Who the hell thought this was a good idea!

[JRuby]

Sitting here looking at engagement ring prices for my girlfriend and I'm thinking about building a time machine, going back in time to the person who made expensive diamond rings an "expected" thing, and putting my 16 years of select soccer experience to use kicking him square in the nads!

Good gracious, I know I'm not saying anything new here, I read an article that the average engagement ring in the US cost 5K, so basically most women want a ring that is more or the same price as night vision or thermal, or a very very expensive rifle, or several.... lol.

Just think about it, the thought process that goes on in the mind that says "I know I could make 2-3 extra house payments, pay for 1/4 of a brand new sedan, get thermal, night vision, or several guns, go on a two week vacation to Hawaii, but you know, I would rather just have a shiny rock that sits on my finger.

"It's supposed to represent the love you have for her"

Well babe, my love for you is endless, and they can't make a diamond that could ever begin to represent the amount of love I have for you, so I guess we can put that 5K toward something else now huh!

This is mainly satire with a big grain of truth, she's totally worth it, actually this is round 2 for me, I was extremely thorough in my selection process this time and had a list of qualification a mile long that she had to possess naturally before dating long term.

But, I am starting a new tradition and expect all the single guys to follow suit, in addition to buying a ring, I also bought a lightweight AR set up that she's going to do competitions with, she loves going to the range with me. My "evil" plan is that eventually we men can just phase out the ring altogether and just buy engagement rifles from now on.

And to think the expectations are just starting. After a while you will go numb.

 

[ikemay]

My "evil" plan is that eventually we men can just phase out the ring altogether and just buy engagement rifles from now on.

You should ask your wife to be part of your evil plan. Convince her it's fun to be evil and a trendsetter all at the same time. That she could be THE ONE to start it all! She openly REFUSES any ring whatsoever ....... AR15's for every new bride ...... rings are so demeaning to strong woman everywhere. She would get all the credit, be known worldwide, go on the talk show circuit. Fame, fortune, disposable income, unlimited ice cream. Man, it would be grand!

Then you wake up.


On a more serious note, my wife and I have simple gold bands, been married almost 27 years. First and only marriage for both of us, she's awesome.

 

[Bushman]

Some of you are brutal. Marriage isn't a bad thing and not all women are bad or greedy.

I've been married for 10 years been through a lot and look forward to the next 50 with my best friend at my side.

I remember a guy on GlockTalk who said the same thing to me once. Touted how he had been married for 14 years, etc. I told him my parents were married for 25, my sister was for almost 30 years as well....before they got divorced. Bitter divorces too. Told me how I was wrong and how marriage was so great. A year later he posted a thread about how to split his 401k in a divorce.....You were saying??

Marriage is nothing but a contract. That is literally all that changes when you get married. You can get all the same benefits through a girlfriend, a will, power of attorney and a health care directive without any of the risks.

 

[EPS]

Well I'm done I'm going to the store to buy some beer so I can sit in the front yard on my A$$ And think about the old day's when I couldn't do that with out a voice screeching at me about something ridiculous that I need to do before I get drunk LOL HAHA HEHEH .... CHEERS

 

[Stomper]

Congrats man! That's an exciting time.

The best thing you can do is go cheap.
People these days always try to impress everyone with high dollar rings, and overpriced parties/weddings.
It's all BS.
My wife and I got married with a $480 ring for her that looks good (not the most extravagant) and me a $50 ring I never wear, and we spent a total of probably $3,000-$5000 on our wedding with all that included.
She bought her dress for about $500, I bought my suit at JC Penney for $150 ( would have cost us $200 to rent one)

The one thing and only thing I would spend a decent amount on is a photographer. And no stupid video you'll never forkin watch again.

Expensive rings will never make up for cheap relationships.

Your relationship and marriage should be based on trust, unconditional love, and the ability to get along and show each other respect when the times are bad.

We did our wedding in my parents backyards. Rebted tables, chairs, and linens, did the music, lighting, and set up ourselves. Hired a hippy pastor, bought a ton of alcohol from the duty free shop at PDX and 2 kegs from a distributor on sauvie island.

It was a blast.

If you need help shoot holla at us. I'll help a brutha out

Here's CC on his wedding day.... I think he paid too much for that JC Penny suit!

 

[American123]

Funny thing is, diamonds are actually one of the more common gemstones, only so valuable because De Beers has locked up most of the world's supply and only trickles out a few at a time.

Pro Tip: Cubic Zirconia is optically and chemically the exact same thing, just that a CZ's had a little "help" rather than being completely naturally forged.

I have a friend who's a professional gemologist, stonecutter and -setter, so I've heard a few insider Dirty Little Secrets.

She actually mentioned moissanite

 

[American123]

Join a diamond/jewelry forum and learn about diamonds first. Read threads and ask questions. Don't buy at malls or engagement ring stores. Best prices are online, most of those vendors throw in a solitare ring and mount it when you buy the diamond. Costco has well priced nice looking rings too.

Do you know what cut and style she prefers?

Cushion cut, halo if I remember correctly.

 

[American123]

No offense, but you're signing up for a 33% chance of losing half of your stuff in a divorce, regardless of if she cheated on you or what not. And that's just if this is your first marriage, the odds are around 50% if your second and 75% if your third, but I take it it's your first. And you're complaining about who came up with the idea of a diamond ring for engagement?

