Anxious to get the engagement ring

[JennaJ]

I agree with what the others have said above - I don't particularly care if I'm considered shallow for wanting my E ring - my boyfriend has been saving hard for almost a year and making lots of financial sacrifices because HE wants to have the perfect proposal and perfect ring to give me at the time. When I think of how hard he has worked so that he can feel proud to give me a beautiful ring when he asks me to marry him, it just makes me love him even more. When we first talked about getting engaged a year ago, after over 5 years at that time together I was happy to get engaged right then but he wanted to wait until he had a ring.

So while of course getting the ring will be wonderful for me, it will also be wonderful for him as it means that his hard work will be proudly displayed on my finger for the world to see - I'm sure that if Cynthia is herself married then she must remember how exciting it was to get engaged to the man you love, that's what the rest of us in waiting are looking forward to!

And Melissa I though your story was hilarious - I would have killed him! - but I'm sure there's not too much longer to wait now....deep breath.....

 

[JCJD]

Greetings ladies!
Add me to the list! I can definitely relate to all of you ladies! This pre-engaged state is pretty terrible at times. Good thing my bf is so incredible!
Some history (probably too much - ha!)I've been dating my guy for almost 7 years (end of September!!), and we've been talking marriage for the past 2. There are some snags though... he can't find a job anywhere in this economy, especially since he's decided to stay living in town while I'm in grad school here, our SEVEN-YEAR anniversary is in less than 3 weeks, he's told me that the proposal will definitely be happening before January (he set himself a deadline!! So amazingly unexpected!!), I'll be out of the country for 2 weeks in October, he knows I don't want to get engaged too close to Christmas, and he decided that I can't help pick out the ring (the torture

). And to add to the anticipation, 2 girlfriends from church got engaged last weekend, my stepsister's wedding is on Saturday, and another girlfriend is getting married the weekend of our anniversary!
Kind of related to the past few posts: Why do our boys insist on making things "perfect" for us when all we really want is to know that they want to spend the rest of their lives with us? It's like they actually care about this wedding thing (outrageous, I know). My b/f says he wants to be able to afford a nice ring and a nice wedding for me (something about me "deserving it" - so sweet!!), but all I REALLY want is to actually start the rest of our lives together! Boys...

That was a really long intro to Me, sorry guys. Congrats on all the recent engagements! Good luck to all the rest of us

.
JCJD

 

[MelissaSue]

Welcome JCJD! Wow 7 years is a long time. It will be 3 for my b/f and I in december. Too bad you don't get to help pick out the ring. Do you think he has a pretty good idea of what to get? I used to just give my boyfriend a general idea of what I wanted and hoped he would pick something out good, but when it came right down to it, I really wanted to pick it myself.. and I am glad that I did.
Well I hope that you get engaged sooner rather than later! Have fun on this forum!
Melissa

 

[JCJD]

Thanks Melissa!
He's asked me about what I like and what I don't, so he knows that it must be platinum and I like round, oval, and princess cut diamonds. He picked a beautiful "promise" ring, so I've got faith in his taste.
Don't worry about me not getting to pick out my own ring - I'm not going to let him see his wedding ring until we're standing at the altar! LOL
JCJD

 

[goldengirl]

Well, hello, and welcome! If you don't get to help choose your ring, you may subtly "hint" about this forum so he'll be sure to at least pick a great stone.

I hope you enjoy the camaderie and good humor that this thread is intended to provide!

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD,
ooh.. what is your promise ring like? Is it a diamond one? or gemstone? or just a gold or platinum one? I wanted a promise ring...

But I decided i may as well just wait for the real one. I either wanted a very small diamond one or one of these cute little rings that Artcarved makes where you can have your names engraved with your birthstones and they are in like intertwined gold hearts..sooo cute. Here is a link to them at Zales

Actually it was more like that I thought I might want him to propose with a "promise" type ring and then have my real e-ring made after the fact.. My sister had her ring made after she was proposed to, so I sort of thought that was what I wanted to do too. But my boyfriend said he did not want to do that, so no promise ring for me.

