How To Make Your Engagement A Memorable Experience

Now that you have met the girl you wish to spend the rest of your life with, it will be just a simple matter of you proposing and her accepting. This is likely going to end up being one of the most incredibly nerve-wrecking moments during your life, but it is one of the most important. You will of course want to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

After making your decision to ask for her hand in marriage, there are a couple important steps you need to take before you propose. The very obvious first step is to select the perfect engagement ring. The ring doesn't need to be huge or extremely expensive. When you are ready to spend the rest of your life together, you are sure to know what kind of ring she will love. You will also need to know her ring size, so that at that moment she accepts, you can slip it on her finger and not have to take it in for an adjustment.

You are sure to want the proposal to be special and to be a surprise for her. After all, if she knows what's coming, it won't be as shocking as you would like. So you won't want to risk asking her questions about her ring size and such. One of her friends is likely to have the answers that you need. If not, speak with her mom. She will definitely have the answers for you!

Setting the Mood

Making sure you pick the best location is another hard decision. You will want to choose a location that won't give away your intentions, but you also want it to be memorable. You should be able to come up with something creative without being obvious and spoiling your own surprise.

By taking some time to think carefully about it, you should be able to find something great. Having the perfect proposal that will make both of you happy is very important. Be sure that you have planned everything out thoroughly and have figured out your next step when something goes wrong. Always have a backup plan to handle your engagement. Making sure things go smoothly will help with your nervousness as well as help make the engagement a memorable experience for both of you.

The Big Event

Proposing is a huge step in a relationship for a man just as accepting that proposal is to the lady. Make sure when you propose that you profess your undying love and your need to spend the rest of your life by her side. Once she accepts your proposal, she can start planning the wedding and invite all of the friends and family as well as showing off that engagement ring.

Learn more tips and advice on picking the perfect engagement ring by visiting our site as well as things to consider when you opt for a custom engagement ring!

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Five Tips To Help You Find The Perfect Engagement Ring

Thinking of proposing to that special someone with the perfect engagement ring? If you are already anxious about getting down on one knee and popping the question with a diamond engagement ring - you are not alone. Results from a recent study from a prominent wedding website are in, and based on responses from more than 10,000 brides, we've put together the top five tips to help future grooms while shopping for engagement rings.

When it comes to selecting the perfect ring the two most common considerations are price and size, but breathe a sigh of relief because there are many options in rings that are perfect representations of your love that she can wear and love forever. Many of the diamond engagement rings on the market today are beautiful, classic and reasonably priced, given their investment into your future union.

Tip 1: Spend your time wisely - not just your money - to find the perfect engagement ring. When purchasing a ring it's not really the size of the diamond that counts, it's the fact that it's a symbol of commitment and love. It's more important to focus on her personality and style than it is to find the biggest rock to put on her finger. The average groom spends three months ring shopping, visits four retailers, and looks at 27 rings before deciding on "the one."

Tip 2: It is not uncommon for couples to go shopping for engagement rings together. This way, the fiancé-to-be is sure to absolutely adore her ring. Not to mention, this takes a tremendous weight off the man's shoulders. Studies show that the groom is significantly less nervous about the proposal if the fiancé-to-be is even somewhat involved in the ring search. The less involved the brides were in the ring search - the more nervous the grooms!

Tip 3: If you're looking to surprise her with a ring, then you need to do a bit more research. Pay attention to the jewelry she likes and dislikes. Take heed on her preference of platinum or yellow gold, designer brands, vintage or contemporary styles or if she'd prefer an antique engagement ring. The best clue of her taste in jewelry will be what she wears on a daily basis. Listen to her comments, and don't be afraid to ask her close friends or family. Truth is she's probably mentioned what designers or styles she likes, even if it was subtle.

Tip 4: Anxious about the diamond size? Consider her lifestyle. Is she active outdoors? What are her hobbies? Does she work in a hands-on profession? Would an impressive ring or a simpler ring suit her lifestyle best? How comfortable the ring is on her finger is also a significant consideration. For engagement rings, only 4% of center stones were two carats or more, while 73% of all engagement rings have a center stone that ranges in size from.50ct to under 2.00ct. These are important aspects when selecting an engagement ring because not only is it an everyday jewelry item, it is also an investment.

