Getting Ready to Propose to my LadyFriend

This is a pointless thread, but I just wanted to share with my fellow CPFers ...

After shopping for about 3 months, I finally got an engagement ring for my ladyfriend. With the amount I spent on that little bugger, I could have purchased so many flashlights :devil:, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Anyway, this coming July 30th will be my 10th year anniversary with my lady (Ms. Xcel730) and I'm planning on proposing to her (hence the 730 in my member id). I haven't thought about how I'm going to do it yet, but she and I came up with an agreement awhile back that if I do a crappy job in proposing, she could make any story up to her friends.

She still doesn't know the value of my flashlights yet , so if you guys see me selling my collection over a BST, you'll know that I got caught. :scowl:

Congrats, schweet, and Hooah!

Congrats!
Let us know how you planned it and her reaction.

xcel730 said:

...but she and I came up with an agreement awhile back that if I do a crappy job in proposing, she could make any story up to her friends.

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I like the way she thinks. She is worthy .

sounds like you have a great lady there. good luck and be good. :thumbsup:

I don't get people who think an engagement ring is important.
I don't get people who are ok with spending obscene amounts of money on marriage/rings.
Most of all, I don't get people who think marriage is a good idea.

To me, it sounds like one of the worst mistakes a person can make.

That's not to say I don't wish you all the happiness in the world, mind you. Hopefully in your case I'm wrong.

Fallingwater said:

I don't get people who think an engagement ring is important.
I don't get people who are ok with spending obscene amounts of money on marriage/rings.
Most of all, I don't get people who think marriage is a good idea.

To me, it sounds like one of the worst mistakes a person can make.

That's not to say I don't wish you all the happiness in the world, mind you. Hopefully in your case I'm wrong.

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Wow dude... Its ok to have those opinions, but this guy is about to propose. He obviously put a good deal of work and thought into it, and is very excited about it. Opinions are ok, but voicing that particular one here is probably not the best idea

Thanks Guys

adamlau said:

I like the way she thinks. She is worthy .

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I wonder how many ladies out there that do that ... making up or embellishing the story of how the guy proposed. I've heard a few before, and they all sound so good.

Fallingwater said:

I don't get people who think an engagement ring is important.
I don't get people who are ok with spending obscene amounts of money on marriage/rings.
Most of all, I don't get people who think marriage is a good idea.

To me, it sounds like one of the worst mistakes a person can make.

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Well, the engagement ring is the one jewelery that my lady will be wearing for the rest of her life. If you ask me or most guys, of course we don't think engagement ring, or jewelery in general, are important. At the same time, there are many things men purchase where the ladies don't understand. Over the years, the amount I've spent on myself on watches and knives is about the price of the engagement ring.

I think marriage is a bad idea if you do not know your significant others well enough to move towards the marriage phase. Many times you'll see couples getting married after dating for a couple of months, and end up divorcing. I've been with my ladyfriend for 10 years ... so I'm safe to say that we know each other well enough.

As I tell my friends ... anyone (male or female) who could tolerate me for as long as she has, deserves a ring :nana:

In my haste to defend a good move, I forgot to say,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

m16a said:

Wow dude... Its ok to have those opinions, but this guy is about to propose. He obviously put a good deal of work and thought into it, and is very excited about it. Opinions are ok, but voicing that particular one here is probably not the best idea

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It's an opinion expressed in a civilized way. If you don't like it, just ignore it.

xcel730 said:

Over the years, the amount I've spent on myself on watches and knives is about the price of the engagement ring.

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OK, I'll now stop trying to make sense of the ring insanity.

I think marriage is a bad idea if you do not know your significant others well enough to move towards the marriage phase

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My belief that marriage is always a bad idea comes from my not believing in perpetual love. True love I believe in, but I don't think it can last a lifetime.
Still, as I said, I hope I'm wrong in your case.

xcel730....Congrats and best wishes to you two! :thumbsup:

Fallingwater said:

I don't get people who think an engagement ring is important.
I don't get people who are ok with spending obscene amounts of money on marriage/rings.
Most of all, I don't get people who think marriage is a good idea.

To me, it sounds like one of the worst mistakes a person can make.

That's not to say I don't wish you all the happiness in the world, mind you. Hopefully in your case I'm wrong.

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Well I know where you are coming.... in Europe the engagement ring thing is not such a big deal... I grew up there too and when I learned about it, I was a bit put off by it as well.

Also I used to say the same thing, I never get married, I never want kids and I never could live in the US.

Anyway 7 years later here is what happened.

1-I met the lady of my dreams and suddenly anything is possible. And we made everything possible to be together despite living on separte continents...

2-Bought her an expensive engagement ring - made out of titanium, tension setting so the diamond is held by the pressure applied to the diamond so it looks like its floating in the air - looks magical. Then titanium is totally anti allergic, super strong, light weight and warm to the touch. She first was very skeptical about titanium - but after having had it for years.. she wouldnt wanna trade it for anything else. Friends tried to copy the design with platinum (which you can't do its not strong enough) and lost the diamond. My wife meanwhile only wants titanium... also for her watch she switched to titanium...

