Oh there's ju ju involved...that's how kids come along

I paid about $600 when I bought one. I looked for a few months. I got one I thought looked good, asked the jeweler if I could exchange if she didn’t like the style. She was fine with it.

I did get her a new set for our 10th anniversary.

Sounds like she already knows it’s coming and is a smart girl not wanting you to spend too much. You could always take her with you to pick one out and you spend what you feel comfortable spending and you can afford.

I didn’t pop the question per se, but we discussed and agreed to get married. Then I went to Kentucky, alone,to meet and ask her father for permission/blessing. Then we had a local jeweler make custom rings. Cost 600 apiece

I didn’t say there was no beer. Did I????

I let her pick out the ring , saved me a bunch of money she liked a smaller ring than I would have bought.

if she likes the 1950s type clothing maybe go classic 1950s single stone set maybe even find an old one.

800 isn't a lot of money in 2024 I want to say 1500 was what I spent in 24 years ago.

Maybe just buy a Gold band and pop the question and save the budget for what she wants for the wedding.

45 years ago, for my first wife, the three ring set was like 4k. It's not the rings or the size of the diamond that costs so much as the quality of the diamond/s.

The fiancee' found what she wanted, purely by chance, at a local pawn shop. An antique 18 ct white gold (no Rhodium plating) .22 carat diamond, 2 ring set. Under $600, I told her I would put a bigger diamond in the setting; but she has insisted, NO!

Both Correct!

Get a used ring, you can get a $5,000 ring for like a grand, meet at a Jewelry store to verify authenticy

Surprised she hasn't taken you ring "looking", just for fun. To give you an idea what she likes so you can "surprise" her....

But I agree with her, don't spend a stupid amount of money for a ring, some girls want big so they can show it off to their girlfriends, she seems more level headed than that..Good luck.

With todays prices and gold going up every day good luck ! BUT look into lab grown diamonds. They are little cheaper and look amazing. THEY ARE NOT Cubic Zorconia . In fact she won't tell the difference. Only thing is if or when she leaves you she can't get as much at the pawn shop ..

You can get them from Amazon (no kidding) cheaper than anywhere...

Have bought her 2 with diamonds in them but they fell out. Should be checked a couple times a year for adjustment.

Get her a simple, gold engagement ring

Then go pick out a wedding ring (actually you just go with and pay, she does the picking) together

My wife used her grandmother's ring and I bought the bands to go on each side of it. Can't remember what it cost me but it was not a lot and it was what she wanted.

I wore a ring for the first few years. Work kept it beat up pretty bad so she took it and had it cleaned and wears it on her thumb sometimes.
We have been married 30 years and I bet I have not worn it in 25+ (probably can't get it on my finger either)

If you’re doing the engagement ring just buy something cheap then let her pick out the wedding ring, and you do realize that marriage is the leading cause of divorce.

She has multiple times, it always just ends up with her having 20-30 she likes and asking me what I want, to which I tell her just to just pic what she thinks is nice, to which she goes back to looking and pics our another group with different qualities

To be honest at this point I'm pretty sure her ,her family and my family would be happy if I just went and got her a $100 Walmart ring as long as we hurry up and get the wedding and kinds on the way , which she's already planned out and.... Man I don't get all the " well you have too" stuff apparently I can't cook at my own wedding , apparently a keg out the the back for the boys is not proper wedding stuff , AND NO BLUE JEANS ! Also apparently we need to invite people she doesn't even like and who will probably cause problems because.... Reasons ?
Idk I just wanted a court house wedding with friends family I like and have a cook out in the parking lot , but I'm a man and apparently theirs things me as a man just don't understand

I believe my wife’s ring was $9500 and mine was $1800.

Its a trap. Woe unto you if you pick the wrong one. Many women have a bad habit of expecting you to read their mind. You ever asked her where she wants to eat or what movie to go see? Then when you suggest one she says no I dont want to eat there or see that movie? Same with the 800 bucks. Its a trap.

It’s not polite to have the keg out the back door for the boys as women enjoy beer also.

I had no credit card or bank account when I got married in 2008. Cash on the barrel. My Dad told me things would change with marriage and kids, I needed good credit. Boy was he right, especially for doctor and dentist bills. I took out a 1,000.00 dollar loan with my Dad as a cosigner, and went to a jeweler who owed me some favors, had him make custom engagement and wedding rings for her with cushion cut diamonds and emeralds, paid off the loan two months later, opened up a checking account and got a credit card. Another unassociated jeweler appraised them at 3,000 a week later, my friend did me right, considering I only gave him 1,000. My birthstone is an emerald, diamonds symbolize longevity, I'm hers forever. Kind of mushy to some, but everything should have meaning in my life.

Rings are overrated... Most of that tradition comes from advertising campaigns by jewelers.

A simple gold band is more than enough. I would be extremely wary of a woman who thinks she is entitled to more.

Mike