Who Needs a Ring to Propose When There Are Puppies and Paintings?

Mar 07, 2019 · 10 comments
Jeannie (South Korea)
Thank you for this article. I have never thought about whether I want jewelry as I marry my boyfriend. while reaidng this article, I spent preicous time. thank you!
polymath (British Columbia)
"Who Needs a Ring to Propose When There Are Puppies and Paintings? "Forget the diamond solitaire. Some couples make it official in other unconventional ways." This seems deeply confused. A proposal is not the same as "making it official."
Jennifer Arnold (Atlanta, GA)
I'm not sure his is a new trend. My grandmother got engaged with a set of real silverware. She had a small matching pin spoon that she wore to signal her engagement.
Boston Born (Delray Beach, FL)
Our engagement item was a refrigerator. No ring. Those came later. We were practical. Now decades later, we have outlasted many.
Marge Keller (Midwest)
@Boston Born There is something to be said for being practical, especially in a relationship. When my husband and I were getting married, we had a limited amount of money to spend. We could either spend it on an extremely modest wedding or elope and use the money for a down payment on our home. DING DING DING DING DING - guess which option we chose? For over 30+ years, all of our decisions have been as practical and your engagement fridge. Living beyond one's means and pretending to have the money we didn't have would have been just the beginning of the deception and lies that could undermine any relationship. We don't live fancy but we live with heart, with honesty, and with tons of love and respect. We don't need anything else.
Jeff M (CT)
My wife didn't get her engagement ring until after we were married, she had an old family ring redone. I had one made for our 20th wedding anniversary after that. Of course, there wasn't a proposal, certainly not by me. She just said one day "lets get married, we live like we're married anyway." So no need for a ring..
Nothing Surprises Me Any More (NYC)
Have you had the lobster pot pie at #edslobsterbar @edslobsterbar ?? That's what I would like instead of an engagement ring!!
Oldmom2 (San Francisco Bay Area)
I have three rings, one was a Christmas gift a ring with diamonds with no question attached. The second ring, picked out by my future MIL and the engagement arranged by my mom, was sharp and painful, therefore unwearable. The last ring we picked out together and it was vintage, affordable and very comfortable. I currently wear none of them they attract too much attention. We are happily married don’t care about token jewelry. We just enjoy being together forever.
Marge Keller (Midwest)
@Oldmom2 I love your closing sentence. That is exactly how my husband and I feel about each other. We are each other's best friend. Everything else is an added bonus. But we love our cats and dogs too. They are the next best things in our life.
Marge Keller (Midwest)
Giving me an abandoned cat or dog to share my life with in lieu of a piece of jewelry is definitely the way to MY heart. Either creature and my husband keeps me warm at night and forever warming me heart. What piece of jewelry can accomplish that?