Actually this is my second, but I personally believe most people don't pick their spouses very well, I know I personally didn't in my first marriage, I definitely got married too young, didn't consider what was truly important to me in a relationship, and got married to someone who was toxic and a bottomless pit for my money.

You live and you learn, apparently a lot of people don't understand common law marriage laws, because even if you don't get married, if you live together long enough they still have property rights.

Personally I don't believe I would want to spend my future with a woman who wouldn't want to get married, but that's just me and I'm at a different spot in my life than many of you I'm sure.

 

[American123]

It also start's the down hill run to destroying her figure also after the wedding cake the next thing is they quit the gym start watching daytime TV and taking advice from the women on THE VIEW ahggggggg what a bunch of @#%&&%%!&+?&%&$##@@&+??+

Conservative women who shoot guns don't watch that trash. Actually, strangely enough, my (future wife) said she wanted to watch TV together and I told her to put on whatever she wanted, she chose "secret nazi weapons of WWII" on Netflix, in pretty sure I picked well

 

[albin25]

Personal observation...
...If SHE insists you spend as much as the jewelers say you should, you might want to think twice.
You need to have your eyes wide open BEFORE you get married, and half closed after.

 

[American123]

Congrats man! That's an exciting time.

The best thing you can do is go cheap.
People these days always try to impress everyone with high dollar rings, and overpriced parties/weddings.
It's all BS.
My wife and I got married with a $480 ring for her that looks good (not the most extravagant) and me a $50 ring I never wear, and we spent a total of probably $3,000-$5000 on our wedding with all that included.
She bought her dress for about $500, I bought my suit at JC Penney for $150 ( would have cost us $200 to rent one)

The one thing and only thing I would spend a decent amount on is a photographer. And no stupid video you'll never forkin watch again.

Expensive rings will never make up for cheap relationships.

Your relationship and marriage should be based on trust, unconditional love, and the ability to get along and show each other respect when the times are bad.

We did our wedding in my parents backyards. Rebted tables, chairs, and linens, did the music, lighting, and set up ourselves. Hired a hippy pastor, bought a ton of alcohol from the duty free shop at PDX and 2 kegs from a distributor on sauvie island.

It was a blast.

If you need help shoot holla at us. I'll help a brutha out

That's awesome!

I know I was actually talking to her about that. "Keeping up with the joneses" is impossible, so why try, look at all the Hollywood people, they have all the money they could ever want and still they are unhappy in their marriages after getting massive rings.

My future wife's sister is married to a Microsoft employee and he supposedly dropped 10K on her ring, it looks like he did. I was very honest with my girlfriend and told her that (as a future teacher) I will never have the money to spend on her that her brother in law spends on her sister, but I told her that if we were really truly serious about eachother, it wouldn't matter.

She agreed and suggested moissanite, similar to a diamond, a lot cheaper.

But, I know I picked well, she actually tells me that we haven't gone to the range in a while and need to go...

 

[American123]

Personal observation...
...If SHE insists you spend as much as the jewelers say you should, you might want to think twice.
You need to have your eyes wide open BEFORE you get married, and half closed after.

Yep, I've been through this song and dance before and learned my lesson, I had a qualifications list a mile long she had to meet naturally before it got to this point.

 

[EPS]

Actually this is my second, but I personally believe most people don't pick their spouses very well, I know I personally didn't in my first marriage, I definitely got married too young, didn't consider what was truly important to me in a relationship, and got married to someone who was toxic and a bottomless pit for my money.

You live and you learn, apparently a lot of people don't understand common law marriage laws, because even if you don't get married, if you live together long enough they still have property rights.

Personally I don't believe I would want to spend my future with a woman who wouldn't want to get married, but that's just me and I'm at a different spot in my life than many of you I'm sure.

Lol it's his second no this whole thread is about nothing like I said in other post some guy's never learn lol I'm just giving you $#!+ man congrats and good luck

 

[EPS]

Here's CC on his wedding day.... I think he paid too much for that JC Penny suit!
View attachment 386753

Now that's a wedding I might have went to did he stand at the altar with that case on his shoulder and did she walk the isle with her flowers in a beer bottle lol that's a marriage made in heaven mmmmm .or at least the local T@Vern

 

[American123]

Lol it's his second no this whole thread is about nothing like I said in other post some guy's never learn lol I'm just giving you $#!+ man congrats and good luck

"Experienced" lol

 

[EPS]

Really man T@Vern is on the BUBBLEGUM LIST give me a break

 

[American123]

Really man T@Vern is on the BUBBLEGUM LIST give me a break

I was referring to myself as being experienced because I've been married before, generally people make more intelligent decisions with the more experience they have.

Not sure what you are talking about.

 

[EPS]

I was referring to myself as being experienced because I've been married before, generally people make more intelligent decisions with the more experience they have.

Not sure what you are talking about.

That was not for you I made a comment about stompers pic of CC AT HIS WEDDING AND T@VERN THE OTHER WORD FOR BAR CAME UP BUBBLEGUM

 

[American123]

That was not for you I made a comment about stompers pic of CC AT HIS WEDDING AND T@VERN THE OTHER WORD FOR BAR CAME UP BUBBLEGUM

Got it!

 

[EPS]

I see your kinda new here sense Feb but in case you didn't know curse words and other words they have a filter on here that will change those words to say bubblegum LOL LIKE IF I SAY MY DOG "bubblegum "IN THE NEIGHBOR 'S YARD