Custom Design Series || Ways to Approach Engagement Ring Design

I’m asked a lot what the procedure is to design an engagement ring, do you involve your partner? Do you do a complete surprise? There are lots of ways I’ve worked through this with clients over the years. It depends on what is important to you and your partner, but here are some creative ways we’ve achieved different types of designs + proposals.

The Complete Surprise- the design process does not include the individual being proposed to. The ring and proposal are a complete surprise.

• Pros: Surprises are great! And as long as you know your partner appreciates surprises, and you feel confident in nailing the design (with my expertise) – go for it! This can be sooo magical and create lasting memories!
• Cons: Ring sizing gets tricky here, but we can make sure whatever we design is easily sizable after the fact. This is the riskiest approach- only insofar as your partner doesn’t have a say in their forever ring.

The Design Partner with a Twist: This is a fun one, and played a couple different ways. The gist is this, your partner is part of the design process, however the final piece and proposal is kept secret, allowing for a ring you know they’ll love, but the experience of being proposed to is still magical and surprising. I’ve had individuals help make decisions every step of the way or I’ve had partners come in together to get the general design aesthetic across, and then have the proposer take over from there with the nitty gritty decisions and ultimate design say so. This is a great way to design a ring and band that puzzle together, so we can make them at the same time!

• Pros: You know your partner will end up with a ring they had a hand in making decisions about, and it takes some of the pressure off you to ensure it’s a ring they’ll love. Sizing is a cinch! It’s a fun experience for you both, and a great memory you can talk about for ages.
• Cons: I’ve had some individuals prefer the Complete Surprise, erring on the side of risky-yet-worth it traditional proposal. Other than that, this tends to be a slam dunk!

There are nuances to both approaches, and a myriad of factors at play, but these represent the main categories of bridal clients I see. Something important to remember is this- marriage is just the next step in the life you are building with your partner, it’s up to you to create your own traditions and way of doing things. Ultimately whatever feels comfortable and right is the correct path for you. Don’t feel pressured by anyone or any tradition to do anything that doesn’t align with you or your partners values. That’s step one! Once you’ve decided on a path for creating the ring, it’s time to schedule a design consult.

At the end of the day its important to do what feels right for you and your partner- this is about you two. There are no rules!