Who says wedding proposals have to be extravagant? Especially since asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you is a big enough deal on its own.

Plus, the best marriage proposals are the ones that are personalized to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. There is nothing worse than choosing a proposal idea based on its popularity or creativity. You should always take into consideration your wife-to-be’s unique preferences and tastes.

If your girlfriend is a traditional woman, something like a big public flashmob proposal is probably not her thing. Instead, take some time to note the most important things to her, by identifying the things she values most – such as her relationship with her family and friends.

Or simply injecting a bit of romance into the everyday routine to set the stage for the proposal you’ll both remember for the rest of your lives. To start you off with some ideas, here are sweet and simple marriage proposal ideas to bring a smile to her face and a “Yes” to your ears.

Breakfast in bed

Make her breakfast in bed with all her favorite breakfast foods. Once she wakes up to the smell of fresh coffee and muffins, bring her a tray of yummy foods and enjoy a lovely breakfast together.

For dessert, present her a muffin that has frosting and a cherry ring on top.

Repeat history

If your girlfriend has a close relationship with her parents and her parents are her role models of a perfect married couple, why not re-create their wedding proposal? Find out how her dad proposed to her mom and propose to her in a similar way.

Bathtime Duckie

No woman can refuse a bath – especially if it comes with scented candles, soft music, and some rose petals.

Run a bath for your girlfriend with all the above elements and once she’s in the tub, feeling wonderful, come in and float a rubber duck towards her.

Of course, the duck will have a ring tied around its neck and a message written in waterproof marker: “Marry Me.”

Point out that “Me” means you, not the duck.

Enlist a glass of wine

Plan a romantic evening for two – go the extra step and make dinner yourself. Pour her a glass of wine with the ring in the bottom of it. Once she finds it, get down on one knee.

Do it in good company

Arrange a get-together with all her friends and family. Prepare enough food and drink for everyone to have an awesome time and when everyone’s gathered and fed, pop the question in the presence of all the people she loves the most.

A game of Hangman

A marriage proposal that pops up during a fun, unexpected moment is great. If you’re in the habit of playing little games together, this will be especially awesome. Either take your sweetheart on a trip somewhere that requires a short commute, i.e. a boat ride, a short train ride, etc. Propose some games to pass the time – Hangman, for example. When it’s your turn, have the phrase be “Marry Me” and once she guesses it, get down on one knee.

Another cute way is to invite your friends over for game night and do the same sequence there, with her friends around for the big moment.

Propose in the place you met

The place where you first met and began your journey together is laden with significance. Plan a beautiful picnic at that spot – bottle of champagne in tow – and pop the question before you pop the champagne.

Graffiti your proposal

Well, not really – just write it in side walk chalk.

Ask your girlfriend to come out for a walk. From her door all the way to where you’re going to propose, write little messages in sidewalk chalk. Propose once she makes her way to you.

Russian nesting dolls boxes

Gift her a huge box that’s filled with smaller boxes – all beautifully wrapped. The last box will, of course, have the ring inside.

Go where she is

A workday is just like any other day – until your boyfriend proposes.

Surprise her where she works by showing up with a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of champagne and a ring. Arrange it with her boss so she has the rest of the day off.

Choose a significant date or place

Not every woman wants to be surrounded by friends and family during such an intimate moment. If you think your girlfriend would prefer privacy, choose a moment or a place (or both!) that has significance for her. A big holiday will do – Christmas is popular – or even her birthday. Another option is to choose a place that has meaning for the both of you, such as the location of your first date or the place where you first met.

Make the moment as meaningful and intimate as possible by going to the extra mile to add personal touches to everything – i.e. make dinner yourself or play a song that means a lot to the both of you.

You’ve found the perfect woman and now all you need is the perfect engagement ring. And if you’ve already begun your search, you already know that finding that perfect ring can seem just as time consuming and challenging as finding the perfect woman.

But that’s just because you don’t yet know the basics of what makes the perfect engagement ring. Read up on the 5 below tips that’ll help you set your standards for exactly what you’re looking for!

Know Your Budget

The perfect engagement ring is one that is also perfectly within your budget. There are so many options to choose from that it’s easier than ever to find a ring that suits both your tastes and your budget.

The choices are endless so whether you’re buying a whole ring or designing a custom engagement ring, remember that you can choose every aspect of the ring – the stone, the metal of the band, the setting – to suit your budget. You might also like to know that it’s pretty easy to reset a setting or add more stones to a setting when your bank account permits.

Plan for upgrades in due time, rather than stretching yourself thin now.

Lifestyle Trumps Style

Engagement rings are beautiful, aren’t they. And there are just so many styles to choose from. Of course you want to choose the most breathtaking ring, but remember that your choice of ring should also factor in lifestyle.

