When Should You Present Someone With an Engagement Ring?
Taking that big step and asking someone to marry you can be nerve-wracking at best. The decision of when to pop the question and present the ring differs for everyone, and the scenario you have in your head might not be the one that will actually work for you.
The Big Surprise
There's the traditional engagement, where you surprise your partner with a ring and the question. This can be exciting, for sure. However, it can also be a shock that leads your partner to stare at you instead of saying yes or even tell you they're not ready. And, if you choose the ring with no input from the person who will actually be wearing it, you risk them not liking it or the ring not fitting properly. You can mitigate this a bit by observing what rings your partner likes to wear normally, but keep in mind that tastes in costume jewellery may be very different from taste in a ring that's going to stay on the hand most of the time. If your partner doesn't like surprises or is picky about jewellery, you may be better off skipping the surprise ring and combining the marriage question with arrangements to go to a jewellery store together.
The Trip to the Store
In this case, you've asked your partner to marry you and said you wanted them to have an engagement ring that they like and that fits. So instead of presenting a ring, you've presented the request to go to the store so the partner can pick one out. This can be a tricky option. Many people will appreciate it because it's a practical action, but others may be surprisingly insulted by the lack of a shiny diamond ring when you ask. It may sound at this point like there's no way to win, but really, you have to get to know your partner and how they react to big questions like this. Many couples discuss engagements and marriage and what they want out of them before one partner's plans to ask even forms.
Combining Tactics
Sometimes the nerves associated with the whole situation overwhelm any and all knowledge you have about how your partner will react. In that case, go for a combination. Ask your partner to marry you and present a pretty ring you can afford, but let them know that this is a preliminary ring because you weren't sure what they would like. Then, arrange a trip to a jewellery store to look for the diamond engagement ring that your partner wants to wear.
