ARE PEOPLE PROPOSING ANYMORE?

In the old days, everyone proposed.

The man bought the ring secretly and got down on one knee to propose.

That was the standard and the wonderful shock and surprise.

But is that still the goal today?

Maybe, but times are definitely changing.

If the man is proposing, he must not be doing it with “the ring”, or he’s doing it after they buy the ring. Because statistics show the real story.

75% of engagement rings sold today are sold to a couple in love. She is there to help pick out her dream ring. Only about 25% of the time does he shop by himself planning the “Will you marry me?” day.

This shows many things to me: it’s not just the man’s decision to ask for marriage. Couples are doing it as a joint effort. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to be rejected, or maybe it’s because women are not so old-fashioned anymore (a.k.a. stay-at-home wives).

It’s more modern to plan their lives together, and to pick out the ring that she really wants.

Granted, I believe that she will help pick it out, and then he will still surprise her down the road on one knee at a time and place of his picking. That’s the best case scenario.

But it’s now mostly a couples thing.

I see it every day, every week and year. It’s not just an anxious, overwhelmed man trying to decide upon a round diamond or a princess diamond.

So times really have changed.

Is it because women are equal nowadays, versus the Leave it to Beaver era?

I believe so. Women want the surprise proposal, but they also want to pick out the ring they’ll wear forever.

So my recommendation is either propose with a plastic bubble gum machine ring, a string, or a fun promise ring. Or even pick out a single solitaire diamond ring, and let her know that she can put it into the mounting of her choice later.

That way, nothing is ruined, nothing is lost, and tradition is saved.

And that’s a big fat “YES!” in my book.

Cheers! :)