Me & my wife dated a year, lived together after 6 months, and was engaged for 3 1/2. We knew by then we were compatable.
Truth be told no one can tell you where to go and what to do and how to do it, but one thing is for sure, if she's the one for you she'll love whatever you get her as long as you put a lot of thought and effort into it. Now, if you believe all of that, you are to naieve to get married.
It is tough to explain why I want to. I can't adequately put into words how she makes me feel, but I just feel this is right. And 50% do end in divorce, but who says I won't be in the other 50%?
I hope you are the other 50, and if it feels right for you then that's really all that matters. Just giving my perspective on marriage, and especially young people marrying.
I got the wife's ring from Shane Co. I don't know if they are in Ohio, but it was really cool, no pressure and they took the time to teach a backwoods bumpkin like me a lot about something I knew nothing about. They also do the free maintenance and trade up if ever wanted. Just don't take your buddies with you. The whole time I'm at the counter paying for the ring, by buddy kept saying "Man there goes the down payment on your new bass boat, and your new truck, and your new motorcycle, are you sure about this?" That was 6 years ago, I'm still married and he's been divorced twice already.
Well, I was 22 when I got married, I was a babe in the woods, but I knew it was right. She might have second thoughts now! We just passed our 22 aniv.
Still golden. Just not the good kind. The I've got curry all over me kind of gold. But if she accepts it, you'll know she's crazy for you and she's not a gold digger.
horrible advice. experience is the best teacher, and if you won't listen to anyone else, you'll be forced to repeat many mistakes that have already been made. not saying marriage is a mistake, but throwing caution to the wind is.
You are 23 and if my memory serves me right, you have been going out with this girl no more than a year. I hate to say this man... but I would only say reconsider... I can only speak from experience man. I got engaged with a woman at age 22, was with her up to last year, and throughout all that I thought that the fighting would stop and we would work it out (of course we got engaged when **** was awesome, without having really passed the tough one year period (lemme tell you something... things fall apart after that one), we started fighting, but you know engaged and all, we where going to work it out. Then we fought more, and more, and more, then we got curious, and then we started sleeping with other people on the side (alright... she did first...) and ultimately I ended up totally ****ed up and having to move out of the country to regroup and remake my life. I did learn though, that marriage is for people that are constructing relationships on the basis of companionship and friendship. Not on the basis of desire and human hormones. THat is what being young and dating is for.
Stiches, I still say do what you feel is best for yourself, and be damned what others think. They are not you, and don't live in your skin. If you feel strong enough about her, its time to do it.
You're wrong. We own him. Or at least Griddles does. He's the one that benefits the least once Stitches' new fiancee takes over the reins.
you will quickly learn about the grades of diamonds, inclusions and all that stuff. some quick tips. round cut is expensivo...and all diamond are expensivo...to the point that you may puke when you find out 10K cant get ya very far anymore. and get it insured! tack it on to your home owners insurance or renters insurance(if u can) i have a jeweler who is friends with family members of mine. that always helps. you gotta flex your resources. and no longer are the days of broads getting a grossly over-priced ring with the guy getting the shaft. my wife got her damn diamond...i made sure i got my Rollie. marriage is a two way street. start planting that seed, and picking out your watch now.
You can head out to any echanges you you may have in your area. (manufacturers of jewelry or merchants for diamonds) if you buy the ring for it's raw karrots and weight..it comes out much cheaper...design is usually pretty cheap with local jewelers. if you buy it raw....look for a price around 2.2k to 3k per karrot and around $800 per ounce of gold. You will save maybe 40% on the ring and it will be original.
listen to this man! i met my wife at 22, didnt get engaged until we were 26. married at 28. you are young, and the relationship is young. you should totally wait man. save up some dough. let the relationship build. we knew in the 6 months that we'd be married eventually. and we knew we weren't going anywhere. just enjoy the dating and just enjoy each other. i hate blanket statements, but these days, no one has any business getting married without 1-2 years of history...especially when you're in your early 20s. now is the time to discuss the big issues, without pulling any triggers. do you want kids? how many kids? when? whats your professional future and plans? set a time-line, talk about it. but take your time, and dont go diving into anything. make sure you know her family well, and she knows yours. thats HUGE! my wife and i knew we'd only get one chance at a great engagement and at a great wedding. slow down buddy. if you're in love and she has an ounce of maturity, theres no need to go pulling any triggers just yet. patience always pays off.
and also, do not give the ring as a gift on a holiday. just give the ring on its own, non-xmas/non-b-day, date. if things fall apart, and it was not a particular gift, you can usually get it back. and ask yourself this... could you accidentally crap your pants in front of her, and a. not be embarrassed...and b. her not be overly grossed out or handle the shart in a negative manner? if you did not answer yes to all the above...then wait.
I have two things to say to this... 1. I better be invited to the reception. 2. You better let Sam throw you a bachelor party (not lucky, he'll hire himself as the stripper)
Congrats man! Me personally, my fiancee and I had gone to all the different "big time" jewelry stores to just gauge the prices and see the different ring designs out there. Turns out that some of the stores had better stuff but cost more and vice versa. We ended up going to Shaw's Jewelers and spent about $500 each.
Just because I want to propose does not mean I will get married tomorrow. A typical engagement lasts two years, and mine will certainly be that long (so there would be more then 1-2 years history). And we've met all of each others family and everything, and we have talked about future plans and work and everything. It is not like I have just decided on a whim and that I've only gone out with this girl 10 times, I see her nearly every day.
my wifes family had a ring that she really liked but did not fit. we had looked around at differnet stores to see what designs she liked. i worked with her mom and found a jeweler that would customize a ring using the stone from the ring she liked. we were engaged using another ring and then i surprised her on Christmas with the actual ring. she loves it. it is in a design she loves and the diamond she wanted. i believe it was a 1 carat stone. i paid a little over $500 for everything. having the stone saved quite a lot. the one bit of advise that i would lend is this; anticipate changes. even if you two decide to live together for a while, it will not prepare you for the changes that will occur once you are married. i was surprised when i realized i had these preconceived ideas of what marriage was until i started living them. my expectations started to change as did hers. the trick is to recognize them and deal with them as two individuals in an equal relationship. if you are truly blessed then your mate will have similar ideals and any differences you two may have will be minimal and easily worked through. i might add, make sure you like this person as well.
