Just how much should you spend on an Engagement Ring?
Let’s just say it upfront… no one is turning up at your proposal with a calculator and a clipboard, ready to assess your financial decisions mid-kneel.
And yet somehow, this question still causes a quiet spiral.
So let’s talk about it properly – the “three months’ salary” thing… where did that even come from?
It sounds official, doesn’t it? Like it was handed down through generations, carved into stone somewhere between “something borrowed” and “don’t see the bride before the wedding.”
It wasn’t – It was a marketing campaign. A very good one, granted, which originated from a 1930s marketing campaign by the De Beers diamond cartel to increase diamond sales during the Great Depression.
And for a long time, people followed it, but life looks a bit different now.
If you’ve saved for it, it feels exciting, and you can buy it without that underlying panic – then that’s your answer
People are getting married later. They’ve got rent (or mortgages if they’ve managed that miracle), careers, maybe kids, maybe plans to travel, maybe just a general desire to not feel financially stressed every month.
The cost of living isn’t exactly subtle about making its presence known either.
So holding yourself to a rule that was created to sell jewellery in a completely different time? It doesn’t really stack up anymore.
So what should you spend?
The ring is one moment – a very special one, yes – but it’s still just the beginning. You’ve got a whole life to build after that. A wedding, a home, bills, holidays, unexpected expenses, all of it.
If buying the ring means you’re quietly stressing every time you check your bank account or putting off bigger life plans… it’s probably too much.
But if you’ve saved for it, it feels exciting, and you can buy it without that underlying panic – then that’s your answer.
People don’t tend to lean in and say, “Go on then… how much did that cost?”
What people actually notice (and it’s not the price).
When someone shows their engagement ring, people don’t lean in and say, “Go on then… how much did that cost?”
From our side of things, we see couples at every stage – from the initial phone calls enquiring about our tipis and tents, to the days after their wedding when we begin our takedown. The ring size or cost is never the thing that defines the moment between or after any of this.
So where does that leave you? Well hopefully somewhere much more relaxed.
Spend what feels right for you. Not what tradition says. Not what Google says. Not what someone you vaguely know did five years ago.
The old rules were built for a different world.
The right person isn’t measuring your love in pounds, they’re just waiting for you to ask the question.
One of our ‘Events Under Canvas’ – soft light, open air, and a little bit of magic
If you’ve just popped the question – huge congratulations – this is where the fun really begins.
When you’re ready to start bringing it all to life, our friendly team is here to help you create something truly special. Give us a call or head to www.eventsundercanvas.co.uk to get an instant quote, and let’s show you how to wed in style.