Does the Size of the Engagement Ring Really Matter?

Size matters (but it shouldn’t) when it comes to one guy’s engagement ring

An engagement ring is a visible symbol of a couple that has committed to being together “forever.” It lets everyone know that the wearer should be considered off the market and unapproachable for anything more than friendship. For most couples it’s a once-in-a-lifetime gift, so there’s no doubt that it’s important — but sometimes the intent gets lost in the finances.

The mother of a local groom asks…

“My son is in a real bind. He neither makes nor has saved a lot of money. He is very concerned about something he read somewhere that says that the groom-to-be is required to spend the equivalent of a three months salary on the engagement ring. Is that true?”

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The Wedding Guru says…

The optimum word here is “gift.” There should never be a required dollar sign attached to a gift. The only “restriction” on the ring that your son buys for his fiancée should be that it stays within his budget. There is no hard and fast rule about how much the groom should spend.

I would advise your son that, if his fiancée sets either a price tag or a size on the ring she wants, he should rethink if her priorities are ones that he can live with when they are married.

Got more questions? Write to me at judy@hvmag.com

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