Wedding Planning Blog by I Do! Wedding Favors

It has long been considered that a man should spend at least two to three months of his salary on an engagement ring for his beloved. Obviously, the job that the man has will have a significant impact on the size and quality of the engagement ring. But is this guideline still viable? Do we expect more?

If your man is a stock broker than you will likely get a very nice engagement ring. If your man works as a cashier at a fast food restaurant, you may have to set your sights lower. But as women, we all want that engagement ring of our dreams. That dream is different for each one of us. Some women want large diamonds while others want small diamonds. Some women don’t want a diamond at all and prefer a ruby or an amethyst. Some women want gold while others want platinum. All of these preferences affect the cost of the engagement ring.

So, is it unreasonable for a woman to expect her blue collar man to buy her a large diamond in a platinum setting? Should he have to go into debt in order to give the ring of her dreams? Can he afford to give up two to three months of his salary? How far are we allowed to ask our men to go for us in order to get the engagement ring of our dreams?

How do you feel about the monetary guidelines set forth for engagement rings? Do you think that men should go all out in order to buy the biggest and best engagement ring possible? Or do you think that men should be more practical about their spending? How have you and your fiancée handled this? Do you have any advice for other future brides? We want to hear all about your ideas and opinions!

Have you seen the ring that The Hillsstar Heidi Montag received from her creepy boyfriend Spencer Pratt? Supposedly it is a 5 carat pink diamond surrounded by smaller white diamonds. Well, it turns out that it is a fake, kind of like Spencer’s creepy smile. It is a lavender, lemon amethyst! It has been reported that the ring costs close to $3000. Nothing to sneeze at, but much less than Spencer was boasting!

In the past several years, pink diamonds and yellow diamonds have become increasingly popular as engagement ring settings. While Heidi’s amethyst is certainly not a diamond, there is no denying that it is still a gorgeous ring! So, are traditional white diamonds going to be a thing of the past or is this a passing phase?

It is important to have an engagement ring that you love. It will hopefully sit on your finger for the rest of your life. Should we feel compelled to have a diamond because it is standard or should we feel comfortable choosing an amethyst, ruby, sapphire, or tanzanite? There is no reason to feel insecure or feel that you need to explain why your engagement ring is not a diamond. It is YOUR ring and you should have what you want. If you want the white diamond then get the white diamond. If you want an opal, then get an opal!

What are your feelings on untraditional bling? Is the white diamond the only way to go? Do you prefer a white diamond or another type of stone? Do you look at another woman’s engagement ring, see an amethyst and think it is because her fiancée couldn’t afford a diamond? Tell us your thoughts, especially if you have an unconventional engagement ring!