Pros and Cons of Letting Your Fiancée Pick Her Engagement Ring

You’ve decided to pop the big question to your lady. You’ve chosen the perfect place, know what you want to say and when you want to propose. All you need now is the perfect engagement ring. And that’s the part you’re having trouble with.
You’ve read all the guides telling you how to buy a diamond ring. You know the score when it comes to the 4 Cs. You’ve even tried all the sneaky tricks to work out her ring size and her taste in jewellery.
But ultimately, you’re completely confused. You’re feeling indecisive about choosing the right ring, and are wondering if it’s a better idea to let her choose her engagement ring? Let’s look at the arguments:
Pro: If she picks the engagement ring, you know that she’s chosen a diamond she adores. It means you can relax and enjoy the proposing, without the additional stress of whether she likes the ring.
Con: If you’re going to all the effort to make a romantic proposal and a special occasion, well, you want to have a little box containing the sparkling diamond ring ready to put on her finger if she says yes. You might lose some of the romance if you don’t present her with an engagement ring.
Pro: She can choose a ring that fits her properly first time – not all styles can be easily resized and still maintain their beautiful shape – because, unlike the movies, you won’t always get it right.
Con: She will know exactly how much you’ve spent on the ring, which might kill the romance, and if you aren’t clear with her about your budget before you go shopping you might end up in an awkward situation where her favourite diamond engagement ring is much more than you can afford.
Pro: You can turn choosing the diamond into a romantic occasion: Spending the afternoon finding the perfect ring, followed up by a fancy dinner or if you’re feeling flush go on a romantic getaway to choose the ring.
Con: If you aren’t a fan of shopping together normally, this is essentially an extended shopping trip when you need to pay out a big chunk of cash and may feel like another boring job. But if you let her shop alone or with friends, then you might feel like you aren’t involved with the decision.
Her diamond engagement ring is a symbol of the start of your new life together. By all means let her pick her own ring, but make sure you are happy with her choice. The ring is your gift to your bride to be and you don’t want to start your engagement with a sour taste in your mouth.
Wayne Barker works for the Portfolio of Fine Diamonds – an exclusive brand of engagement rings, offering quality materials and superior craftsmanship at excellent value for money.