Buying the Engagement Ring

What you need to know before you start shopping

Every groom-to-be knows the engagement ring is the most important aspect of the proposal. It summarizes - in all its minuscule and shiny expensiveness - every angst-ridden, frustrating, and agonizing element of getting married. At least to you it does. Unfortunately, an engagement ring encapsulates the exact opposite emotions in your fiancee-to-be. Think about it. That's why you need to be ready for some obstacles when you begin shopping for the perfect ring. Here's some common feelings you need to be ready to confront and cope with:

• Bewilderment: Prepare yourself to be utterly confused on how much to spend. It ranges from a couple hundred to a few million. Here's some help, your ring will likely be somewhere in between those two prices.
• Indecisiveness: Staring at all those little shiny hoops will only make your decision harder. Which will mean you'll have to do way more shopping then you'd originally anticipated. Maybe this whole marriage thing just isn't for you after all.
• Financial punishment: Ultimately, when you do decide on a ring, it's going to cost you. So suck it up and get ready to go back into debt.
• Second thoughts: All of the emotional triggers above will accumulate into one simple pervading sensation: Doubt. But don't let that get in your way. After all, it's not like you'll be stuck with this person for the rest of your life.
OK fine, maybe buying a ring isn't as grueling and terrible as we're making it out to be. Nonetheless, shopping for wedding bands can be difficult. Just ask any guy who's had to do it. Buying a ring is expensive, confusing, and downright terrifying. At the very least, take the time to shop for an assortment of rings long in advance and you'll be making your life a whole heck of a lot easier.