How to Hint at the Engagement Ring You Really Want

We’re on your side Fairies – we get what all the fuss is about when it comes to the perfect engagement ring. This heartfelt gift is something you’ll be wearing for the rest of your life, so it needs to suit your personality and lifestyle.

Last week etiquette expert Anna Musson from The Good Manners Company told us what to do if you hate your engagement ring, but this week, we want to make sure this awkward moment never happens. So, we’ve asked Musson for the best way to drop hints early on about the type of engagement ring you want before he proposes.

“There’s nothing wrong with a few hints and well-placed comments early on to save awkwardness down the track,” she says. And these are her top tips to getting your ideas across without seeming rude.

Suggest how nice you think it is for a couple to choose an engagement ring together, and how it’s not important to you for him to have a ring when he proposes. If he believes it is important (and you’re thinking this might end up awkward), you can mention how fussy so many brides are and how it would save so much drama if brides could choose their ring or design it first so everyone is happy. This means the Groom-to-be still has the surprise element to get creative with.
Look at engagement rings on friends and family, and make a fuss over them within earshot of your partner: ‘I adore emerald cuts, ‘I’d love a chunky style like this, or ‘I’d love a ring exactly like [insert friend/celeb/neighbour’s name]. You may be
surprised by just how much they pick up on.
Confide in a friend your wish list, and enlist their help to drop hints and talk to him, too.