BLISSFULLY BLINGED OUT

There’s a lot to consider while choosing a ring for your future fiancé. Agnes shared her best tips with us to try and make the purchasing experience a little less stressful.

This post originally appeared on Spoons And Stilettos

It has been about 6 months since Marcus and I got engaged and I am happy to say that the excitement has not worn off and the glow on my face is very much alive. After being together for over 7 years the engagement came very naturally when we both felt ready to take the plunge. I still remember the proposal and recall looking at the ring and smiling all night after I said yes. Today, I have partnered up with E.B. Horn to share our engagement story and discuss some useful tips for choosing a ring.

So this is how it happened. It was the day after Christmas and we were spending the day at home relaxing and recovering from all the food and partying from the previous day. Sometime in the afternoon Marcus told me he was going out to run an errand or something. I did not suspect anything even though in retrospect, him getting out of the house after sleeping so late was unlike him. He would normally be laying on the couch all day and of course I later found out he was going to pick up the ring. When he came back home, we had a beautiful dinner with good food and wine. After dinner there was a moment when I walked into the kitchen. As I turned around, there he was kneeling down and saying how I was the best thing that ever happened to him and how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I am pretty sure he said other things but it was all a blur after the first words.

The moment was so special and at that time it felt like we were the only ones on the entire planet. He got me a princess cut diamond ring on a white gold setting which I totally love. I love that it shines from afar and is very elegant and timeless. The ring makes me feel blissfully blinged out with its sparkle.

Because of my collaboration with E.B. Horn I was fortunate enough to try on their stunning engagement rings and now you get to see them too! All the rings including the diamond bracelet in this post are from E.B Horn which is pretty awesome. They are also known to have the largest selection of jewelry in New England therefore there is something for everyone.

Buying a ring can be a very overwhelming yet fun experience. To prevent the dreaded ring shopping stress, remember these tips and your experience will be more fun than stress.

Tips for choosing an engagement ring:

Set a budget: We all would like a 5 carat diamond ring however we are not Beyonce or Princes Kate so it is important to know how much you can spend without leaving you in serious debt and eating instant noodles every day. Once you set a budget that you feel comfortable with then it will help you get into the store and ask the sales person to only show you rings in that price range so you don’t get tempted to exceed.

Select a diamond shape: There are different kinds of women. Those who like a round shape, the princess cut ladies, oval or cushion cut fans and more. Because shape is very subjective, it is important to know the shape the receiver likes. The round shape is the most popular with princess cut in second place. The great thing is that there are many options.

Choose a metal: You have to think to yourself, is your future fiancé and yellow gold or white gold/platinum kind of person. I personally love gold jewelry but when it comes to a engagement rings it has gotta be white gold or platinum.
Choose a reputable store: With so many scammers out there it is important to do your research and only but from a licensed jeweler. Local Jewelers like EB Horn are also more reasonably priced than the large chains.

Give yourself time: Once you choose a ring, it can take anywhere from 1 week to 6 weeks before you get the ring. Keep this in mind if you are planning on proposing on a trip or specific date.

Understand the four C’s of diamonds: The four C’s of diamonds are Carat, Cut, Clarity and Color. With cut being the most important as it determines the diamonds sparkle some people focus on carat which is the weight of the diamond. Keep in mind , the higher the carats the higher the price.

Which one is your favorite ring? I am looking forward to seeing which ring is your favorite.