I still might want one of the engraved birthstone rings.. but maybe just for a christmas gift or something.. I already have a ring for every finger on my right hand except my pinky, which I LOVE and wear everyday.. and I dont want to wear anything on my left except my e-ring for quite a while. So I don't know what I'll do with it, but i still want one cuz they are SO cute!

Melissa

 

[JCJD]

First an explanation about the promise ring situation. Since we've been together for a long time and, at the time, it didn't look like engagement was anywhere close in the future, AND he's essentially broke, we got a cute little $3 ring from Claire's! It's silver with a little gemstone in the center; looks something like this one from the Zales website but with only one little stone in the middle. I just wanted a symbol of our committment for the promise ring, no fancy stuff. He can save his $$$ for the ering (and honeymoon

).

goldengirl- good idea about dropping hints about this forum. I'll see what I can do...

JCJD

Edit: BTW, those are the cutest rings at Zales, Melissa!! I just love tiny delicate rings, and when you add a tiny sparkler, I'm a goner! I'm also a sucker for those Claddagh rings. I think the story behind them is so sweet!

 

[JKohio]

Add another lady-in-waiting to your list -- me. I just found this thread.

Good to know that I'm not alone here. You may have seen my post in the Bride forum, but here's a quick summary:

My BF and I have been going out for nearly 3 1/2 years now. We've been serious for the past 2 1/2 years of that time, and have been talking marriage since earlier this year. In April, we went ring-shopping together at a local jewelry shop and picked out a stone & setting. A couple weeks later, he picked it up and it has been sitting in his dresser drawer since then, awaiting the right moment. It's a 1/2 carat brilliant cut solitaire in a lovely, simple, white gold setting. No, I have not yet seen it completely put together.

We had a run of bad luck over the summer, including his grandmother passing away, his car getting broken into, crazy work schedules, etc.

He knows that I don't need/want a fancy over-the-top proposal. I guess, technically, we've been unofficially engaged since Easter. Still, it would be nice to be able to announce it to everyone (not just a select few who know). I'm still hoping for a Spring '05 wedding.

Meanwhile, I'm browsing various wedding forums, but lately I've been putting my 'planning energies' toward a backpacking trip that we'll be taking in about a week.

 

[JCJD]

Hi JKohio! Doesn't it stink to be unofficially engaged?! My parents and friends are constantly asking us when we're "finally going to get married", and unlike all you lucky ladies in this string, I have NO IDEA when it's actually going to happen. I don't even know whether or not he's got the ring already, if he's ordered it, if he's just looking still, nothing, except that he wants it to happen by Jan. I think he delights in making me terribly anxious

. Like I said at the top of this page, we've been talking about it for a while, and we've already decided when we'd like to get married (Dec 31!!), but we're officially unofficial, so I can't do any planning yet, just dreaming (which is how I ended up on this forum). Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!! If he waits too long, we'll have to wait a whole year before we can get married on that date... I think I'll try to convince him that elopement is a fabulous option. I can get the rock later

. And besides, I hear Australia's beautiful in January...

Anyways, welcome! Have fun backpacking next week! You'll have a blast, I'm sure. Where will you be camping? Congrats also on the self-control- not stealing your ring out of his dresser while he's not looking. I wouldn't be able to stand it!!
JCJD

 

[JKohio]

Yes, JCJD... unofficial engagement is one of the more frustrating things I've experienced. Most of the time, it's fine, but occasionally I get into those 'moods'... Believe me, I've cried my share of tears.

The funny thing is that I've never been one of those gals who has 'dreamed of her wedding since she was a little girl.' In fact, I never really gave marriage much thought, but about a month after meeting my BF, I knew that he was the One.

I never pictured myself as a girl who'd go 'gaga' over things like e-rings & weddings, yet somehow it's starting to happen.

