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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Rings are tricky things

Rings or a version of them can be linked back to before the Egyptians.  Each time a ring is presented no matter its position in history it has meant a binding agreement between two individuals.  The diamond ring is a relatively new concept. In 1477 Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy using a ring set with diamonds in the shape of an M.  DeBeers was the company that made the idea of a diamond the gold standard, no pun intended.

There have been many conversations lately swirling around where people have been complaining about the ring their fiance gave them.  It is not the "traditional" ring they expected. This frustrates me that people are disappointed in a symbol of love.  Even "The Simpsons" broached the subject when Marge and Homer got engaged with an onion ring.  No matter what your ring may be, gold, silver, platinum, diamond, ruby or sapphire it is meant to be a representation of your love and commitment to each other.

Enough about the history and people's proclivities, let's get down to what I have learned.  My husband knows my style very well and would have had no problem picking out what would be the perfect ring without help.  

However, he and our friend who is a jeweler and whose store we frequent did a little detective work.  We wandered in one day to visit the owner and while I was there he showed me his "new" line of rings.  He pointed out his favorite to me and asked me which was my favorite.  The owner even asked me if there was somethings I would change about certain rings.  It seemed a little odd at the time but I went with the flow.  Long story short on the fateful night of our engagement my husband presented me with the ring that I liked best.  


The moral of the story is if someone, anyone asks you what you think of certain styles of rings or a particular ring you must be completely honest.  You never know who might be in on helping pick your ring.  Either way remember it is a symbol of your love and future together.

As soon as you have said yes and put the ring on make sure it fits perfect.  If it is super loose get it adjusted as soon as possible, you don't want to lose it.  If it is slightly loose, keep it that way.  When you stack rings on top of each other they tend to fit tighter.  

Call your home owners or renters insurance right away.  You fiancĂ© doesn't have to tell you how much was spent on the ring but it definitely needs to be revealed to your  insurance agent.  This will protect you in case of loss or theft.  Not the most exciting part of being engaged but very, very important.

Lastly, no matter how weird it feels to give someone your hand when they ask to see the ring do not take it off and hand it to the person wishing to see it.  At a dinner party once a guest asked to see my ring.  Since we were sitting across the table from each other I handed it to her.  She proceeded to wear it for a half hour.  It was probably one of the most uncomfortable half hours of my life.  

I know that was a lot of information for one post, but I believe it can be helpful in many different ways.  Engagement and everything that goes with it can feel like walking a tight rope at times, but it is absolutely worth it.

Merry & Married Meg


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

You're Engaged . . . Now What?

Getting engaged is a roller coaster of emotions.  There is the feeling of surprise, the giddiness of saying yes, and then the adrenaline that follows.  You are ecstatic and want to tell the world,  but WAIT!

Surprised, yes!
I was totally underdressed for the fancy restaurant but,
hey I had no idea what was going to happen.
I thought the staff was just super friendly.
My Sutro Tower t-shirt will forever remind me of that night.

The moment you say yes you will want to shout it from the rooftops, but are you ready for the barrage of questions that will follow?  Here are the most asked questions I ran into:

  • How did he ask?
  • Did you know he was going to ask?
  • What does the ring look like?
  • Do you know what kind of dress you want?
  • When is the wedding?
Yes, you read that last one correctly.  WHEN IS THE WEDDING?  Hello, I just got engaged how am I supposed to know!

Believe it of not that was the most asked question I encountered.  There really is no way to answer that.  Not many people out there have a venue lined up before the question is popped, so not many people can answer that ridiculousness. 

I think people ask these kinds of questions because after you say congratulations it is hard to keep the conversation going in that same vain.  Your friends and family are happy for you, but they are at a loss for words.  When things start to head in the manner of an interrogation, explain that you are glad that you got to share the news with them and you have other people that you would like to tell so you will call back again soon when more of the details are settled.  By explaining that you will check back you give yourself and the person you are sharing with have an out.

The greatest advice I can give for the newly engaged is take at least a couple hours to enjoy yourselves and the love that you share.  Appreciate your relationship and revel in each other's company before you pick up that phone.

Make sure you are ready to share and answer many, many questions before you open the flood gates.  Not only will questions follow but so will opinions and advice.  Some things people tell you will be helpful and others will not, so take everyone's advice and use what YOU think will help you.  

Merry & Married Meg