When shopping for the perfect engagement ring, choose the one that best suits her everyday life. This is especially important when you’re choosing ring settings. Learn more about various ring settings here.

For example, a high prong-set diamond (shown above) is a gorgeous way to show off a diamond, but it won’t be the most practical choice for a woman who is very active with her hands (i.e gardening, sports).

Shape Matters

Engagement rings are meant to be worn, so remember to choose a style that will compliment and flatter the shape of your woman’s hand. As a woman, I can definitely say that I’d choose a slightly-less beautiful ring that makes my hand look gorgeous over a stunning ring that makes my hand look stubby.

Women with short, slightly stubby fingers will benefit from narrow, elongated ring styles – either certain stone cuts like the Pear Cut or the Marquise (see diamond shapes here) – or a ring setting that places the stones in a vertical design.

On the other hand, women with long, skinny fingers will benefit from a wider, broad ring.

First Last Things First

It all begins with the engagement ring. And while it’s easy to get caught up in choosing the perfect engagement ring, it’s really helpful to keep in mind that the engagement ring is only the beginning.

Before you know it, you’ll be shopping for a wedding band.

It’s good to keep the future wedding band in mind when you’re shopping for engagement rings since the engagement ring will also determine aspects of the wedding ring. For example, you’ll probably get the same metal for your wedding band as you get for your engagement ring.

Find out more about which metal you should choose for your engagement ring!

Before splurging on a titanium engagement ring, you might want to decide whether you want to shell out the dollars for two more titanium wedding rings. Or before buying her a beautiful rose gold metal band, consider whether you want to wear a matching rose gold wedding band for the rest of your life…

Buy in Advance

An awesome way to solve the above dilemma – and save time and money – is to simply buy everything at once. You can get a wedding set that includes an engagement ring and a woman’s wedding band (duo) or a set that includes an engagement ring and his-and-hers wedding bands (trio).These sets are a clever way to guarantee that the engagement ring and wedding band will fit together perfectly, like two peas in a pod.

Plus, buying in sets is also cheaper than buying separately. According to the Diamond Information Center, you can save as much as 50% by opting for this route. Not to mention the time you’ll save.

Flashmob proposals are an awesome way to propose, especially since there are so many ways you can do it.

Most of the flashmob proposals out there simply have the groom-to-be dancing with the hired flashmob. That’s a fun, romantic way to propose but it’s not the only way. A huge group of people helping with your marriage proposal adds a dynamic, exciting mix and you can use it in any way you choose.

Here are some examples of the most creative flashmob proposals ever done:

All the Works Flashmob Proposal

This wedding proposal is not the typical flashmob proposal. There is a mob of dancers, but the guy takes it to the next level with his lip syncing, the dancing, the matching T-shirts, and little extras like the unicyclist and the text banners.

A great use of a flashmob to orchestrate an entire performance, totally customized to him and his wife-to-be’s unique style.

Surprise Marching Band Flash Mob Proposal

In the above video, the groom-to-be hires not only a troupe of dancers, but an entire marching band to come in tooting what seems to be a song that’s significant for his wife-to-be. She starts tearing up as soon as the band comes in with their song.

As the song plays on, you see a member of the marching band come forward and take off his hat – turns out to be the groom-to-be, of course, and he proposes as she cries.

A creative and romantic way to make use of a whole group of talented people to awe your fiance.

Bouquet of Flowers Flashmob Proposal

The above flashmob is simple, elegant, and romantic. The man makes use of a flashmob, but not in the typical dancing way. He simply prepares a huge bouquet of flowers and has each one delivered to his girlfriend from total strangers.

He proposes once she’s holding the entire bouquet in her arms, to the thunderous applause of everyone who helped to bring it all together.

Subway Flashmob Proposal

This last one is brilliant for all its simplicity. The man targets an everyday location – the subway ride – as his proposal place, making sure that his wife-to-be never for a second suspects what’s about to happen. The proposal begins with a man beat-boxing into a microphone and the sound of one girl singing.

Soon, a couple people on the subway car are involved in the musical number, which is when the man pulls out the ring and gets down on one knee. Simple, beautiful, and totally memorable – it’s something she’ll think about every time she gets on a subway.

Disneyland Musical Surprise Proposal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUVB8eBvpDs

We’ve seen a lot of marriage proposals – and this one takes the cake as the best musical proposal ever.

The man takes his girlfriend to Disneyland to the exact spot they first met. And with a megaphone he boldly announces to the crowd that he has something special to say to his girlfriend. He gets down on one knee and begins to propose…but someone from the crowd butts in and begins to sing…

This leads to the cutest musical proposal performance ever. Like we said, the best marriage proposals are the ones that take a couple’s unique relationship into account and this one does exactly that by popping the question in a place that’s very significant for them both…and upping the ante with a whole performance.