Neither of us can even imagine eloping. (The low-hassle aspects of it are quite tempting though.) Hehe! No, I only intend to do this once, so I would like to do it 'right'.

Good luck to you, JCJD! I've heard nice things about Australia. Hopefully, I can confirm them myself someday.

We'll be backpacking (& doing a little canoeing) in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. It will be a nice break from real life. Anyone been across the US border since 9/11? Have things changed much?

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD - Why Dec 31st? Just like new years eve a lot or is it an anniversary? Our anniversary is Dec 30th, but I often get confused and tell people it is the 31st, or January 30th.. lol. I am bad!!! You would like to elope and get married THIS dec 31st? That would be really cool. We have pretty much decided we are waiting til early summer 2006 to get married. We didn't get engaged soon enough to make 2005, we are probably going to be too poor to get married in 2005, since we will both just be finishing school in may, (him undergrad, me my masters), and then to add to all the factors against us, his cousin is getting married next summer, so it is looking like it will most likely be late may/early june 2006. Which I really am okay with.. I will have lots of time to plan so everything is PERFECT. Your promise ring sounds super cute though, and i'm sure he will pick out a beautiful e-ring. Do you want a solitaire or soemthing different?

JKohio - We cross the border fairly regularly.. Getting into canada is easy.. Sometimes there is a delay coming back across into the US. We haven't had any problems though. I think they are a little stricter now, but not too bad. Hope the weather isn't as bad up there for you as it is here in NY today. YUCK.

Melissa

 

[JCJD]

I'm so glad I found this string! You guys actually understand what I'm going through, and don't get sick of hearing about it (not yet at least

)!

JKohio - It's kind of crazy how wedding-obsessed you become once you meet The One. I didn't start thinking about rings and dresses and all that until I realized he's The One either. I'm reminded of a line from When Harry Met Sally, where Harry says (essentially), Once you know who you're going to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. That's definitely what I'm feeling when I get so frustrated that we're not engaged or married yet. Especially when girls younger than me who've been with their guy a shorter time than me are getting engaged or married left and right... Again, I'm so glad I found this group to talk to!!

The low-hassle aspect of eloping is exactly why I'd like to do it! Just pick a day and get married! It'd be great. But I agree, even if we did officially elope, I'd still want to do a ceremony and reception afterwards. When else is the whole day about the two of you and your love for each other?

The last time I was in Canada was in 1997, so I'm no help on the post-9/11 front. I love camping and canoeing, although I've never been backpacking. Will you be hiking to a new campsite every night, or staying in one spot? Enjoy your break!!

Melissa - We decided that it would be great because there's always a party then, there'll be free fireworks (in celebration of us, of course

), it's a holiday that doesn't involve gift-giving already, the stroke of midnight is another great excuse to kiss, winter weddings are cheaper, etc etc. You see what I mean. Also, since I'm a perpetual student (PhD student, hope to be a college prof.), we'd have to get married during a regular school holiday in order to take a nice honeymoon. Of course, a summer 2005 wedding would be do-able with a January engagement...
Seriously though, a real wedding would be wonderful, but I just want to BE married to him. Once I've got him, all the rest is extra

. It'll probably be a "real" wedding, but you never know...

Enough about weddings - more about diamonds!
I love the half-pave ring that NewShiny's sporting! And Stella's Vatche half pave. Absolutely gorgeous! I really like the rings that Tacori and Ritani make too, although I like the half-pave better than eternity. I've got pretty tiny hands, so I don't want anything larger than 1 ct; .5 would be perfect! Plus, I'm in biology, so anything too big just isn't practical. One friend's e-ring is a round center stone with 3 channel-set side stones on each side. Just gorgeous! But of course, another friend has a stunning princess solitaire. There are just too many beautiful choices and only one ring finger!!!

Does anybody know how tension settings hold up to "rough" handling in relation to prongs? I know that bezel settings are great for active wearers, but I really like the sparkle you can get with a 4-prong Tiffany. Is sparkle comparable for tension settings too?

