Guide to Proposals

Guide to proposals Thinking of getting down on one knee? Nervous? Don't be! It's perfectly natural to be uneasy about the prospect of proposing. You'll want to sweep your partner off their feet for a moment they'll never forget. Here's a quick guide on how to achieve just that. The Ring of men don't have an 40% engagement ring when they propose' To buy or not to buy? Showing off a ring whilst announcing the engagement is all part of the excitement - you might want to consider having a ring for the proposal. Alternatively, a token ring is another option and you and your new fiance can enjoy shopping for an engagement ring together. How much to spend 2 months salary? This 'tradition' was actually the result of De Beers Jewellers' marketing department. The same company responsible for the 1947 'A Diamond is Forever' campaign. Picking a gemstone The word diamond originates from the Greek word ádáµɑç or Adamas, meaning unbreakable. We asked Gemologist Meg Walker F.G.A about engagement rings: "The most popular gemstone for an engagement ring is a diamond. It sparkles like nothing else and it is incredibly durable, so can be worn every day without worry" The 4 Cs If you're splashing out on a diamond, don't forget the 4 Cs: COLOUR? D - F G - J K - M N - R S- Z Colourless Near Faint Very Light Light Colourless CLARITY3 F - IF VVSI - 2 VSI - 2 SI - 2 II - 3 Very slight Very, very slight Zero Slight Inclusions inclusions* inclusions inclusions internally and rare inclusions *Inclusions are commonly referred to as flaws. An inclusion in some circumstances could add value to a diamond so technically it isn't a flaw. CARAT4 The weight of all precious stones, including diamonds is expressed in carats. One carat is the equivalent of o.2 grams. CUT 5 Heart- Marquise Oval Pear- Round shaped shaped brilliant Other gemstones... Sapphire "Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and you can get a much larger gemstone for your money' M. Walker, FGA Sapphires come in a wide range of colours: Blue Orange Purple Yellow Pink Green Emerald "A high quality Emerald can give a diamond a run for its money, but be careful - it is brittle and susceptible to damage from perfumes, cosmetics and other substances" M. Walker, FGA Choosing a metal The quality of gold is given as a certain 'carat', or 'ct' - not to be confused with the weight of gemstones - the carat of gold is the percentage of pure gold rather than a weight. "Currently 'white'metals are the most popular: platinum, white gold and titanium - these show off diamonds beautifully. The most common alloys in the UK are 9ct and 18ct." Proposing Asking Permission This tradition goes back to when marriage was decided by the bride's family, not the bride. Still, old fashioned etiquette still has its merits. You decide! Popular dates & times in the UK' 42% 42% 50% - 27% 30% - of proposals take place between 18% 13% 10% - December and February each year DEC - FEB JUN - AUG SEP - Nov MAR - MAY Do you want to propose on a popular date or make it more personal? What about a birthday or your anniversary? Down on one knee? It's not clear where this tradition comes from but it does resemble many traditional ceremonial situations, such as: · Knighthood • Religion · Royalty Traditionally the left knee should be on the ground. Which hand? Left hand, 4th finger Why is this? Vena Amoris or 'Vein of Love' - The romantics believe that this vein runs directly from the heart to the 'ring finger'. Did you know... ...you can use a bespoke proposal planning company to plan your big day? Options include: • musical serenade • dancing flashmob • James Bond proposal However, 51% of women just want you to sayº "Will you marry me?" Leap Years Traditionally, women can propose to their partners on a leap day. FEB 29 Keep in mind... 65% of men said they would 'no' if a girlfriend say proposed 79% of women said they wouldn't consider proposing themselves6 Length of Engagment The longest engage ment on record is 67 years7. Octavio Guillan and Adriana Martinez finally got married at the age of 82. Calling it off In Massachusetts, USA, an engagement ring must be returned if the engagement is called off; in the UK, there is no such law. Planning the big day Decide on your overall budget. Last year the average UK wedding budget was £15,400 54% of couples plan to fund the wedding themselves ° plan to finance it with a mixture of loans and savings º 20% 10 Longest marriage Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher, from North Carolina, hold the record for the longest marriage". They had been married for 86 years as of 27 February 2011. Sources: Brought to you by 1) WeddingSite data lab: Dec 2012 Facebook Poll 2) http://www.gia.edu/gia-about/4Cs-Color 3) http://www.gia.edu/gia-about/4Cs-Clarity 4) http://www.gia.edu/gia-about/4Cs-Carat 5) http://www.adiamondbuyingguide.com/diamondshapes.html 6) http://news.chillisauce.co.uk/marriage-proposal/ Sainsbury's Bank www.sainsburysbank.co.uk 7) http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2012/2/valentines -day-10-of-the-most-romantic-world-records-47017/ 8) De Cicco v. Barker, 339 Mass. 457 (1959) 9) WeddingSite data lab: June 2013 - UK Wedding Budgets 10) WeddingSite Data Lab: March 13 - UK audience survey