The Best Worst Marriage Proposal: Piss Your Girlfriend Off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQpZmoQHIuc

In this strange surprise marriage proposal, the man chooses to worry and piss his girlfriend off before proposing. It works amazingly well – it’s a huge surprise and the fluctuations in emotion make it even more memorable….especially considering what follows.

The couple is sitting in a huge lobby when a random woman comes over, accuses the boyfriend of cheating, and throw water in his face. As the girlfriend is starting to break down from this new revelation of infidelity – two security guards come over and start interrogating the girlfriend about having thrown water in her boyfriend’s face.

A man who appears to be the establishment manager comes over and interrogates the poor crying girl even further while the security guards escort her boyfriend out to “get dry” somewhere.

Pretty soon, a security guard comes back to keep on interrogating the girl, asking her all sorts of questions about the relationship, such as whether she loves her boyfriend and if they love each other…and as he asks, he suddenly bursts into song.

With this cue, all the patrons sitting around start singing and dancing – including break dancers and choreographed dancing on the escalator.

But that’s not it – everything escalates. The woman is led outside where she’s confronted by dancing diner waiters and waitresses, theatrical fountain lighting, and dancers and performers absolutely everywhere.

The woman’s bawling by the time her boyfriend proposes.

But again – that’s not it. Once she accepts the proposal, he takes it one step further and proposes that they get married right then and there! He’s flown in her parents and all her best friends. A big party ensues and ends with the wedding.

Amazing marriage proposal + wedding.

The best way to buy a great engagement ring at great prices is to buy it online. Online jewelers don’t have the typical expenses that brick-and-mortar stores do, so they can afford to sell the same engagement rings at a fraction of the price. You’ll also have as large – if not larger – a selection to choose from since they can afford to keep more selections “in stock.”

Here’s why it’s cheaper to buy a great ring online than in a store:

Overhead = Marked-up Prices

It costs a lot of money just to keep a brick-and-mortar store running. There’s rent – a huge expense – plus the interior decorating costs, the maintenance and upkeep of the store, the utilities bill, the labor costs, the costs of hiring security, etc.

All these costs are factored into the sticker prices on the engagement rings sold at these stores so that much of the time, you’re not just paying for the quality of the ring you’re buying…you’re paying marked-up prices that factor in the overhead of the store itself.

Online stores don’t have to deal with the same expenses. Result = you get the same jewelry at better prices.

Volume = Better Prices

Brick-and-mortar jewelry stores don’t sell that many pieces per day. A large jewelry store in your average shopping center may sell just a few pieces every day, which equates to higher prices in order to keep up the overhead of the store’s running costs.

Many jewelry stores also buy their jewelry from wholesalers and then sell to consumers at a markup price that factors in their own store’s running costs. Online vendors, on the other hand, are wholesalers themselves. Thus, lower costs for the same engagement rings.

Despite all the advantages of buying engagement rings online, the most common reason why men still insist on buying retail is so that they can see the ring before they buy it.

It’s a valid reason, but it shouldn’t deter you from getting the most savings when buying an engagement ring. Here’s why:

Easy Peasy Returns

Any reputable online jeweler (we only recommend a few – click here to see the best online jewelers) offers no-questions-asked return policies. Being an online store, these jewelers are well-aware that their customers don’t have the advantage of seeing the ring in person before the purchase and as a result, make returns and exchanges very easy.

This is especially important since you’re buying the engagement ring for someone else to wear and you won’t know exactly how it works out until your fiancee has actually worn the ring for a few days or weeks. Trying to exchange or modify a ring that was bought at a brick-and-mortar store, in person, can cost more than to simply exchange or return a ring bought from a reputable online jeweler.

One of the biggest advantages of buying an engagement ring online comes from the simple fact that you don’t get to try it on in person first. Online jewelers know you didn’t get to try on the ring before you bought it – thus, the no-questions-asked return policy. You don’t even have to pay for return shipping.

Another concern that you may have about buying an engagement ring online is the possibility of fakes or the old bait-and-switch (paying for something and getting another).

This is an especially valid concern and why we recommend only buying from reputable online jewelers. Of course, it may seem like you could get a steal of a deal on diamonds from sites like eBay, but unless you really know what you’re doing (i.e. you’re an expert diamond dealer), we recommend you stick to trusted jewelers.

