I have been dating my girlfriend for four years now, and we've discussed marriage numerous times.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am ready.

I am totally in love with this woman. Since the day we met.

I would do anything for her. Anything. I would do anything to ensure her safety and happiness, regardless of the consequences.

I have been in love for four years now, and I will be in love with her until the day I die.

I am certain that she is the one - I don't have any "regrets" about not being single. I don't imagine what my life would be like if I was with someone else. I just imagine what my life could be if she stayed with me.

Every time I hug or kiss her, it's like the first time we met - it's like I'm 17 all over again and I am in love.

She is my best friend in the whole entire world.

So the question is, what do I do next? I heard that an engagement ring is supposed to be three month's salary, but I don't know anything about this stuff.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, words of encouragement, etc. you can offer.

Regards,

XXL

 

Tell her to RUN! RUN VERY FAST! -hehe

To get her to run all you would have to do is show her some of your posts

Actually CONGRATULATIONS!

I am to long out of the loop to tell you about rings etc.

I can tell you I have been married to the same woman for 30 years.

 

Matt,
Get what you can afford. 3 months is nice if you can do it, but not entirely necessary. Not everyone has 3 months laying around to lay down on a ring. It's the symbolism of the engagement ring that matters. I'm by no means saying get a cubic zirconia.. definitely get the real thing. What is most important is that you love her and that you want to spend the rest of your life with her. I spent more time thinking of the words I would say to my fiancee then what I spent on the ring... (I still spent a fair, reasonable amount). She melted when I asked her the question. Get what you are comfortable spending. Sell a few things or work some more hours to get that ring if needed... but do it! Best of luck to you!

 

i think you should tell her exactly what u just said! good luck man! 3 months salary, ....damn..., but i guess shes worth it the way u talk

 

When I had to buy a ring, I went to every place in town. How much for that if I pay cash? I found the best price. Three months? No way. You are bringing back bad memories...LOL. I wish you the best.

 

Congrats Matt

I have been with my wife for 10 years now and we have a 7 year old lil boy My feeling for her are stronger today than the day we married, so I know exactly how you feel.

As far as the ring situation, buy what you can afford, dont put yourself in debt just for a ring. Remember you will have a wedding / honeymoon to pay for also. The 3 month salary thing I think is made up by the jewlery companies to get you to spend more $$

Congrats and good luck

 

Matt, KNOW I KNOW YOU ARE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But now after reading that ....... I KNOW you are a SISSY TOO!!!!
I know I just could not resist...........
Forget about the 3 month crap. I agree with everyone else, Buy what you can swing. ITS NOT THE SIZE THAT COUNTS!!!!!!
I bought a decent engagment ring and for her wedding ring we had smaller bands made one goes on each side of the engagement ring so its actually 3 rings that when you put them together look like one ring...................

 

Matt, the 3 month thing is pure unadulterated BS ! Taz is giving it to you straight, it is just a BS scheme that the diamond industry ( mostly DeBeers ) is trying to use to get you to spend more. There is a nice book out there, 'the rise and fall of diamonds', that helped me learn alot. Diamonds are no longer rare or even valuable. GE can crank them out out of a press, as big and as clear as they want. Why aren't they doing it ? They are more interested in smaller stones, like might be in a saw blade or drill. There are some places in Russia that make gem quality stones and sell them. DeBeers has, as the current rate of usage, decades of diamonds in storage. They buy up as much inventory and hold as they can. This helps them to keep the price artificially high. Thankfully for me, my wife is not hung up on diamonds. She has a very small one with some topaz around it. Usually she wears a plain gold band with nothing else. It is not worth going in debt for. Consider your honeymoon cost as well. You don't have to spend huge amounts of cash to have a nice time. My wife and I took a driving vacation for a week, in an area of northern Michigan that we both like. Drove our old bronco, stayed in cheap motels, loved it and came home without owing a bunch of money. We did a rather inexspensive wedding as well. How much cash to you have to spend ? The ring and honeymoon aren't going to seem that important after a few months into things. Where do you live ? Could you be spending whatever funds you have on a downpayment for a home ? You're going to be spending a whole bunch of time with this gal, would you like that to be in a trailer, an apartment, or your own house ? Have you talked about this with her ? What does SHE want ? She may think a downpayment on a house is more important than a big rock or fancy wedding, but you don't know until you discuss it. I'll bet lots of gals are just as excited to buy their first home as they are to have a big piece of glass on their finger. You can't eat a diamond. It won't keep you warm at night, and it won't keep you dry from the rain or shielded from the hot summer sun. A place to live might. Talk to her. Show her this thread if you want. You'll be spending the rest of your life with her, why not get off to the best possible start, and avoid debt whenever you can. DF

 

When I see those diamond commercials it almost turns me off when they talk about what to spend. They make it sound like the diamond is the most important thing. Buy what your comfortable with. Save some money for tangible items like a house, furniture, honeymoon, etc. If you lived in the Virginia area, I'd refer you to my brother in law, he's been in fine jewelery for 30 years! Anyway, good luck.

 

My Grandparents were wed with cigar bands. HONEST.

They were happily married for over 60 years.

It ain't what you spend on the ring. She knows that - so do you.

I personally think she would probably rather have a printed copy of what you opened this thread with and a cigar band on her finger, than a "three month" diamond ring and some pre scripted words.

Of course, I have also been divorced three times, too . . .

 

AHA!!! That explains everything!!

 

Tell me about it, Mark!!

Why did I have to wait until I was 40+ to figure out it was not the world that was whacked out - it was ME ??!??!??!??!

I ruined the lives of three good women and one good man with my ignorance. I have not taken that realization well - or lightly.

FWIW.

 

Three months is B.S any woman who "expects" that isn't going to be happy with anything you do.

I spent 400 on my wifes and we've been happily married for ten years 4 months and 7 days.

 

Either that "one good man" is yourself, or there's a side to you that you haven't told us about..

 

Fuzzy boy does your statement-hit home. I am going through my second divorce, great person we are just moving in different directions. Triumph of hope over experience……….the second marriage!!!

BigMatt, if you took a piece of twine and tied a love knot in it, it would be just as important to both of you as any diamond.
………..what is in your soul that is important. May the wind always be at your backside.