JCJD (sorry about the epic I wrote!)

 

[JCJD]

----------------
On 9/9/2004 2:16:57 PM MelissaSue wrote:
...we will both just be finishing school in may, (him undergrad, me my masters)...




What is your masters in? Are you doing a thesis or non-thesis masters?
JCJD

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD-
The new years eve wedding idea sounds neat. I just HATE HATE HATE winter so much that I could not even stand to think about having a winter wedding. I am in Buffalo, NY though, so I guess in some areas of the country it might not be so bad. Everyone around me is getting engaged and married too. I'm still fairly young, so I still have a good deal of unmarried friends, but is been like an epidemic in my workplace lately, where several of us are all about the same age.. and there are many engagements and weddings, and engagements to-be..
Yeah, we (in this thread) will never get sick of hearing of other people in our same dillema.. How could we? Its so nice to have other people in the same situation.
My masters is in psychology. My school is sort of flexible with the whole thesis thing. They call it a project, so it doesn't necessarily have to be a research study. Mine probably won't be, as I am running out of time. I am not happy in my field anymore, which is why i havent' thought about a masters project or anything. I don't want to get my phD anymore, even though I was so sure I wanted to when I finished undergrad. I am definitely taking a year off (2005-2006) of school and then I am thinking about going to law school.
I know nothing about other types of settings and their durability. I am sure someone else would be able to answer that.. maybe put it in another thread or something.
Melissa

 

[MelissaSue]

oooh by the way JCJD I have tiny hands too.. and i know what you mean about a small stone looking perfect.. however... I am getting an heirloom stone that is .95 ct with 2 .3 side stones.. And it looks BIG on my hand.. but not too big.

. Of course I am not saying that you should want a giant stone, i'm just letting you know that you CAN probably get away with it if you wanted to.
Melissa

 

[JKohio]

I know exactly what you mean (and I love that movie, BTW. Going to have to rent it again. It's been a long time!).

Wedding obsessed? Only if that would include a person who's gotten several books from the library on the subject and browsed the 'net for tips on how to have a nice wedding on a budget and started taking notes!

Ok, maybe just a little... Ditto on the younger gals getting married 'left & right'.

I'm 34, hoping for a classy, simple non-frilly wedding dress.

We'll be hiking to a new campsite each night, doing a loop trail that allows us about 5 miles of hiking per day. It should be a nice relaxing trip. Actually, we're going to backpack for 4 nights and then do a mini canoeing trip of 2 nights -- slightly different area. We've backpacked together in the Smoky Mtns. & in Pennsylvania, but have never done a canoeing trip quite like this one. We're only doing a 2 night trip to 'get our feet wet' (not literally, I hope) and if we like it enough, will do a longer trip in the future. My only concern is... exactly how heavy is a 15' kevlar canoe anyway?

 

[reena]

small world, MS: i'm originally from rochester. so i feel ya on that winter point--you can't do ANYTHING in january up there.

 

[JCJD]

Melissa - My BA is in psychology! In the middle of college, I decided that people psych wasn't for me, so I picked up a minor in bio and decided to work on animal behavior. I'm in my second year, so I've only just started on the bitter phase of grad school. I think I still want to stay in academics, but there is definitely a huge appeal to the regular 9-5. It's probably a good plan to take that year off of school. I kind of wish I'd done that before starting school last year, but I still think it makes more sense the way I did it. Plus, I'm not ready to kill anybody yet, so that's a good sign!

No matter how beautiful those larger diamonds are, I still don't think I could pull off >1ct... I work with laboratory birds, so they'd be pecking the heck out of it!! However, a diamond pendant or studs could work...

I'm actually in Nebraska, so the winter can get pretty crazy here too. I had a friend get married last Jan 2, and it was beautiful the way they incorporated the season into their ceremony and reception. And you have to love sparkling snow!