Tip 5: Looking for help? Her friends and family are a great resource. They will be able to give input on what style or ring would look best on her. Use them to help narrow down ring size, metal preference, diamond weight and designer ring style. Take practicality into account when selecting a ring.

Take the time to consider these recommendations before choosing a ring. After all, the engagement ring is a symbol of love and commitment and you want to be sure she loves it for a lifetime. By following these tips and doing a little bit of research, shopping for rings can be an enjoyable process!

Tacori exudes classic elegance with modern inspiration and has created some of the world's most highly regarded and exquisite jewelry. They are the leader for beautiful engagement rings and stunning fine jewelry pieces.

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Religious Beliefs and Political Beliefs Can Harm Our Relationships

It's fair to say that 90% of the conflict we experience in our relationships with others is caused by attitudes of arrogance, a critical or judgmental tone of voice, and a lack of civility and kindness.

This is especially true when discussing religious or political beliefs.

For example, religious and politically conservative people love to monologue about their beliefs using a "voice" that arrogantly assumes they are speaking about absolute truth, not simply their own beliefs. Their tone of voice conveys the judgmental message that anyone who disagrees with them is wrong, unintelligent, or mis-informed.

They commonly employ a dismissive or judgmental attitude that includes emotional and psychological "distancing" from friends or relatives who disagree with their beliefs.

Rather than simply agreeing to disagree, they often choose to cut-off or walk away from the conversation and/or the relationship entirely.

When dealing with friends or relatives that behave this way it is important to remember that you did not choose the conflict or the rejection that you are experiencing. We all have the right to choose the various beliefs and values that bring meaning to our own life.

We can take the path of compassion by not talking about those subjects that we know are going to create tension, but more often than not, those who believe they possess absolute truth seem to be unaware of the hurtful arrogance they are manifesting.

They can often become aggressive when "others" bring up religion or politics, but they seem to feel that it's OK to talk about their own religious and political beliefs.

They may not bring the subjects up directly, but repeated comments such as

"praise the lord","god's will,stories about the power of prayer,derogatory and judgmental comments regarding homosexuals,negative racial and ethnic comments,critical comments regarding politicians from other political parties,how they think immigrants should be treated,why the country is in the shape it's in, andwelfare reform,

are very commonly sprinkled throughout their conversations.

It requires the patience of a saint to ignore such "sprinklings" since most of the comments will be focused directly, or indirectly, on what "you" should do or what "you" should believe.

On the other hand, those who speak with the gentle voice of personal passion, confidence, and conviction will just as clearly reflect the beliefs of the speaker, but he or she will not presume to speak "for" others. They will simply be sharing who "they" are, and what "they" believe.

People who share using the softer voices of passion and personal conviction are often fun to be around. Conversations with them tend to be thoughtful and interesting. They will often thank you for sharing your wisdom and thoughts with them.

They openly embrace new ideas and change. As such, they are evolving and growing. Sharing time with them is always a pleasure.

We all have a part of us that wants to grow, and all of us have a primitive ego that doesn't.

The part we pay attention to is our choice.

If growth is important to us, we will grow. We will learn to pay attention to the part of us that resists change. We will begin to see clearly the narcissism and arrogance that we are guilty of when we assume to possess absolute truth on "any" subject. We will begin to embrace silence and a sense of "not-knowing."

People who are growing tend to be good listeners.

It is painful to have friends and relatives pull away from us. It can difficult to be around them at times. But, like us, they too have the right to decide their own future.

We are called to love them, but we don't have to take responsibility for the karma of their choices, their behaviors, or the "voices" they choose to use.

Dick Rauscher, M. Div., licensed mental health counselor and life coach writes Stonyhill Nuggets on paths to growth and healing and awakening our primitive ego to achieve true happiness and success in life. His articles focus on taking full responsibility for the lives we are creating for ourselves, developing the skills required to achieve happiness and become more successful in life, and incorporating the day-to-day psychological and spiritual practices needed to achieve a deeper and more authentic spirituality. http://www.stonyhill-nuggets.com/

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Copyright 2010 Dick Rauscher

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