Here’s why:

Reputable Jewelers Value Reputation Over a Sale

The online jewelers we recommend have a business to run and no one is going to purchase precious stones from an online business that has sketchy practices. Much of these sites’ appeal lies in their trustworthiness as much as the discounted prices they offer. Thus, the diamonds you purchase from them will be as described, with the appropriate certification.

Your Shipment is Insured

Reputable online jewelers have done this before. Many, many times. When you purchase an engagement ring through one of them, your shipment is sent via FedEx or UPS with tracing, insurance, and a delivery confirmation signature.

Even if your engagement ring gets lost, stolen, or disappears into thin air – you won’t lose a penny.

No-Questions-Asked Return Policies

As mentioned above, online jewelers know that you don’t get to see the ring before you buy it and so they offer no-questions-asked return policies. You can buy the ring, see if you like it, even take it to an unaffiliated jeweler for an independent appraisal, and if you decide you don’t like it – you can return it. No questions asked. You don’t even have to pay for return shipping.

But the last reason we especially recommend buying an engagement ring online is for the options it provides.

More Options in Your Budget Range

Online stores don’t have the same stocking concerns as brick-and-mortar stores do, and as a result – they can offer a wider selection of engagement rings. That means no matter what your budget may be, there are more styles and designs to choose from.

Complete Customization

The best online jewelers offer complete customization. You can customize by style, setting and all the four C’s to get an engagement ring that is completely one of a kind.

This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions about engagement rings. It’s also one of the most practical.

You’ve probably already heard the “two to three months’ salary” saying, but that is at best a misguided suggestion and at worst a marketing ploy from the diamond industry. If you want an actual average of how much is usually spent on engagement rings, here are some figures from a paper published by Lee Cronk and Bria Dunham in Human Nature:

Average Amount Spent on Ring: $3,531.72 ($0-20,000)
Men’s Average Incomes: $41,858.20 ($0-500,000)

As you can see, the men surveyed spent on average the equivalent of one month of their annual salary on the engagement ring. And this was pre-recession (2007). For more on this study, you can view it here: Cronk, Lee, and Bria Dunham. 2007. Human Nature 18(4):329-333. [pdf]

But don’t take the one-month average spent on engagement rings in this survey as a rule, or even a norm. The honest truth is: there is no fixed dollar amount rule that you should spend on an engagement ring. In lieu of rules, the best advice is that you should plan to spend as much as you can can afford for the best ring within your budget.

In other words: the best amount to pay for an engagement ring is simply what you can afford. How much you should spend on the ring is entirely up to you (and even your wife-to-be). After all, when you get married, your finances will be joined. Will she want to help pay off the cost of her own engagement ring? Most likely not.

Remember that the point of an engagement – and the ring that comes with it – is a promise of a new life together and isn’t a new life best started debt-free?

It’s also worth noting that for engagement rings – they’re more valued for their meaning than the monetary cost. Rings that are meaningful trump rings that are just expensive. For example, an heirloom ring that is passed down from your family or hers doesn’t cost anything – except maybe a few hundred dollars for a new setting – and it’s rich with history and meaning.

Or if you manage to save just $25 a week for one year to buy a $1,250 ring or $50 a week for one year to buy a $2,500 ring, she’ll appreciate the thought and effort you put into the long-thought-out expense more than whatever the ring cost.

Not to mention that there are so many options out there for engagement rings that you can easily set a budget and find an amazing piece of bling that easily falls within the range of your budget. For example, there are plenty of online jewelers that don’t have to pay the typical expenses that brick-and-mortar retailers do and can afford to offer the same bling at better prices.

So you’ve decided to opt for the timelessly beautiful, most coveted engagement ring – the diamond ring.

The only thing is…this is (most likely) your first time buying a diamond and well, there are just so many of them to choose from. Which one do you pick? And how exactly do you go about buying one?

Diamonds can be a little intimidating, but buying a diamond engagement ring doesn’t have to be a complicated business. There are a few tips and tricks you can pick up in a manner of minutes that will help you master better understand the art of diamond picking.

So if you want a no fuss, no muss way to choose the best diamond for your wife-to-be – without breaking your wallet – follow these tips to buy the best diamond at the best price!

Don’t call it cheap

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Problem is – they’re not as friendly to the wallet. So the first thing you need to do is set a budget that works for you and look only at the diamonds that fall within your budget.

That may mean you may be looking at diamonds at the lower end of the price spectrum and there’s nothing at all wrong with that…as long as you don’t use that one dirty word: cheap.

This is the first – and most obvious – tip: Buy your diamonds cheap using the tips below but do not use the word “cheap” in the same sentence as “your engagement ring” when talking to your girlfriend.

A better way to phrase it would be: I did my research and found the perfect engagement ring for you (within my budget).

