The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Are you thinking about proposing this Christmas? Or perhaps on the stroke of midnight at New Year? Or maybe the thought of a Valentine’s Day proposal has you excitedWhat happens next? How do you get from thinking “I want to spend the rest of my life with this person” to them saying “Yes!”? Planning your proposal You could say that there are two kinds of proposal – Those with a ring! And those without! The fashion changes from time to time, and there is a growing trend at the moment for proposals with placeholder rings, so that both of you can be involved in choosing the engagement ring. This has its benefits, especially if you are struggling to decide what style of ring your beloved will appreciate. It can also be very romantic to choose the ring as an engaged couple, the first step into the rest of your lives together. Placeholder engagement ring If you’re planning to propose at Christmas and haven't got a ring already, then you either need to get your skates on, or aim for a proposal with a placeholder ring, and go ring shopping with your new fiancée after the event. We have had quite a few guys purchasing our sample service and proposing with a sample so that the partner can then choose the ring after the event. Another way of looking at proposals is that there are planned ones, meticulously thought through with hidden messages and cloak-and-dagger planning – and spur-of-the-moment ones. These do often coincide with proposal-with-a-ring and proposal-without-a-ring, but not always. A proposal on the sofa on a lazy Sunday morning can be just as special as one that takes place on a lake shore at sunset. Think about what suits you – both of you. A huge public proposal, with sky writers or billboards might not suit a private person, even if you are the kind for big public gestures. Something with a large audience of friends and family might be too much pressure for a shy person, or where you’re not 100% certain whether they will actually say yes. (Discuss marriage beforehand, always!) We have more thoughts on how to plan a proposal on our blog here. looking for clues Choosing a ring If you’re going to choose a ring in advance, there is a lot to take into consideration. Your budget (sorry to be pragmatic, but that’s the first thing you need to consider) and do please forget the rubbish about it needing to be 1 month, or 3 months’ salary, or 10% or something. You should spend what you can afford, and what’s sensible for you both. Your fiancée’s style, and lifestyle. Choosing a ring that will fit with the rest of her life, suit the shape of her hand, and be something she can wear all the time, is the goal here. There is a lot of useful advice on our website. We also strongly recommend looking for clues that she may have left you, on Pinterest, or when speaking about celebrities’ engagement rings, or those of people you know. You may need this! Choosing your moment There are several reasons why the month and a half between Christmas and Valentine’s Day is the peak season for proposals, we think. It’s partly to do with making a big occasion extra special (America sees a lot of proposals on Thanksgiving, and Fourth of July, for instance). There’s definitely something about seeing all your family and being able to share the good news with everyone at once, (although less so this year, for obvious reasons). We think there might be something about mistletoe and kissing at midnight that appeals also. And there is a lot of marketing geared to making us feel romantic in the middle of February. Don’t feel bad if you’ve joined in – it just means that the marketers have done an excellent job. When you propose should be down to you and your partner. Choose or plan a moment, that will mean something to you for the rest of your lives, that will be something special and memorable for both of you. Does your family have tales handed down of parents’ and grandparents’ proposals? Will yours be a story you can tell your children and grandchildren? The practical bits and pieces Most of our rings are made to order and have a 4-week delivery time. With priority delivery, you can choose to have your order in 3 weeks. Bespoke items, that are designed together with you, will take at least 6/8 weeks. However, we do have some rings and other jewellery that is in stock, already made up in our showroom. These items are ready to be shipped immediately. We will be closing down the showroom over Christmas, so get in touch if you need an “in stock” ring quickly. If you want to choose a ring in advance of a Valentine’s Day proposal, you will need to get your order to us by mid January, so that we can ensure you have it in time. We look forward to hearing from you, and are happy to answer any questions you have about rings, proposals, and how to place an order. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year to you from all of us!