Weddingbee boards

Hi Bees!

I've been lurking for... oh, about a week now, and couldn't resist the urge to join anymore!

My boyfriend and I met two years ago this month, and we will have been together two years at the beginning of March. Here's our (waiting) story so far:

In the middle of October, we went to dinner. While we were there (a buffet) between courses, he asked to see my right-hand ring. (White gold with a princess-cut blue sapphire and smaller white sapphires on either side). I handed it over, and he looked at it for a minute and passed it back, saying, "You know, maybe we can go ring shopping after Christmas."

I about died.

Well, fast-forward to "after Christmas"-- after New Year's, actually, and we finally went ring shopping on Saturday. (I say "finally" sarcastically... I did NOT expect him to only wait eight days to start shopping, even though of course I hoped he would!)

We started at a few local jewelers, because we knew pretty much exactly what we wanted and didn't want to buy from a big mall chain store. We wanted gemstones-- aquamarine, sapphire, and swiss blue topaz, to be exact. Emerald cut, or princess cut for the main stone with baguettes down the side. White gold, because platinum, while my favorite because I tend to be really hard on everything I own, is too expensive. And it had to be the right price-- we just bought a house last April, after all... and a new car.

Well, small local jeweler after small local jeweler was closed. Something about after New Years in the jewelry industry, I guess. We were forlorn. (Ok, I was. He was probably ok waiting some more). But I guess he could tell I was itching to go because he suggested later that night we go to the mall anyway "just to do research."

We went to a nearby mall that has the big chain stores every three feet, it seems like. You name it, it's there-- Kay, Zales, Daniel, Helzburg, the list goes on and on. Seven, eight stores passed with disappointment after disappointment, and then... we got to Zales.

We went into the by-then usual speech of me trying to explain to the salesperson that I wanted a diamond setting that we could put gemstones in-- not necessarily an existing gemstone setting, because when I didn't say that I got shown a lot of those "mother" rings. Yes, we knew it probably had to be custom ring, then. Yes, we knew it was going to be more expensive if it was custom.

But wait, the salesperson said-- a very friendly man named Jim-- I have this piece. It's a custom setting that was turned down when it arrived. It's platinum. It's got diamonds on either side, baguettes and rounds. And it's 80% off.

WHAT?!?!?! He pulls it out for me to see. It's HUGE-- the profile is pretty tall. A lot bigger than I thought I wanted, but it's got these swoopy, interconnecting prongs that remind me of tree branches, or ivy. I try it on. The only downside? Missing the center stone. No biggie, we might have a diamond from one of his mom's old rings, or we can still do an aquamarine if we want. Conveniently, they're having a gem fest in a few weeks and we can go see what they have then.

Boyfriend thinks we need a night to think about it. I agree. I convince Jim to hold it for us until 4PM the next day. (Actually, I asked if he could give us til noon-- he offered 4). We walk around to the last few shops, but in our heads-- that was the ring. Everything else pales in comparison.

Boyfriend turns to me after we leave the last shop and says, "Do you want to just go get it now?"

So we did! I went in and asked to try it on again, and it slid on and felt like home. (Sorry to be a cheese, but I remember that passing through my head). Then it got wrapped up in a little box and paid for and off we went.

It's in the house! It's in the house! It's in the house! I even know where it is... he won't let me play with it, haha, but says there's no point in hiding it till we get the stones sorted out. (We may still end up replacing some of the side diamonds with gemstones too, but we'll see). Once I've picked the final design, though, I won't get to see it until he pops the question!

I'm so excited. It's never been all about the ring for me, but now it turns out that the ring is going to be so much more than I ever expected.

Anyway, on to a much shorter intro: I'm (obviously) not yet engaged, but getting there. It will be a wedding on a serious budget, but I'm looking forward to the challenge! I love figuring out how to do great things as great deals (as evidenced by my ring... could it have BEEN more meant to be? Aside from the man buying it for me, that is). I love crafting, and my animals, and anything to do with pretty girly stuff. So I should be right at home here :)

Hello everyone! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all!

Hi everyone, thanks for the welcomes! I PROMISE there will be tons of photos of the ring... after he proposes :) It just feels wrong to take any before then. :/

I've tried to find something similar online but since it was a custom ring... there doesn't appear to be any! If I find something close I'll post it though.

Yay! Welcome! You'll have lots of fun here and these ladies make waiting bearable.

Hmmm...all those blue stones, to die for! I swear my eyes feel good when I look at aquamarine!

What a great story and you have the ring!!! I dont have my ring yet, but I am always sending him pics of ones that I would love to own! LOL. I definitely want a gemstone also and have found one at Zales that is on sale! I hinted to BF here is hoping he listens! LOL

WELCOME!!!

Wow! This thread woke up again. :) Thanks for the welcomes, everyone. I'm SUPER excited. We actually decided to leave the diamonds in the sides for right now, and we're going to go pick out my center stone (aquamarine) next Thursday and he could ask any time after that. I'm trying so hard not to literally bite my nails as there's a good chance I'll need them to look pretty really soon, haha.