Buy online

Online diamond retailers are often the diamond wholesalers themselves, whereas many brick-and-mortar jewelers buy wholesale and then sell at retail prices. Online stores also don’t have the overhead expenses of brick-and-mortar stores and can offer the same quality engagement rings at up to 50% discounted prices.

Want to know more about why you should buy your diamond engagement ring online?

Know your 4 C’s

The 4 C’s are important when considering each and every diamond because the price of a diamond is mostly based on these C’s, which is just an easy-to-remember way of classifying diamonds. The 4 C’s are simply the diamond’s Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat-Weight.

Each of these factors plays an important part in how the diamond looks and its overall value. The cool thing is that depending on the shape and setting that you choose, you’ll be able to compromise on some of the C’s and still get an amazing diamond engagement ring. Which brings us to…

Shape and style matter a lot

One of the most important C’s isn’t a ‘C’ at all – the SHAPE of a diamond is often confused with CUT but they’re rather different. The CUT is how the diamond is actually cut and refers mostly to how the angles are aligned to produce the best light-catching effects. Here’s what we mean:

On the other hand, the SHAPE of the diamond is more in regard to style. Here’s some examples of the most popular diamond shapes:

It’s important to note that the shape of a diamond can determine which C’s become most important. For example, the open table of the Emerald or Asscher cuts specifically showcase the diamond’s COLOR and CLARITY – two C’s you won’t want to skimp on with these cuts.

Last but not least – the ‘setting’ also matters. Once you’ve picked the stone, you’re going to want to get it placed in a setting that best showcases the ring and best suits your wife-to-be’s lifestyle.

But that’s not all – with certain settings, you can get away with concealing diamond imperfections. For example, a diamond placed in a bezel setting will be completely encircled with the metal band, which allows maximum concealment of the stone’s nicks, chips, or other imperfections.

Another important ‘C’ – certification

Regardless of where you buy your diamond from – they should know something about buying a certified diamond.

Make sure you’re buying a diamond engagement ring that comes with certification from major well-known lab.

Buy shy

Did you know that there’s a big price difference between small weight differences? For example, you can often save more than $1,000 by buying a 0.90 carat diamond than buying a 1.0 carat diamond and as much as $5,000 when you buy a 1.90 carat diamond rather than a 2.0 carat diamond. The Carat-Weight difference is minimal (and honestly the other C’s might matter more) but the price difference is huge.

The 0.90 carat diamond won’t look different from the 1.0 carat – the difference is about 0.2 millimeters, equivalent to a sheet of paper – and you’ll save a lot. Shop around for diamonds that are just under certain weight thresholds!

Now that you know the basics, you’ll know what they’re talking about when they start going on about carrots and such.  But before you start pulling out your credit card, you might want to check out our tips on how to get the best deals when buying diamond engagement rings!

The easiest part of the engagement ring to choose is the metal band. No, not that metal band. We mean the color of the ring band.

This is the easiest part of the ring to choose because women tend to be very specific about the metal color they prefer. There are 2 main categories: gold or silver. And usually, a woman who likes to wear gold won’t be so keen on silver and a woman who prefers to wear silver will not wear gold.

Observe the color of jewelry your wife-to-be usually wears to see what her preference is. If she doesn’t wear jewelry or is one of the rare women who mix gold and silver, ask her friends and family for help on her preferences or find out yourself.

See tips on how to find out her ring style without her knowing.

Once you’ve decided to opt for gold or silver, a few more choices present themselves.

Tip: Remember that the wedding band will have to match the engagement ring band and that your wedding band will probably have to match your wife’s. A good thing to keep in mind if you don’t want to go around wearing a rose gold ring for the rest of your life.

Various Shades of Gold

Gold typically comes in 3 colors: yellow, rose, and white. You can see the difference below.

The most expensive of the gold rings is pure gold, which is 24 karat. From there it goes down to 22 karat (92% gold), 18 karat (75% gold), 14 karat (58% gold) and 9 karat (38% gold).

When the gold ring is not pure gold (24 karat), it just means it’s been mixed with alloys. Obviously, the mixture makes the lower karat rings cheaper. It also affects its appearance, meaning it may not be so yellow as a 24 karat ring (not a bad thing at all, especially if she’s not into very yellow gold).

Note: The best thing about gold rings (excluding white gold) is that they don’t tarnish or rust. They don’t lose any of their brilliance. Ever.

White gold looks like silver and that’s because the most expensive kinds of white gold are made of yellow gold mixed with silver. But that’s not the only way to make white gold – white gold can be a mixture of yellow gold with various other white metals. See below (under “Silver” options) for more information on white gold.

Rose gold is made using a mix of pure gold with copper, which gives it the rosy, reddish color. Zinc is sometimes added to enhance the color as well.