Mel & JK - I'm actually really young, so it's both frustrating and scary that girls even younger than I am are getting engaged and married (and having babies!!) before me and my bf. We were only 15 and 17 when we started dating, but it's been almost 7 years (you do the math

), so we know each other really well (also long-distance for 4 years in college - which I'd recommend! Absolutely worth the pain for the end result! Our relationship grew so much during those years!!). Anyways, that's our history, so when 19-yo girls who've been dating for only 8-months are getting married, it's pretty frustrating.... My high school best friend actually got married at 19 after 2+ years of dating, which is much easier to swallow than other situations... Either way, I'm going to shut up for a while about not being married "yet".

I beg forgiveness!

JKohio - Agreed on the non-frilly dress. I adore simple, classic designs and clean lines! I've already decided on a strapless A-line or ball gown without too much (if any) beading or lace or embroidery. Gotta have a little train though.

I want a dress that won't "date" us in 10 years! I haven't checked wedding books out yet, but I'm sure I've browsed every "nice wedding on a budget" website in existence! You're a step ahead of me there

.

Geez, you could publish a book with my postings!! Apologies again!
JCJD

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD - If you and I are both in our second year of grad school and didn't take any time off in between.. You can't be that much younger than me, to make you really

I just turned 23 in July, and my b/f won't turn 22 until November. Although some people may consider us really young. I have a part time job at the mall and I am soooo old among my co-workers there though.. I feel very old there sometimes. However you still have many many more years of dating behind you than we do. A girl I work with at the mall was like stunned to silence when I told her I'd been dating my boyfriend for 2 and a half years.. i can only imagine what she would say if I'd told her 7. She probably would have fainted. The image of birds pecking at your ring is kind of funny though.. although I'm sure it would not be funny in real life.

I HATE THE WINTER though.. ACTUALLY, my b/f and I would have had our first date at least 4 or 5 days sooner than we did, because we had sort of tenative plans to go out a day or two after christmas, but we had a lovely Buffalo blizzard on christmas that year and there were driving bans all over the city and no one could go anywhere. If anyone knows what its like to want to go on a date with someone who you've had a crush on for a year and a half and having it be ALMOST THERE.. and then being stuck in the house cuz of a snowstorm.. NOT FUN.. I was literally having breakdowns and crying and having tantrums on the couch because I was so miserable (of course the boy didnt' CALL or anything to say that we'd have to wait cuz of the snowstorm, he just made me wait.) Hehe. I would like to get out of Buffalo cuz of the weather, but I also love my family so much that it would be really hard for me to leave. I am NOT looking forward to another winter though. I have decided (as I was driving through the floods we had yesterday) that in the winter time if its snowing and I have a class and its not absolutely essential that I be there, I'M NOT GOING this year.. Screw that.. I don't do snow. So needless to say, a winter wedding is absolutely out of the question for me.

As for dresses though.. I am also anti frilly.. I LOVE lace though.. I hate sequins and most beading (some is okay as long as it is not over the top). Wanna see my dream dress? I KNOW you do.. LOL.. I have bought TONS of wedding magazines.. I have been buying them since I started dating my b/f, but lately, I've bought almost every one I see.
Well it won't let me link right to it but if you go to Melissa Sweet Bridal and go to bridal collection, its the 4th dress from the left. The Hallie style. Its about $2500 though. but I would kill to just try it on.

this is sort of my cheap "alternative" but ideally, I REALLY REALLY want my boyfriends mother (who worked as a seamstress in a dress shop for a long time) to make me replica of the Melissa Sweet dress. Maybe if I beg and cry and whine she will.

Okay, now MY post is book length TOO!!

Melissa!

 

[JCJD]

Thanks Melissa

I do feel better about my young-ness. And I get crazy stares when people find out we've been together this long! I hear mostly, "Seven what's?!?"

