Engagement Ring Shopping

Engagement rings come in many different shapes and sizes, and even the thought of shopping for one can be scary. When engagement ring shopping, there are a few things to consider… How much should you spend on an engagement ring? What are the different styles of engagement rings? What is the most popular engagement ring style?

So I am here to help and break down these questions for you!

How much should you spend on an engagement ring?

Maybe you’ve heard the old adage that you should spend 2-3 months of income on an engagement ring. Some people still go by this, but this doesn’t mean you or your fiance have to follow this rule. However, let’s be realistic: for some people, 2-3 months worth of salary just is not feasible. 
So here is a simple step by step process:

1. Figure out how much you are comfortable spending
2. Spend that much!

Start a budget to help you save up to the amount you have decided upon. 

What are the different styles of engagement rings?

Anyone could get easily overwhelmed searching for the perfect engagement ring when there are obscenely large amounts of styles available. From the engagement ring shapes to the actual settings, there’s also deciding the type or types of stones, band color, and plenty more.
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We’ve all heard these terms before: solitaire, vintage, halo, and three-stone. Those are types of styles to consider separately from the actual stone details. So my suggestion is, start with the band. Does your fiance like yellow gold, white gold, platinum, or rose gold? Once you figure that out, concentrate on the setting: 

• Solitaire is a stand alone diamond on the band
• Three stones is exactly what it says, with usually the middle stone being larger
• Halo has a band of diamonds around the center diamond

There are many other options (I would be here forever if I listed them all). 

Next is the cut of the diamond; round, oval, princess, emerald, pear, marcquise, heart, cushion, radiant, and asscher. If you have made it this far without feeling overwhelmed, that is about to change. 

Next up is carat size. You want to get a size that will not overpower their finger (unless that's their style), also consider their lifestyle (if they work with their hands you may want to consider something smaller). Of course, the size (and price for it) needs to fit into your budget. 

The last consideration is color and clarity – the less color in the diamond the more desirable; clarity is how many flaws the diamond has, the most desirable being internally flawless.  

Now comes actually shopping for the engagement ring. ​

So if you are at the point in your relationship where you are ready to purchase a ring, congratulations! Personally, I am a HUGE fan of shopping for engagement rings with your soon-to-be fiance. The proposal can still be a surprise and so can the final ring choice, but you both should actually see what looks good on your hand and what doesn’t. Picking out the right ring should be a team effort. 
My husband and I shopped online and then went to our local mall to shop in person. What I thought I would like was not what I actually liked on my hand. We ended up finding a setting I loved and he purchased the diamond separately. As for the engagement itself, well, we won't get into that (he couldn't wait and gave me the ring while driving home *insert eye roll emoji*).
What is your favorite engagement ring style? Are you a fan of the trends or will you go with something more classic? Let me know and drop any questions about engagement rings in the comments section below.
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Happy Engagement!

Photos provided by One-23 Photography