When a man proposes to the woman of his dreams, what he would typically do is to pick out a ring with a nice, shiny diamond and then take her out for a quiet, romantic dinner. While doing dessert, he would pop out the question and then present her with the ring of his choice. That is the classic, traditional way for a man to ask a woman if she would be his wife.

While the engagement ring is often the focal point of most marriage proposals, it is not unheard of for a man to make the proposal to his chosen girl even without the ring. And making the proposal even without the engagement ring does have its own merits.

Some men opt not to bring an engagement ring when he proposes to his intended bride because they would rather put emphasis on the love, respect and personal commitment he would forge with his bride. On the other hand, some men choose to pop the crucial question without a ring in hand because they are not exactly sure what ring would suit his intended bride’s taste. In this way, the bride would have the opportunity to pick out an engagement ring of her own choice. Still others would rather propose without the ring because they are sure that their partners are not really fond of wearing rings and would not really appreciate receiving an engagement ring.

If you are the guy and you are thinking of asking your girlfriend to marry you without picking out the ring beforehand, the important thing you should remember is not to give emphasis on the ring while making the actual proposal. It is not the ring; rather, it is the love and respect the two of you hold for each other and the promise of a hopefully long and blissful life together ahead of you that the two of you should focus on. So, you should not ruin the moment by explaining why you do not have a ring with you when you make the proposal. Usually, two people who truly love each other do not really consider an engagement ring necessary anyway.

{mosimage} If the bride wants an engagement ring, one of the great advantages of proposing without presenting an engagement ring is that she gets to pick the ring that she really wants. Also, if they want to get a matching set of engagement ring and wedding rings, they could get the one that they want. When buying jewelry, however, the couple should only buy from a reputable jeweler. Also, they should make sure that the engagement and wedding rings that they will buy are good, quality pieces of jewelry in order for them to be considered good investments that can be passed on as heirlooms later on.

If the bride does not want an engagement ring, maybe the groom could instead give her an heirloom ring, probably a grandmother’s wedding ring or something similarly special. Or, if she really would rather not wear a ring, perhaps a diamond necklace or a pair of earrings would do more nicely for her.

The ring is just a ring. What matters is the love and respect the two people have for each other and the commitment they are promising each other for life.