I've been engaged before, as has my FH. The first time I got a ring I didn't like. Which served me right because I shouldn't have been getting engaged at that point anyway, but that's beside the point. I disliked the ring because of the style. Sure, the diamonds were tiny, but that didn't matter. The fact that it had a claw that stuck way out and resulted in holes in my fiance's arm or scratches, or getting caught on mittens was the problem. I think I have since lost it in one of my moves, but it was not all that sentimental to me, because it didn't fit who I was, or am.

My FH spent way too much on the last engagement ring he bought. We agreed long ago that I would kill him if he spent that much. We don't have a ton of money and there are better things to spend it on.

I haven't gotten my ring yet, but I know it will be diamonds set into the band. I like "anniversary" style bands much better. I live in Canada, on the Prairies. It gets cold, and mittens and gloves are required. I don't want to have my ring get caught every time I put them on or take them off. I don't wear much jewelry so it would take forever to get used to having something that stuck up. My FH informed me that he got the ring he did because he wants to show me how he feels about me. That's what matters. I'm hoping for an inscription, something for just us. He is proposing, but I wanted to get him something as well to return the commitment. He makes more money than I do, plus I am in school, so I wanted to find something in my price range that was meaningful: an earring. We are going to put together an earring for him with probably a silver ring in the proper gauge and a silver charm. Etsy is my saviour!

For me it's about exchanging something meaningful. An e-ring is meaningful for him to give to me. It could have been something else if he had had a brilliant idea, but I do rather like the tradition of wearing a ring. An earring is meaningful for me to give to him. He has enough rings already and has been searching for a good earring or two to replace the ones the piercer put in. So we are happy about it and I can't wait to be able to put together his earring, and to receive my ring.

I also have an "engagement" ring that's actually a very thin Celtic knot ring, just because I really like the way it looks with the thicker band (I'm into sparkly bling, haha). But yeah, all three rings ended up costing less than one of those 1/4-carat solitaire diamond rings from Sears, and we love them, so it was worth it in the end.

It made me a little self conscious at first, something so big and sparkly, but once I got used to it, it was fine. When anyone says anything about it, I simply explain that it belonged to a beloved godmother, and everyone focuses on that instead.

It was actually a friend of my husband's. He asked to see my ring, then turned to the husband and said "You didn't get her a diamond?" I mean…. really, who says that? I have had a few people ask why he picked Tanzanite (it it your birthstone, etc. etc.), which I think falls under reasonable questions (he happened to like the color, actually). But anything that's effectively asking "how much did you pay for that thing?" is just a ridiculous thing to ask.