3-Now the engagement ring is her favorite... everytime she sees it sparkle in the sun she is smiling, thinking about us and looking at me. Priceless and worth every $ and more.

4-Marriage.. I agree statistically it does not make sense (I used to have this opinion) - but again it has been the best thing in my life ever. Your opinion just shows that you haven't met the right person yet. And selection is everything.

5-Kids - well once you have found the right person.. just have kids, take my word for it you will not ever want to go back. There are a million reasons why...

6-US - oh and we now live in the US - and we love it, such a nice country so many possibilities.... (although I still spend about two per year in Europe)

So never say never...


xcel730: All the best and good luck to you. She sounds like an amazing person and I am sure it will be the best decision you have ever made.

NOOOOOOoooooooo...... Don't give up your freedom!! Turn back while you still can!!

Just kidding!! good luck with the proposal! For me a full moon, a deserted country road and a dozen of cows as witnesses did the trick.... She said yes and well be having our 1st wedding aniversary next saturday

Tran/Mobile/Coop, thanks for your kind words.


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mobile1 said:

Well I know where you are coming.... in Europe the engagement ring thing is not such a big deal...

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Wow, that I didn't know. Does that still apply today?


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Mobile1,

Did you shine the rock with your Gatlight and showed your lady how sparkly it is?

I agree with you in that if you find the right person, it's a natural transistion from dating to marriage. I met my lady when she just graduated from high school while I was in my second year in college. We watched each other grow up and become who we are today ... well, it's more like, I watched her grow up. I don't think she has seen much difference in maturity in me over the past 10 years :nana:. It's a good thing that I could still make her laugh even today ... that's of course, when I'm not making her mad.

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Coop,

I was thinking about taking her to a hot air balloon ride since we both wanted to do it for so long. But that's too obvious. Maybe on a carribbean cruise? I don't know yet, but I still have a little more than a month to decide.

Congratulations! Just give her the AlTin Draco instead of a ring!

Kidding...best of wishes.

xcel730 said:

Wow, that I didn't know. Does that still apply today?

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Yup, over here there is more focus on the weddingrings, the engagement ring has more of a symbolic function. My wifes engagement ring was actually less than 100 euro (which was generously compensated by our custom made white gold & titanium with celtic knotwork weddingrings)

Coop said:

Yup, over here there is more focus on the weddingrings, the engagement ring has more of a symbolic function. My wifes engagement ring was actually less than 100 euro (which was generously compensated by our custom made white gold & titanium with celtic knotwork weddingrings)

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Wow, even with the weak dollar, I wouldn't mind spending 100 Euro on the engagement ring. It's fascinating to learn about different cultures. One of my coworkers is Indian, and she went back to India for a wedding. Her wedding was 7-days long with over 3,000 people.

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Awhile back I read some pretty funny quotes about wedding/marriage. They're all very pessimistic in a sense, but comical nonetheless. Some that I remember are (of course I'm paraphrasing):

* Marriage is about 3 rings ... engagement ring, wedding ring, SUFFERing

* A man is never complete until he's married ... and then he's done

* A man once said, "I never knew what true happiness was until I got married; but by then it was too late."

* A happy marriage is when a man finds someone who's beautiful and can cook ... and hopefully the two of them will never meet

* A man looking for a relationship post on the classified section, "Wife wanted". Next day, he received hundreds of letter that says, "You can have mine"

* Marriage is not a word, it is a sentence ... a life sentence

* The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret

xcel730 said:

Wow, that I didn't know. Does that still apply today?


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Mobile1,

Did you shine the rock with your Gatlight and showed your lady how sparkly it is?

I agree with you in that if you find the right person, it's a natural transistion from dating to marriage. I met my lady when she just graduated from high school while I was in my second year in college. We watched each other grow up and become who we are today ... well, it's more like, I watched her grow up. I don't think she has seen much difference in maturity in me over the past 10 years :nana:. It's a good thing that I could still make her laugh even today ... that's of course, when I'm not making her mad.

~~~~~~~~~~

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yes its still that way... now I am talking for Switzerland...Europe is a big place other countries might have the same emphasis on an engagement ring... I have to say I came into all this more like a rookie... also the thing about making the engagegement act special, spectacular.. a good story is I think something that's less done across the pond.

Since I have never really thought about marriage I didnt even know about it so ours was rather unspectacular... but it was right for the moment and who I am and who we are - I am less into giving / receiving surprise parties and these things... so it was all good and genuine.

My wife wanted a GatLight all along but she had to wait to version 3 until she finally got one... we had the V1s all sold... the V2's she actually helped me and Kyle screwing them together and on a bunch of other assembly steps for 3 days in a row in Kyle's garage...
Anyway she is happy with her V3 now...

The EOS prototype we built a few months ago was inspired by her ring.. except that we had to substitute the diamond for sapphire - still 3 carats worth of sapphire though, however it projects the same pattern as when shining a light through the bottom of her ring...

Again Selection is Everything in these matters.

Well i hope it works out for you man. I will dedicate my 100th post you.

Congratulations xcel730!

And for all you nay-sayers out there, I met my wife on a blind date, got married 3 years later, had our first child 2 years after that, another two years later, and just celebrated our 30th anniversary (and still going strong). Sometimes you just get lucky.