Jim didn't have a ring when he proposed. He knows I'm picky, frugal, and eco-conscious, so he guessed I'd want to pick it out myself. I honestly didn't even notice the lack of a ring till he mentioned we should get me a placeholder ring in Gion before we went back to our hotel that night. So we shopped around the little outdoor shops till we found a place we liked. The ring we found was 500yen (roughly $5), sterling silver (we think), and slightly too big for me. I wore it proudly.
I've noticed the first thing people will ask after I tell them I'm engaged is "Let me see the ring!" So I show them and tell them the story of my engagement. The sweetness of the story always wins over the lack of a diamond, but I have always said that it's a 'placeholder' ring. The responses I've received have varied from; "You don't need a fancy ring to feel engaged." to "Let me go diamond shopping with you!"
The more I think about it the more I'm not sure if I want an expensive sparkly thing. I don't know if anything else will feel more like an engagement ring than the one I have now. I change my mind about it every day but right now I think I am content wearing my heart shaped Gion ring. We might spend some time and care picking out and designing our wedding bands and I might want a fancy ring for our anniversary. Or not. What matters to me is the love behind the ring, and that's not going anywhere. Ring or no ring.
I've noticed the first thing people will ask after I tell them I'm engaged is "Let me see the ring!" So I show them and tell them the story of my engagement. The sweetness of the story always wins over the lack of a diamond, but I have always said that it's a 'placeholder' ring. The responses I've received have varied from; "You don't need a fancy ring to feel engaged." to "Let me go diamond shopping with you!"
The more I think about it the more I'm not sure if I want an expensive sparkly thing. I don't know if anything else will feel more like an engagement ring than the one I have now. I change my mind about it every day but right now I think I am content wearing my heart shaped Gion ring. We might spend some time and care picking out and designing our wedding bands and I might want a fancy ring for our anniversary. Or not. What matters to me is the love behind the ring, and that's not going anywhere. Ring or no ring.
