Pete to be involved in choosing the ring because I see it as something that symbolizes us and reminds me of him, and thankfully he felt the same.
Make a fun day of it
Don’t let it be intimidating, instead treat it like a fun date activity! Go ring shopping in the morning then grab coffee or lunch and chat about your favorites. It’s a fun way to debrief and turn it into a special memory.
Dress cute
It sounds vain, but dressing cute really helped me envision what ring I wanted. Of course I recommend wearing something that is true to your style, for me gold jewelry and jeans, but also something that makes you feel good. There is something about feeling a little cute when trying on that bling that feels special.
Bring some inspo!
Bring your Pinterest boards to the store, it’ll help you narrow down whether or not that dream ring you’ve loved for years is a.) even possible to make with that jeweler OR b.) something that you actually like! It’s also a great starting point for any workers helping you.
Don’t worry about trends
Here’s the thing: every ring will go out of style, so pick something that you like now. I think it’s most important to stick to your style and choose something that makes you happy! If years down the line you decide you want to change it up, you can always do an upgrade or redesign.
Whether you are about to get engaged or have friends who are in this process, feel free to send this as a guide to make their experience a little easier!