Tip: If you decide to go with gold, we recommend that you opt for an 18 karat ring over a cheaper 9 karat or 14 karat ring since 18karat gold tends to hold up better to everyday wear.

Various Types of Silver

When you opt to buy a silver ring, keep in mind that actual silver is not your only option. Silver colored rings can be made of platinum, palladium, white gold, or silver.

Let’s go over these metals in a little more detail…

Platinum 

It’s typically believed that when it comes to silver-colored jewelry, platinum is the best. What you should keep in mind, though, is that platinum is the most expensive silver-colored metal and whereas it might make sense to buy a platinum engagement band, you might also be buying two platinum wedding bands afterwards and that will definitely add up.

That being said, platinum is a great choice for delicate pieces of jewelry, simply because platinum is the hardest metal used in jewelry. For a fine, delicate ring – platinum will give it durability and strength.

Another great thing about platinum is that it doesn’t tarnish easily, but – and this is a big BUT – you should keep in mind that platinum rings are usually rhodium-plated to improve their appearance. The rhodium-plating will fade in time, giving the platinum ring a dull, greyness and prompting you to take a trip to the jeweler for a fresh coating.

Tip: The best time to buy platinum is during a financial crisis or recession, when platinum prices typically fall compared to gold. When times are good, platinum can be twice the cost of gold.

Palladium

Palladium is a relatively new alternative and as a result, less well-known than platinum. It’s cheaper and lighter than platinum, but similar to platinum when it comes to its malleability, color, and resistance to tarnishing.

Unlike platinum, palladium is not a good option for delicate rings with fine details.

White Gold

As mentioned above, white gold is an alloy, or a mixture of gold with at least one white metal. The metal can be nickel, palladium, silver, or manganese.

White gold won’t tarnish, but keep in mind that white gold rings are usually rhodium-plated to improve its appearance. This plating will wear off with time and you’ll begin to see the yellowish gold color showing through, at which point you’ll have to get it re-plated.

White gold comes in 9 karat, 14 karat, and 18 karat and all of these are cheaper than platinum.

Silver

Silver is the cheapest option of the metals but it’s not really an ideal metal for an engagement ring because it has a tendency to tarnish. It is not as lasting as the other options above and won’t hold up to everyday wear as well as the above options.

Buying an engagement ring online is one of the smartest ways to get the most bling for your buck. Reputable online jewelers don’t have the overhead expenses that brick-and-mortar retailers do and can afford to sell the same quality rings at up to 50% discounted prices.

Want to know more about why you should buy your engagement ring online?

At the same time, you don’t want to buy from just any diamond seller. For example, buying precious stones on large auction sites like eBay is really not recommended. You might be able to get rock-bottom prices, but those also come with high risks and no guarantees on the quality of the stone you’re buying.

An engagement ring is a big, pricey purchase – so make sure you’re covered in every which way. The well-known, reputable online jewelers provide such assurance, individual sellers do not. Go with the vendors who can really stand behind their products.

Here are some things to help you find where to buy an engagement ring online:

Money-Back Guarantees are a Must

Buying an engagement ring online can present a bit of a challenge – even when you know her exact ring size and can see every aspect of the precious stone on the vendor’s site. You still might need to return the ring for whatever reason.

The best online jewelers understand this and offer full no-questions-asked money-back guarantees. Most of them offer at least a 30-day return policy, James Allen offers a 60-day return policy (with free return shipping to boot).

Make sure you go with a jeweler that gives you at least a 30-day return option.

Real People, Real Service

Most of us don’t buy an engagement ring too often – so when we do go shopping for one, we’re going to have questions.

A reputable online jeweler will have real people in their customer service department to answer all your concerns and questions about your potential purchase and work with you should anything – anything – go wrong.

An engagement ring is a big, often complicated purchase – go with vendors who provide (hopefully 24/7) live, real people service.

Certifications

If you’re buying precious stones from anyone – they must come with certifications from a well-know, well-established certification services (i.e. GIA).

All the well-known, reputable online jewelers provide certification for all their precious stones. Don’t buy from a vendor who doesn’t!

Visibility of Products

You can save a lot by buying engagement rings online. Everyone knows this, but the main reason people don’t do it is because they want to see the ring in person.

Seeing the ring – or more importantly, the center stone – is really, really important. Ideally, you should get to examine the stone before it is even placed in a setting so you can assess the exact quality of the stone, unhindered by any metal.

The best online jewelers distinguish themselves from the rest by providing exact pictures of all their stones. This is important because you should not be looking at a prototype picture of a diamond – you need to see the actual diamond you’re going to buy.

