Rather than getting things lost in the Random chat thread, I figured it's best to start here.

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viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18022&start=2610#p328779

Basically I met my current partner over a year ago. Of all the girls I've met and the relationships I've been in, she's the only one that's made me feel special. She's declared her love for me and her desire to have my babies. In my heart, I know she's the one for me and I feel it's basically time to pop the question.

Have had a look at our texts and gone through about 20,000 messages (no exaggeration). The anniversary of our first date is coming up in a couple of weeks. It might be the best time to propose. I have an idea of ring size but no idea of which ring she'd like. I have a general gist of where I'd like to propose (outdoors, scenery, pref by a lake or similar) depending on the weather. If it's good weather (dry and relatively warm), then we'll go outdoors [looking at Stratford, maybe Warwick castle (it comes up a lot in online searches)]. Not sure about indoors if it's raining. Maybe a restaurant.

Thoughts, suggestions and ideas would be welcome on where I go from here.

Could you trust her family with ring ideas? I'm thinking sisters have a clue when it comes to jewellry 'gifts'.

Kill two birds with one stone and ask her dad's permission with 'What do ya think of this costly little wonder?'

First of all, congratulations to you
Ring wise, are you looking new or vintage? go for a walk with her by a high street and see if she points out at anything she likes? If she's expecting you to propose she shouldn't see that as a bad thing.

Try a bit of reverse psychology on her... next time you see a ring on someones finger in a TV show or film, utter the words "Ooh, I'm not sure about that ring" to which she'll either reply "Yeah, it's tacky", "OH, I really like it" or "Seriously mate, it's a porno, and you're checking out her frickin' jewellery!"

OK, maybe not so much the last one, but the first two might give you an idea of what style she likes.

Her sister's a bit weird. When I was going clothes shopping for vegas, I asked my girlfriend to come with me. Her sister immediately jumped in and said she would come too and she would help pick out all the clothes. A couple of times, the sister (which is how we refer to her when discussing with my sisters!) has come along on what was supposed to be a date (very early on in the relationship). I wouldn't trust her with anything to be honest.


A bit difficult given that he's six feet under.


We've stopped by jewellery stores in the past. Apparently, she thinks I'm creative/artistic and have good taste. Sometimes I wonder whether she's really talking about me.

Given her hands are quite manly (or I have girly hands), I think a small ring might make her hand appear fatter. I don't know whether I should buy the ring with her first and then pop the question later (it'd be easy on me but less of a surprise for her), or get a temporary ring and then buy her a proper one when funds allow. It'd allow me to surprise her with a proposal and with a ring.

She's not one to wear jewellery, which suits me fine since I'm basically the same. The only reason I wear a watch is because I can use it to work out a patient's pulse or breathing rate.

I say go for a ring you like, if you pick it for her I doubt you can do wrong.

This. It's more what the ring symbolises than how it looks that'll be important in the years to come. Just go with your instincts because they've obviously served you well up to this point.

Well I have bought over the years 2 "engagement" rings - in both cases I involved the other half. What I did do though is arrange a visist to a design studio where we could design the ring together so that made it special

Same studio for both? Isnt that kind of weird?

If you know her as well as you do then I think you should be able to pick one she'd like.

No different ones - the 1st one was when I was living in Birmingham and the 2nd one was in London

May I ask which studio it was?

way to make the 2nd one feel special

I kind of hope he wasn't quite crazy enough to say 'Yeah, this is what I did with my last fiancé'. In fact, I'm fairly sure he didn't, unless he's posting via a ouija board.