Weddingbee Blog

Although Mr. Guinea Pig and I had talked a lot about marriage before the proposal, we both wanted the actual proposal to be a surprise. Let me tell you, that is a very hard thing to do in our household as apparently we are incapable of truly keeping secrets from each other.

When we first started talking about marriage and rings in particular, I mentioned that I would love a sapphire center stone instead of the typical diamond. So Mr. GP diligently started scouring the web for ideas, sending me ring pictures occasionally to get my feedback on what I liked and didn’t like.

Then one day in September (~8 months after we started dating, if you’re keeping track), we were watching a movie and he was fidgeting like mad. Finally he turned to me and blurted out, “I got your ring, will you look at it and tell me if you like it?”

I tried to pretend I didn’t want to see it, but let’s be honest, I really REALLY wanted to see it! So, after a few overly dramatic protestations, I jumped up and down and finally said, “Go get it, I want to try it on!”

It’s hard to describe the feelings that came when he opened the box and hesitatingly showed me the ring - awe was one. Disbelief and disappointment came in next (you’re probably thinking “WHAT?”). A little factoid about myself: the only jewelry I wear every day is a watch (well, and now my engagement ring). Occasionally, if I’m doing something really fancy, I’ll wear earrings. In all our discussions of rings, I had never thought to mention that I might like something low-key, as I don’t really wear jewelry. The ring that Mr. Guinea Pig nervously showed me was HUGE!

It was exactly what I wanted, but probably 2 or 3 times the size I was comfortable with. The look on my face obviously betrayed my concern, because his face immediately fell as he asked what was wrong with it. I told him the truth: that I absolutely loved the setting and the stones, I would just have to get used to the fact that it was much (much) larger than I had anticipated! He immediately said, “But I thought bigger was better!” Ah, advertising. How you twist our lives.

After much discussion, and Mr. Guinea Pig insisting that he wanted my engagement ring to make me 100% happy, he decided to have me keep this ring as a ’promise ring’ right then until he found a ring we would both love in a more reasonable size! I felt horribly guilty. Who does that?! Who would be so picky as to let their boyfriend/fiance get a second ring?! I had to keep telling myself: I didn’t make him. I didn’t even suggest it. I tried to talk him out of it. I would have been so happy with the first ring - in fact, I wore it on my right hand until the day he proposed, and by then was almost used to the size (although I had to take it off every time I put gloves on in lab… which is a lot).

(Isn’t it beautiful? The side stones are white sapphires)

But as soon as I saw the ring he proposed with, I was really happy with our decision. It is absolutely perfect for me! Now if we ever go out to a super fancy dinner, I wear the big fancy ring, but for everyday wear, I have the ring I love (which you will hear more about later)!

Was anyone else initially disappointed with their engagement ring? Did you say something? Do you think it’s awful that Mr. Guinea Pig got me a second ring? Would you have done the same in my situation?