So far, James Allen is the only online jeweler that provides this option. All their loose diamonds are featured using 360° Diamond Display Technology, which displays each stone using 15x magnification so you can see the exact shape, cut, color, and clarity from the comfort of your own room.

You can even click to drag the diamond from side-to-side so you can see the sparkle and fire of the stone.

Buying an engagement rings online may be a bit daunting at first, but rest assured that with a budget and an idea of what you’re looking for – you’ll find the perfect diamond in no time.

Remember to choose an online jeweler that will provide you with all the same assurance you’d have when shopping in person, plus the extra benefit of increased savings. When you’re ready to start shopping, check out how to buy an engagement ring online for step-by-step tips!

You know that saying “there’s a pot for every lid?” Well, that applies to marriage proposals as well. As these creative marriage proposals show, there’s a perfect proposal for every couple…

Beachside Surprise Proposal with Message in a Bottle

This is such a brilliant proposal.

The man takes his girlfriend and the whole family to the beach and as they’re walking along, one of the little girls pretends that she stepped on something and is hurt.

The whole family gathers around to inspect what she stepped on and they dig out a bottle with a message in it.

The cork is plucked out and the girlfriend unwraps the message hidden in the bottle. She begins to read it, with absolutely no clue what is going on – she genuinely believes she’s reading a random message in a bottle and has no idea it’s meant for her – until her boyfriend gets down on one knee (she hardly even notices, she’s so busy reading :)) and pulls her to face him.

The surprise on her face is adorable. A lovely way to propose with your loved ones nearby.

Inventive Surprise Fairy Tale Marriage Proposal

For a woman who loves fairy tales – this is a dream marriage proposal.

It begins with the girlfriend being “kidnapped” by Peter Pan and another guy. Then, she’s taken to a house where fairy tale princesses do her makeup. She’s dressed in a beautiful gown from Beauty and the Beast.

In the backyard, all her friends and family are gathered in fairy tale dress and she wanders around collecting messages given to her by various Disney princesses and watching videos recorded by her family and friends.

The video messages are stories of the couple’s lives, told in a clever fairy tale manner.

The proposal ends with the boyfriend riding in on a <strong>white horse</strong> – yes, a real white horse. By the time he jumps onto the ground, it’s crystal clear what her answer is.

Very, very creative, extremely well-planned, and a wonderful way to incorporate all your loved ones in your special moment.

Fake Movie Trailer to Surprise Proposal

A girl named Ginny goes to the movies with her brother. After the trailer for the Hangover 2, she watches a trailer of two people talking – her boyfriend asking her father for her hand in marriage.

The scene ends with her father granting approval and the boyfriend running toward the movie theatre. It ends with the boyfriend bursting into the theatre and getting down on one knee.

Very cute. Very creative.

The Best Scuba Diving Marriage Proposal

Absolutely love how well planned this was and all the beautiful underwater scenery involved.

The boyfriend takes his girlfriend to Mexico where they scuba dive checking out the beautiful underwater pyramids. Pretty soon, stumble across a Mayan pyramid with a hidden treasure inside – her engagement ring.

There are no words and the couple is both covered in scuba gear – but you can still sense the excitement and the surprise.

Perfect, creative marriage proposal.

Surprise Magic Show Streetside Proposal

This is a great, creative proposal idea caught on tape. The boyfriend takes his girlfriend out for dinner, but instead of going straight to the restaurant, he insists on stopping by to watch a street magician – who he hired, of course.

Naturally, the magician asks the girlfriend to “help” him with his show. He goes on to do his card trick – with a lot of “heart” and “diamond” references. (Props to the love references embedded into the card trick!)

The final trick is when the girlfriend is asked to wave her hand over a card her boyfriend is holding…she does so and he flips it over to reveal the message: Will you marry me?

The cutest part is how she can’t quite believe it’s not just a magic trick. This is one of the cutest proposals – with both the boyfriend and the girlfriend left teary-eyed. They both look genuinely happy – wish them the happiest life together!

Beautiful Artsy Marriage Proposal

Great surprise marriage proposal orchestrated by the groom-to-be and his group of friends.

The girlfriend was told there was an artist displaying new works in an exhibition titled My Early Muir Owl – which obviously was a total sham.

The gallery was beautifully decorated with laser-cut foam pieces that spelled out “Will You Marry Me” when propped up on metal poles.

Totally beautiful moment when the girlfriend realizes that the whole gallery has been set up just for her and all her friends are gathered for the immediate engagement party.

Den Full of Memories Proposal

The best marriage proposals are the one uniquely tailored to you and your girlfriend’s relationship.

This is why this is such a great proposal idea – the boyfriend hires a team to transform the entire apartment into a den highlighting all of their shared memories. It’s then decorated with soft lighting and dozens of soft white balloons.

