Engagement rings

An engagement is a special occasion in a couple's life and every care is taken by all parties to make the event unique and memorable. Men go to great lengths in planning the right setting for proposing to their beloved. Similarly, selecting the right ring for the bride-to-be is an integral part of planning an engagement party. Likewise, it is every girl's dream to be proposed in the most romantic manner with lots of flowers, enchanting music, and the special man in her life going down on one knee and presenting her a beautiful ring. Engagement ceremonies are a celebration of all these aspirations and desires.

During the engagement service, the groom slips a ring onto the bride's ring finger signifying his commitment to her. Amongst many other important customs during an engagement ceremony, exchange of engagement rings is an exclusively precious element since it displays the level of loyalty and devotion of the couple towards the relationship.

History of engagement rings

Rings are exchanged to commemorate the sentiments and meaning behind the action of engagement. They are symbols of love, fidelity, eternity, honor and commitment. In ancient civilizations, a commonly held notion about a vein that originated from the ring finger and directly connected to the heart, was the reason why the fourth finger of the left hand was termed as 'ring finger'. In some cultures, men presenting an engagement ring to their women was a symbolism for 'claiming their brides'.

In America, during the colonial period, all forms of jewelry were forbidden, as they were considered worthless. Therefore, in place of the ring, a thimble was presented to the bride. After the marriage, the bride stripped the base of the thimble to give it a ring like appearance.

Availability

Engagement rings are available today in a variety of styles and materials. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, crystals, emeralds and even shells are incorporated with gold, silver, platinum and white gold to make exquisite rings. Designer shapes for engagement rings is a popular trend fueled by the fact that each couple wants their engagement ring to be unique, not only as a style statement but also as an expression of their love in a way different from all others.

Choosing the ring

It is a daunting task to choose an engagement ring which adequately expresses the sentiments of the man and also suits the woman's persona perfectly. The process of selecting a ring can be made simpler if a few pointers are kept in mind. For instance, it is important to recollect if your lady love has ever indicated what kind of ring she would prefer if you got engaged. It is always advisable to select a ring based on what you know of her tastes when it comes to jewelry. You might want to keep her distinctive ideas about a style statement in mind when you order the ring. In case she is the contemporary type, you could go for a designer piece and if her taste is more traditional, you could opt for something with a more ethnic flair.

The most important thing to consider while buying your fiance an engagement ring is her finger size. The ring size instructions to the jeweler cannot be given at random, as it could be rather embarrassing at the engagement ceremony to find that it is either too loose or too tight. The ease with which the ring fits into her finger shows how much care you have taken while selecting it and makes the woman feel immensely special and valued.