The ring you not-so-subtly hinted about to your boyfriend has been running through your mind on an endless loop.
With all the engagement announcements teasing you on your news feed you can hardly wait for your turn to #humblebrag.
Sound familiar? You just may be pre-engaged.
Most couples experience this stage of pre-engagement limbo. You’ve had “the talk” about your future, even specifically referring to marriage. Maybe you’ve moved in together. Perhaps you’ve even shopped for rings.
You know it’s going to happen; you just don’t know when.
We recently shared the heartwarming proposal story of one of our own, Kevin, and his fiancée Lindsay. This newly engaged couple is back, and I asked them a few questions about their own pre-engagement experience.
Kristin: You two met in a pretty unexpected way. Tell me about how your relationship progressed from dating to engaged, and what that pre-engagement period felt like in between.
Kevin: Our story is pretty unique, so I’d say our “pre-engagement” wasn’t typical and was quite expedited. We met in Jamaica in February 2015 – both there separately – and started dating when we returned to the U.S. About every three weeks, I’d visit her in Nebraska. She visited Wisconsin in July …
Lindsay: That’s when I knew I wanted to marry him.
Kevin: … and again in September for a Packers game.
Kristin: What about you, Kevin? When did you know you wanted to marry Lindsay?
Kevin: It was always tough leaving Nebraska for the 9-hour drive home. You have a lot of time to think, so marriage naturally popped into my head. But I was certain I wanted to marry Lindsay when we went back to her small hometown of Sutherland for her sister’s wedding in June. Being with her family and friends in the place where she grew up, I was able to see a side of her that I love and will always love.
After her July trip here, that’s when our discussions about marriage and life together really picked up, since we knew one of us would have to make the difficult decision to uproot. Ultimately, weighing several factors, Lindsay bravely decided to move away from her family and friends to a place she had only visited a few times.
Lindsay: If I had any thought he didn't want to marry me, I wouldn't have moved.
Kristin: Did Lindsay give any hints, subtle or otherwise?
Lindsay: I didn’t want him to mess up. I made a Pinterest board with all the ring styles I liked – simple, elegant, petite, rose gold. It had to be rose gold.
Kevin: I still remember the first time she mentioned rose gold to me. That always stuck in my head.
Kristin: Had you shopped for rings together?
Kevin: We didn’t shop for rings together, but I had a good inkling of what she liked thanks to her Pinterest board. Having that to show to the jeweler made the selection process so much easier. We both knew Lindsay would love her ring.
Kristin: How long after you had purchased the ring did you wait to propose?
Kevin: A couple weeks after receiving her father’s blessing, I visited a couple jewelers right before Lindsay moved here to get an idea of what I was looking for – what she would love. I chose the jeweler I felt most comfortable with. She helped me narrow in on a setting, then on the diamond. I waited about a month after I had the ring to propose, for a couple of reasons. Lindsay had just moved so I wanted to give her the chance to settle in a bit, and I was hoping for a fresh snowfall. Unfortunately the snowfall didn’t happen, but it was still perfect.
Kristin: Aww, sounds like you got everything exactly right! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story!
Are you anxiously waiting to see your loved one down on one knee? Tell us in the comments!