When the girlfriend steps into the transformed apartment, she gets to explore all the photos of their memories together, which are scattered all over the entire apartment.

By the time he walks in and gets down on one knee, she’s already in tears.

Super sweet.

Surprise Lunchbreak Proposal

A woman leaves her office for lunch and finds that her car is missing. She calls her boyfriend and he tells her that her car is on its way.

A limo soon arrives to pick her up. Inside, a video recording of her boyfriend lets her know that he just wanted to take her away from the ordinary for a day and to meet him for lunch.

The limo brings her to a beautiful pavilion surrounded by trees where he has lunch prepared. As they’re standing face-to-face, he gets down on one knee…

We love this proposal for its simplicity and creativity. The guy arranged all of it on his own – even the cameras were set up by him.

A beautifully creative proposal single-handedly orchestrated by a clever man.

A Man Convinces His Girlfriend to Take the Dog for a Walk…

…and then he busts out with a whole LIVE music video.

This proposal gets five stars for awesome planning. He asks his girlfriend to take the dog for a walk and then all of a sudden, there’s LIGHTS – MUSIC – and all their friends are there.

The only downside to this proposal is that he spends the WHOLE time performing. It’s a great performance and you can tell he went through a lot of trouble to plan it, but it’s just a tad long and ALL the focus is on him. The whole time. He raps, he does skits, he dances…and he’s good.

So, still – she says YES 🙂

10 Things I Hate About You Proposal

Adorable scene right from the movies – specially, the movie 10 Things I Hate About You.

This guy waits until his girlfriend is about to address a football stadium full of people to raise money for her dance team. Suddenly, her mic doesn’t work and you hear the beginning chords of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. His girlfriend looks up to see her boyfriend making his way down from the bleachers, mic in hand.

He meets her down on the pitch and gets down on one knee to the uproarious applause from the audience.

Great idea from a great movie.

A Surprise Broadway Marriage Proposal

Imagine going to see your boyfriend’s Broadway performance and after the fantastic show, and clapping wildly for the cast – he gets down on one knee and proposes?

How perfect is that?

Marriage is an expensive business and it all begins with the engagement ring. According to an XO Group Inc. survey, the average engagement ring cost $5,200 in 2011 and about 12% of couples spent more than $8,000 for the engagement ring.

Read more about how much you should spend on an engagement ring.

Most people don’t have that much saved up by the time their ready to pop the question. And that’s okay – there are other options. Let’s go over a few of them.

The worst option: Putting the engagement ring on a credit card

Ah, the credit card. Makes everything so easy, doesn’t it? All you have to is whip it out and mentally resolve to make a payment every month. The only problem is that you end up spending a whole lot more than you bargained for.

Let’s say you’re planning to spend $5,200 – the average spent in 2011 according to XO Group’s Inc.’s survey – and that your credit card has an interest rate of 15%. According to the Federal Reserve’s Credit Card Repayment Calculator, the minimum monthly payment you’ll have to make each month is $104. Not bad, huh?

However, paying off the minimum every month would take 25 years to pay off the cost of the whole ring. And the worst part…you’d be paying an extra $7,580 in interest charges alone, bringing the total cost of the engagement ring to $12,780.

A better option: Getting interest-free financing from the jewelry store

Pretty much all the major jewelry stores offer financing options and many of them offer interest-free financing for 6 to 12 months.

Sounds great, but there’s a little catch. If you miss a payment or fail to pay off the balance within the 6 to 12 months, you’ll end up paying a lot, lot more.

According to MSN Money, here are a few of the major jewelry stores and the financing options they offer:

• Jared: 0% interest if paid in full within 12 months; up to 24.99%.
• Kay Jewelers: 0% interest if paid in full within 12 months; up to 24.99%.
• Shane and Co.: 0% interest if paid in full in six months; 27.99%.
• Zales: 0% interest if paid in full in six months; 23.73% to 28.99%.

The 0% financing is a great option – but only if you are positive you can pay in the next 6 or 12 months. With all of these financing plans above, if you make one late payment or fail to pay the balance in full, the super high interest rates shown above is charged from the date of purchase, NOT from the date the promotional period ends.

That comes to a price tag even heftier than you’d pay if you bought with the credit card. Take advantage of 0% financing ONLY if you know you can pay it off within 6 months.

The best option: Wait and save or Buy for less

The best way to buy an engagement ring is to pay for it with money that you already have. If you can wait a little longer, why not save toward the engagement ring so you can buy it with cold, hard cash?

If you really can’t wait, another option is to simply buy the engagement for less. Click here for tips on how to save big on buying the engagement ring.