I'm pumped for today's blog post because I'm teaming up with my favorite person in the entire world, CB, to talk a little bit about how he picked the perfect ring to propose on that absolutely perfect chilly Saturday back in January.
The reason for CB's help on today's post is thanks to a partnership with Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry.
Neil Lane Bridal Set || All images by Alexandra Minton Photography
You might have seen my Insta stories a few weeks ago, where I showed you guys a peek of some stunning engagement rings from Jared. There were four very different, very gorgeous rings that I find insanely beautiful. I'm wearing those rings in these photos, but one thing you'll notice is how each is so unique and beautiful.
My favorite two rings were the round morganite framed in sparkling round diamonds from the Earthly Treasures Smithsonian® collection, and the insanely beautiful and classic Neil Lane bridal set which just oozed old Hollywood style. It was amazing how well Jared could pull off both modern, and timeless with ease.
I told the team at Jared that I'd love to team up with CB to give a little bit of insight into how he chose the ring he got for me, some things I personally wish I had done to give him some additional tips, and a few of the hurdles he had to jump through along the way.
Without any additional delay, here are....
9 Ways to Make Shopping for an Engagement Ring Easier!
1. From Sarah: Leave your jewelry, rings especially, out in plain sight
We hadn't shopped together in advance for rings - shoot, he didn't even know what size I wore because I didn't have ANY rings in the house that he could find. I have no idea how he managed to do this, but CB - by sheer luck - picked the right size ring. That blows my mind, I guess that's how we know it's meant to be. But really, ladies, leave a ring out in a jewelry dish so that they can know what size you are!
2. From CB: Find one YOU (the guy) are proud of.
She will be showing it to everyone for the next few months, well, really forever. Not just that, but as I've learned over the last few months there are a TON of photos that will be taken of the ring. Everything from engagement pictures to simple ring pictures posted to Facebook. Plus, if you're marrying a blogger (haha) multiply that by 100!
You want to be proud of what she is showing off to all of your friends.
3. From Sarah: Utilize a Pinterest Board
I'm sure a lot of couples shop for rings together, I'm personally glad CB did it all on his own, just because it made the surprise that much more exciting. Although I didn't do this, I find the idea of doing a Pinterest board - totally genius. CB knows that I do everything on Pinterest (aka- anything I've ever made in the kitchen came from Pinterest) and he told me later on that he actually looked for ring preferences on my Pinterest page. How cute is that? With that said, keeping a Pinterest board stocked full of your favorite ring styles will make life so much easier on your man!
It was harder to pull the trigger on this decision than I would imagine many women think it is. Yes, I knew that I was ready to show Sarah that I was excited to commit my life to her, and to show her how much she means to me. However, I had never made a purchase even remotely comparable to this one. Yes, I had bought gifts for many people and of course Sarah many times before. This one was different though. It will be on her finger everywhere she goes for the rest of her life.
I really wanted to be confident in the decision, but had no idea how to sort it all out. You are likely making one of the biggest purchases of your life, and you want peace of mind that you are getting exactly what you are paying for.
5. From Sarah: Go to the Experts
While Jared has access to one of the largest supplies of diamonds, its expertise lies not in volume, but the ability to find guests the perfect stone. They are dedicated to helping their guests find or make the perfect piece to express the way one feels about their loved ones.
6. From CB: Don’t get overwhelmed in the beginning of your search.
There are thousands and thousands of ring types out there, and it can potentially become a bit overwhelming at first. Eventually, you will narrow those things down to what you want to find and what fits into your budget. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Just keep narrowing your search.
7. From Sarah: Ask for advice from some of your friends or her friends.
One thing that made my heart swoon is when I heard that CB had involved my friends and family in the process. They knew he was going to ask, and were ready for the green light to send congratulatory calls and texts when he had! How sweet is that? He also showed them the ring ahead of time to get their feedback and praise.
However, don’t let them sway you in things that matter most to you. Not everyone’s opinion is right for you and your soon to be fiancé.
8. From CB: Eventually, in your search, you will find the right ring, and you will know it.
There was this one ring that I found very early in the search, and I just kept going back to it. I looked at three or four and then I went back to it, and knew I wanted it to look more like this one. And then again, three or four and then back to that one.
All of a sudden, I had that “Ahah dummy” moment where I realized that if I keep going back to that one, then it must be the one that screamed Sarah to me. I looked it over and over and over, and of course it was just slightly more expensive than the number I had in mind so I had it put on hold so I could make a decision within the next day or so.
It only took one night of sleep to decide. I knew it was the right one, so I bought it the next day.
One thing that made my heart swoon is when I heard that CB had involved my friends and family in the process. They knew he was going to ask, and were ready for the green light to send congratulatory calls and texts when he had! How sweet is that? He also showed them the ring ahead of time to get their feedback and praise.
However, don’t let them sway you in things that matter most to you. Not everyone’s opinion is right for you and your soon to be fiancé.
8. From CB: Eventually, in your search, you will find the right ring, and you will know it.
There was this one ring that I found very early in the search, and I just kept going back to it. I looked at three or four and then I went back to it, and knew I wanted it to look more like this one. And then again, three or four and then back to that one.
All of a sudden, I had that “Ahah dummy” moment where I realized that if I keep going back to that one, then it must be the one that screamed Sarah to me. I looked it over and over and over, and of course it was just slightly more expensive than the number I had in mind so I had it put on hold so I could make a decision within the next day or so.
It only took one night of sleep to decide. I knew it was the right one, so I bought it the next day.
Once I had it hidden at the house, I knew that I had to propose soon. I am not good at controlling my excitement! I planned the proposal for a couple of weekends away. When I put the ring in front of her that day, I knew immediately that I had done well. As far as I could tell, she loved it! She told me it was perfect and it has been on her finger ever since.
I still smile when I look at it.
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CB obviously did a WONDERFUL job picking this ring, but I know he was more than a little intimidated by the process because he asked me about one million times if I liked the ring. The truth was, I didn't like it, I LOVED it and the only thing I could say over and over again that day was, "It's perfect!!!"
An engagement ring is not an easy purchase, and I love the way Jared approaches the feelings behind the gift of jewelry. They have something for every milestone, and at any price point. We will for sure be heading back to Jared when it comes time to find our wedding bands. Wait, I guess that needs to be done soon, huh 😂?!?! Maybe I should do some wedding planning pretty soon, seeing as March 3rd will be here before you know it!
Really cool side note, Jared helped turn my Mom's old engagement ring she was given by my Dad (he passed away when I was 19) into a new beautiful ring she wears today with her current husband, Bobby. That's a sensitive transition that ring needed to make, and my mom did nothing but rave on how they treated her at Jared!
I'd love to hear the story behind your engagement ring. Do you think your significant other struggled picking the right piece, or do you think one just immediately jumped out as THE ONE!? Leave me a comment and let me know below!
And the next time you have any wedding day jewelry needs - serving as a wedding day gift for your mom or mother-in-law, part of a bridal party look, or a special piece for your own wedding style - the perfect pieces from Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry are guaranteed to match the beauty of any wedding day!
Ok, seeing as I'm assuming you're dying to know, here are the rings pictured throughout this story with matching links!
You know, so you can pin them on Pinterest -- wink wink, nudge nudge!
Diamond Engagement Ring 3/4 ct tw Round-cut 14K White Gold
Diamond Engagement Ring 1 ct tw Round-cut 14K Two-Tone Gold
Be sure to follow Jared on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for all of the bling inspo!
Jared the Galleria of Jewelry - Just Because Sweepstakes
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