Why The Diamond Engagement Ring Is A Guaranteed Success

Men face several difficult tasks when proposing; the first is the nerves, and the second is the choice of ring. Unfortunately I cannot help you with the nerves, but I can advise you on the engagement ring.

There are some brides to be who want something specific, so do look out for clues as to what they want. However, if you are left to make the decision on your own then don't panic; there are beautiful rings out there which are guaranteed to be a success.

I am a big fan of the 2 carat diamond engagement ring. There are several reasons for this. The first is the size. I think it is a really practical size for most women. It is all well and good having a huge great stone on your finger, but when you have kids you don't want to have to remove your ring every time you prepare food, change a diaper or feed. I think that big stones are for special rings which get worn on special occasions.

Your next decision is the cut of the diamond. The princess cut has recently grown in popularity. This is a 'squarer' cut which in some cases will make the diamond look bigger than it actually is. This is a very striking cut, but be warned that it doesn't suit all hands. The more traditional cut is the round cut diamond. This is a very pretty diamond and will always sparkle wonderfully.

The final design decision you have is the set for your 2 carat diamond engagement ring. Even if you are going for a simple solitaire on a plain band, you still need to choose the way that the diamond is attached to the ring. One of the earliest ways of attaching a stone to a ring is with a collar. This is still a very popular choice and has both modern and antique associations. The other popular choice is to have a 'claw' setting.

Both the collar and claw setting work well with single diamonds, but they also both lend themselves to having a smaller diamond set either side of the main stone.

The most important thing when you choose your ring, is that you like it. It may sound obvious, but I strongly believe that you will know the perfect ring when you see it. If you really can't find the perfect ring then there is always to option of buying a loose diamond and then getting a jeweller to build a ring specifically for it. You can compromise of the size of the diamond or other details, but never compromise on the impression that the rings gives; this is potentially the most important gift you give, so make sure you are proud of it.

Discover more about the best way to find looses diamonds for sale and other ideas for the perfect 2 carat diamond engagement ring

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4 Engagement Party Etiquette Tips

Engagement parties are great occasions, but people should keep certain etiquette considerations in mind. Here is a quick list of etiquette guidelines for attending an engagement party.

1. Pre-engagement party
The first thing you need to do before you even go to an engagement party is to make sure yourself and your party are dressed properly. Make sure your clothes are pressed, shoes are shined, and hair groomed properly. You should also bring a gift to the party. Appliances are usually great gifts. Things like waffle makers, rice cookers and punch bowl sets are always good. Gift cards are always good as well. If you do not have enough money for a gift make sure you bring a card congratulating the soon to be married couple.

2. Arrival at the party
When you arrive at the engagement party make sure you sign into the guest list if there is one. Make sure to do so in cursive. The next thing you want to do is give your gift and or card to whomever is getting married. They could be busy talking to other people so make sure you are polite and wait your turn. When you are able to talk to either of the hosts of the party, make sure your whole party says hello. After that, you should also say hello to the parents of the soon to be wed and congratulate them.

3. Eating at the party
When you go to eat and you can eat anywhere, sit with your family. If there is no room for you to sit, you can go to a table with other people at it already. Make sure to be polite and ask them if you can take the extra seats. When conversing with other people make sure to avoid talking about unsettling things, be polite despite the attitude of the people you may be talking to and do not use profanities!

If the style of eating is a buffet, make sure you are considerate and take small servings of food. That way, everybody is able to have some of everything. It is okay to come back for seconds after everybody has finished going through the line once. If the style of eating is where you are served a fixed plate, be sure to thank your server and eat everything on your plate. You can ask for seconds after you think everyone has been served. When eating makes sure you use the proper utensils and your napkin. Also, remember to always be polite and do not get drunk! You can enjoy your alcohol, but know your limit.

4. Dancing at the party
Make sure to always dance. If a man, make sure to ask women who are around the dance floor and are alone to dance. If a woman, make sure to always agree to dancing if asked to dance.

Now you know how to maintain proper etiquette when going to an engagement party. Make sure to have fun!

Ricky Dean writes about various topics. For more info on engagement party etiquette, visit Dinosauric.com content sharing site.

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Preparing for Marriage - The Joining of Your Money

One of the hardest areas for most engaged couples to agree is in the area of money and finances. In fact, most divorces are the result of disagreements over money that date back to the beginning of their marriage. Failing to plan for your finances to be joined together during your engagement is a recipe for disaster. There are many financial courses available to you such as Financial Peace University and Crown Ministries both of which lay a solid financial base and should be considered within the first year of your marriage. Until then, here are a couple of potential differences in your financial perspective to discuss and compare notes. By spending time now understanding each other's perspective, some of the tension involving money can be minimized.

Different socioeconomic backgrounds. You may not have grown up in the same zip code or come from the same financial background. Some families tend to be savers and some tend to be spenders, your family's financial background has already influenced your finances. And while your family's perspective on money may be different from you, imagine the tension that can be created if your spouse to be has an entirely different background experience. The discussion topic to have is what is your family's experience with money and how has that experience affected your financial decisions.

Different financial goals. Having financial goals like how much money do you want saved, when and where would you like to retire, and what annual salary are you striving to achieve are just a small sample of goals that you should be discussing. After all, each of you already has a financial goal which should become a shared goal between the two of you. Some financial goals may be more defined and specific than others; one of you is likely to be a bit more detailed. But if your spouse to be says that they don't have a financial goal then their goal is really to allow others, including the financial markets, to dictate their life. This is not a healthy goal upon which two people should be joined.

Different spending habits. More than likely, one of you will be a spender and the other a saver. Determine now who is which and who is going to be in charge of managing your finances. The saver is the best choice for managing the money as they are better at long-term planning then the spender. Both of you should begin now to put together a budget that you can agree on that is consistent with your financial goals. Discuss and agree now on how money will be spent from each paycheck and how much money will be saved. There are many guidelines out there for budgeting but the best one is the one that works for you and is easy to stick with every month.

Different checking accounts. Right now you have different checking accounts and different monthly expenses. Soon you will need to decide how and if the accounts will be joined together into one account or several different accounts. Whether or not the accounts are jointly held, both of you needs to have access to the accounts including the balances at all times. If not, one person may believe that the other is hiding money from them. This breeds distrust and disunity. Discuss now what accounts you will keep at which banks and how to give both of you access to the balances on a monthly if not daily basis.

While there are many more issues to address with joining your finances together, this list is a good place to start as you begin the merging process. It is likely that the above topics will cause some disagreement already but that is precisely what it is designed to do because if you agree on these topics now, it will greatly reduce the tension later.

Chris Hammond is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern at LifeWorks Group w/ over 15 years of experience as a counselor, mentor & teacher for children, teenagers & adults.

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