Viva La Marriage!

So today, Elissa and I headed over to do some shopping at the Avenues Mall. I wanted to see if Belks had these really cute red shoes in my size (11!) because the one near us did not. We never made it that far. Somehow we veered into Heltzberg Jewelry store and started looking at engagement rings.

The people there were amazingly helpful and they had a lot of different rings. My favorite thing was that the 2 women who helped us understood that Elissa & I were a couple and didn't weirdly skirt around that fact. They asked when we were thinking of getting married, they congratulated us, they were joyful with us! I loved it.

I was looking at my standard selection of rings - .75 to 1 carot, high quality solitaires. And as normal, not LOVING anything especially. I had somehow come to some decision in my mind that I needed to find a classical ring around the 7K price bracket. I have been STUDYING the '4 C's' very carefully. Also, I have big fingers (size 9.5) and I thought that anything less than a large diamond would look puny on my sausage fingers.

I just happened to notice this sweet little set (engagement & wedding band) that I asked to see. And as soon as it was on my finger, I knew. I don't know how else to say it. I am in love with this ring. It was delicate, dainty and sweet. It just felt like this feminine antique or something. I am in love with my ring.



And it was shockingly less than $2,000.

Never in my wildest imagination would I have expected to find a ring I ADORED in that price bracket. I know that will sound silly to some people but I'm truly amazed.

Elissa was really worried that I was 'just saying' I liked it because, well, I like to save the moolah. I am a bargain hunter to my core. But I wouldn't do that with something so important as a ring I hope to wear for the rest of my life. This was just je ne sais quois. I knew.

Bonus? I don't have to feel insanely guilty for walking around with a used car hanging off my finger. I really try to steer clear of a lot of consumerist stuff and this feels a lot closer to who I try to be. I want to make sure in the next year that I don't get lost in the 'wedding' and stay focused on our lives together.

Viva La Marriage!