Getting What You Want He is going to pop the question. You just know it. You don’t know when or how but you can tell it is definitely coming. Now how do you get just what you want? You know what  your dream ring is. Since you have known you want to be with him you have known what your dream engagement ring would look like. Maybe you have known it forever. So now how do you get him to know what it is you want. Tell EVERYONE. Tell your girlfriend, your sister, your Mother. This way if he asks for help your friends and family will be prepared with the information he needs. Leave hints for him. Put this website into his favorites. Print out pictures of some rings you like or the one you love laying around for him to find. If there is a ring you want designed for you sketch it out or create it out of different ring components by simply cutting and pasting the parts of rings you love together. It may seem silly, but make sure he knows your ring size. Most men have no idea what size ring you wear and this is an important piece of the engagement ring puzzle for him. How much should you spend? How much should you spend on an engagement ring? The rule of thumb has been two months salary. But that is really just a guideline. Can you afford more? Is there something you have in mind for her? Is her dream ring less than two months salary? These are questions you need to ask yourself as you start your search for the perfect engagement ring. Probably the most important part of deciding how much to spend is how much you can afford. Maybe you have been saving or maybe your just starting to think about it. Either way take a look at your income as well as your budget and find what your comfortable spending. Why not get your girlfriend more ring than you ever imagined possible. Because I work directly with a reputable non-conflict diamond dealer in NYC I can design and create the ring of her dreams for 25% above the actual cost of the ring. Why pay for your jewelers rent or advertising budget? Why not use that money to get more from a ring. I work directly with the diamond dealer and can find clever ways to get more diamond for the money. Depending on the cut, depth and table of  the diamond it can look much larger than the actual weight of the stone. Diamonds jump in price drastically at certain carat weights. For instance just under a carat is much less expensive than a full carat. With that in mind the right diamond depending on its cut can really give the illusion of being much larger than its actual size. Almost all diamonds have flaws but the key is to find as few “visible” flaws as possible. If you can find the right diamond with flaws that would be ingeniously placed under prongs in settings where they would not be seen you can afford a larger diamond and still have it be a beautiful perfect stone in a setting with no visible flaws. Many flaws can be invisible to the eye. Many flaws would have to be viewed under a jewelers loop to see them. In many ways with the right grade, color and table of a diamond can lead to a larger diamond at the same cost of a smaller one. You can either create the perfect ring with me or choose from a setting that she will love. Many people often think that creating a one kind means spending allot more money than picking a ready made setting. This is not true. When you work with me to create her one of a kind ring in some ways the price that you pay can be the same as a ready made setting. The cost of a one of a kind ring depends on the day the ring is cast and what the price of gold or platinum is that day. Because of this a few hundred dollars to have an original casting made for a one of a kind ring can often lead the total price of the ring being the same as a ready made setting. A one of a kind ring is an amazing way to show her how special she is to you with a one of a kind ring made especially for her. Your Proposal Asking her to marry you is perhaps the biggest decision you will ever make. You have decided to spend the rest of your life with  her. I do suggest that you talk about what the two of you both want in the future before you propose. Do you both want children? Do you both have the same goals? Do you have the same outlook on life and are you both heading in the same direction? These are just a few questions that you should ask yourself and your partner before making the decision to get married. For you it may be an anxiety riddled existence leading up to the big moment. For her it is magic. So don’t be surprised or worried if she screams, squeals or makes noises you have never heard before. It is all part of her charm. First a note of caution. Skip the fromage. You should know her by now, and you should know what she would like. I do suggest keeping it private and intimate. Sure, some women would love an audience. But those women are far and few between. You will know if she is the type. And if so, go for it. Your proposal  is something that will warm her heart every time she remembers it for years to come so make it special. Getting down on one knee should be a given. It is romantic, old fashioned and whether or not we want to admit it, we love it. So, with all that said here are a few ideas to make your moment special. 1. Make it personal and unique to her. If she is an artist perhaps you can hook up with a local art gallery     And surprise her by being able to put up your own “Marry Me” work of art. Make a date to visit the     gallery and when you get to the paining you have planted drop down on one knee and propose. 2. Take her to your favorite restaurant and get the staff in on it. Have a menu that has “Marry Me” inserted     into the menu and when she opens her menu get down on one knee and pop the question. Have a bottle of     champagne waiting.  3. Ask her to marry you in the place you first met or take her to the place of your first date and pop the     big question. Other great sentimental places could be the place where you first went out for dinner or to     a place that is special to both of you. For instance the place where you first went on vacation together, a     favorite park or hiking trail. 4. If it is Christmas time hang her ring on the tree like an ornament and ask her which ornament is her     favorite then get down on one knee when she finds it. 5. Involve the dog or cat. Maybe you two have been planning a life together and have moved in together     and begun your own little family with a dog or cat. Tie her ring to the dog or cats collar then call them in     the room. When she sees the ring get down on one knee and pop the question. 6. Do it at her office. This one will take a little planning. And you will have to get permission from her boss.     Make a PowerPoint presentation and email it to her that charts the amount of time you have been together     and your current happiness as well as charting your future happiness. Chart your future children in a fun     way and be creative with it. Be in hiding in her office and when she gets to the part of the presentation     where you ask her to marry you pop out and get on one knee. Stunts like this take allot of planning and     quite a bit of secrecy and sneakiness on your part, but it will all be worth it in the end. 7. A picnic surprise. Pack a picnic and put the ring in a champagne glass or  a Tupperware container if you     don’t drink. Then ask her to unpack the item where the ring is hidden and when she finds it get on one     knee. 8. Text her. When she least expects it. Pick a mundane time and she will least expect it. Maybe it is over     Over a meal when you have a moment tell her you have to text back a friend and send her a text asking     Her to marry you.  The element of surprise is what makes this proposal unique. There are probably a million more ways to ask but just remember, make it unique to her and make it your own. Surprise is a wonderful element to incorporate and remember your creating one of just many memories to come. With the right planning you will have a great story to tell about how the two of you got engaged for years to come.