The birds are actually pretty cute when they peck at my rings. My class ring has an amethyst, which they really love! They stare at it with their heads cocked to the side, like they're admiring the sparkles! Some of them will even try to grab it in their beaks like they want it for themselves! So cute!!!

Isn't that just like a boy NOT to call! But hey- It all worked out in the end! I met my bf in high school (AAACK!!), so when he didn't make any moves for over 6 months after I wrote him a note (I can't believe I'm admitting this!!) telling him I liked him (SOOOO junior high!), I just about gave up all hope of us ever getting together. But thankfully, he finally worked up the nerve to call and ask me to Homecoming, and the rest is history. Kind of a juvenile version of your story Melissa

.

Beautiful dresses!! I also like the Flora. I wish the MelissaSweet site would let you see close-ups of them though. I really like the dress below, but I'd like something with less beading. I think the paneling effect in the front will help maximize my pear-shaped frame too. And love the train!!

I like this one also, from David's Bridal. Again, maybe less beading, but I think it works with this dress.

How fun! And now, back to work!! Talk to you guys later!
JCJD

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD -
What pretty dresses. A-line dresses like that are univerally flattering (or so the sales ladies at dress shops say) if you are worried about "your frame" as you say. Where is the first one from? I am going to try to post a bigger pic of the melissa sweet gown since her website does put really teeny pics..
Your story about meeting your boyfriend in high school is SOOO cute. It totally brings me back to the high school days of writing notes and stuff. Hehe.. My first boyfriend in high school...everyone knew I liked him and he liked me.. except for us.. And somehow one of my friends told him or something.. but it was while I was on VACATION in florida.. so I didn't find out til I got back.. and she told me that she told him.. and I wanted to kill her, but then he called me!!! And I was all happy then.. hehe.. It was all so silly but it seemed SOOO dramatic at the time though..

That is all I have for now, but I will try to post that dress..
Melissa

 

[MelissaSue]

here it is!! Isn't it sooo pretty? My boyfriend gave me a quick photoshop lesson so I could put the detail of the lace on top of the normal pic. Hehe. For someone who has been using computers all their life, I still get pretty amused by little things like that.
The only thing that concerns me is that it looks sooo form fitting, that every little extra lump and bump that I have (mainly in the tummy area) will show.. That model is a little TWIG.
Melissa

 

[Bethanying]

Take me off the list! I happily resign!




Now, go look at my ring! (The post entitled "And yall thought it would never happen!")




Bethany

 

[MelissaSue]

congrats congrats congrats!!! I am on my way to look at your ring currenly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY YAY YAY.. I was just thinking how we hadn't crossed anyone off the list in a little while.. It was getting boring!! THank goodness!! You waited FOREVER!
Melissa

 

[mostlywatching]

Congratualtions!!

 

[reena]

congrats!

MS that dress is simply gorgeous. (and i don't like about 95% of the ones i see.)

 

[alexah]

That dress is really pretty melissasue

I was looking at a lacey dress semi-similar at david's bridal (tho their customer service is beyond awful so i decided to go w s/t else) - this dress is really beautiful on (this pic does NOT do it justice), it's fairly inexpensive for a w-dress, and, best of all, it's A-line & hides the "tummy bump"

 

[JCJD]

Bethany - Your ring is GORGEOUS!!!! I don't care what you say about the pic quality, it's still beautiful!!

Congratulations on your engagement!

Melissa - My bf actually told me a couple years ago that my best friend had also written him a note telling him that I liked him, about a week before I wrote mine! Girls can be so sneaky sometimes!
The dress is so beautiful close-up!! I love the lace detail - it's so delicate! And you're right about the model... do people actually come in that size?

J/K.
I've heard that bridal lingerie (for under the dress) helps a LOT with bumps and bulges. The right pieces can just smooth you out and help stop any jiggle you might have, as well as hold you in place so you don't pop out in front of your new in-laws! I'm just afraid that I'd start wearing it under my t-shirts and jeans too!
I got the first pics from Sarah's Bridal Shoppe. It's the Alexis.

goldengirl - I "subtly hinted" to him that this site exists (read: I emailed him the link to this forum). Strangely, he called me once he got it just to laugh at me... It's like he thought I was wasting my time on the internet instead of doing my homework... Weird.

Good news on the engagement front - He might have finally found a job!! Basically, he'd be travelling to peoples' homes and businesses in and around town and fixing their computers for Dell, Gateway, etc. Yay!!! Maybe we can pull off an early 2005 wedding!

Yay! More dresses below! These both are from David's Bridal. I just love their dresses! (We don't belong on a diamond forum right now!!)

And now, the obligatory diamond photo for the diamond forum. This is from bluenile.com, build your own engagement ring. Pretty!!

Carat weight: 0.51
Cut: Ideal
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Depth %: 61.3%
Table %: 55%
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.13x5.15x3.15 mm
Platinum half-pave setting (1/2 tw)

Yet another book, courtesy of:
JCJD

 

[MelissaSue]

JCJD
I LOVE that 1st dress from your last post! I've definitely been liking the sheathy-types, nothing poofy lately, but that one is just so pretty! I love the top of it.. I was looking at dresses this morning on the internet and there was one for $2000 (nothing that I even liked.. it was just random) and my mom came in and asked how much it was and she was like "THATS OUTRAGEOUS!!" so it doesn't look like that Melissa Sweet gown is in the stars for me. My boyfriend always tells me that I can get it if I really want it.. but I guess it is really not practical. I can still hope for a knockoff made by my mom-in-law to be though!!! Really great for davids bridal. I can't say I'm a fan of that store. I went with my best friend to pick out her dress there and I found it thoroughly annoying and impersonal.. and you can't just look through the store.. you have to use their little catalog. And I havent ever LOVED anything in the catalog, but i have to get the new one.. because I only have the spring one right now.

I like that ring that you posted too. I have never had ANY luck creating anything I liked on that blue nile site.. but thats really cool and unique.

As for Bridal lingerie.. I work at victorias secret so I've seen what some of those things can do!!! They are pretty amazing!! I actually have one of the tummy shapers since that is my big problem area, but the weird thing about it is, it flattens my middle but it makes my butt stick out REALLY far in the back! So I've never actually worn it, because whenever I put it on under a dress or anything I can't deal with the way my butt looks. But they have this one thing at victorias secret and it is like a slip almost.. with a built in bra and real firm shaping all the way down to like mid-thigh... and its all seamless and stuff..and I've seen some people try it on and it looks AWESOME.. NOW THAT could work. I LOOOOVE Victorias Secret sooo much!!! hehe

Congrats on the BF finding a job! My boyfriend won't even get a part time job, so that is why I work two part time jobs and go to school and STILL can't afford my shopping habit! lol.. my bra and panty collection is ridiculous. But you should be engaged and married in no time now. Do you still have two years after this left for your ph.D? I am taking a class now that I just was in right before now.. that is really giving me the itch to get the ph.D in Social Psych..its everything that I love to study!! but we will see what happens. I am taking a year off either way, so I have some time to decide.

And yes.. again, I LOOVE Bethany's ring. It makes me want mine sooo bad.. cuz its a 3 stone just like mine! SOO pretty!

Okay. that is all for now. I am school, and I should do reading for a class, but this is soo much more fun!

Melissa Sue

 

[ame]

My suggestion for dress shopping--try on EVERYTHING. I ended up with a dress that I cannot believe I ended up with. I wanted a sheathy Aline vneck with off the shoulder type "sleeves", it was a Watters dress and was plain and I loved it. Well because NO one had it available for me to try on, I went shopping around. I ended up with a strapless foofy girly foofy thing. Its really pretty and Im so mad at myself for liking it

The woman brought it out and said "I know you will hate it, put it on" and I did...and there we went spnding 900 freaking dollars on a dress.

I made these smaller so they wouldn't take an hour to load.