Dudes, don’t take any cues from Drew Olanoff. The Twitter user, who apparently is known for starting the Twitter campaign “#blamedrewscancer” after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, proposed to his girlfriend via Twitter. Sarah Cooley said yes, but we wouldn’t blame her for being pissed that he asked for her hand in marriage in such a public way — and not even in person! [Mashable] Keep reading »
My favorite sex and relationship columnist, Dan Savage, is now on Nerve and a few days ago he tackled a question from a woman who revealed she started talking marriage with her boyfriend three months into their relationship. Savage balked at this admission. His response, after the jump…
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Times are tough around the world, and we’re all cutting back in some area of our life. In Japan, one common cost-cutting measure seems to be diamond engagement rings. The percent of men who bought engagement rings will slip from 1993′s 80 percent to just 50 percent this year, according to estimates from the Yano Research Institute. Some couples are deciding to spend more on wedding bands, or to buy watches or other jewelry rather than investing in a rock. Certainly, people shouldn’t purchase engagement rings they can’t afford, but do you think it’s even necessary for a man to propose with a ring? We asked three women for their thoughts. Keep reading »
In the last month or so, three of my close friends have gotten engaged. Meanwhile, I haven’t had a serious relationship for three years. For some reason, whenever I tell people that another one of my pals has a ring on her finger, they get a sad, sympathetic look on their face, like they’re afraid I might start crying or go into a deep depression. They shouldn’t be concerned, though, because I’m not the least bit jealous. Keep reading »
I never thought I would be in the position of dating with a broken engagement under my belt. I hope to never have another. As I’ve started dating again, I’ve had to think about how honest I want to be about my prior relationship history. So, how honest do I want to be? Totally.
At first, I thought that I had been engaged might work in my favor. Men are inclined to assume a woman is more interested in something serious than they are, that women want more from men than they’re ready to give. After all, women are always a little further ahead on the marriage path, aren’t they? But I was engaged and dumped. I’m newly single. Therefore, I must project a “just looking to have fun and meet new people” vibe, right?
Apparently not. Keep reading »
Figuring out how to propose can be just as nerve racking as deciding on an engagement ring and determining when to propose, and an entrepreneur is trying to make the proposal just as special as the ring itself. Angelito Araneta Jr. has created a chocolate cake covered in 24-karat gold leaves and topped with 15 African diamonds. He plans to sell these $2,558 cakes to men who are about to pop the question. Umm, I love chocolate and luxury as much as the next gal, but this is too much. I’d prefer my boyfriend add that extra $2,600 to the cost of my engagement ring. Or better yet, take me on a trip to the Caribbean and and then ask for my hand. I think my rock would go just as well with a Bahama Mama as it would with cake, but hopefully he won’t propose on the Booze Cruise. Actually, I’d admire my future husband even more if he put that money towards a down payment on our love nest. Now, forget the ridiculous price and think about the potential injuries. Gold leaf is edible, but diamonds are the hardest substance on this planet, and probably shouln’t be chewed. Even if these aren’t conflict diamonds, they’ll literally be blood diamonds. [Reuters] Keep reading »
Last night’s episode of “The Bachelor,” and more specifically, the “After The Final Rose” special, hit close to home. After all, I was engaged, and then overnight my fiance decided he needed to go on a break, which was really him dumping me without saying so and looking like the bad guy, and I was never given the chance to fight for our relationship. It’s all good now, seriously. After much therapy and tears and internal reflection, I am doing just dandy and have definitely realized that our breakup was for the best. I suspect Melissa will come to realize this too, if she hasn’t already, and I’m sure everyone in her life is going to say things to her like, “Better now then after the wedding! Better now then after you have kids! Better now!” which is what everyone still says to me. And it’s true. YES, better now. But still, the fact that my ex, and Jason, made a decision that ultimately is better for the other person involved, doesn’t take away from the fact that they are selfish, immature, somewhat prickish d-bags. The fact that it’s better in the end for me, and for Melissa, is just luck and coincidence. It’s not a good deed. Neither wins a medal. End results matter, sure, but so does intent. Keep reading »
You might remember back in December when I was home for the holidays my mom passed down my great-grandmother’s engagement ring and I debated whether to use it for my own engagement. At the time, my boyfriend, Drew, and I were talking marriage pretty seriously and I knew I needed to make a decision about the ring soon or at least point Drew in the right direction for a different option. The family heirloom was mine to keep whatever I decided to do with it, so I brought it back to New York with me and thought about it for a few weeks. When one of my best friends — a gay guy with incredible taste — came to visit from Chicago, I showed him the ring and he all but declared I MUST use it as an engagement ring.
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H Samuel, a jeweler in the U.K., is trying to get male engagement rings to take off as more women are proposing to men in these modern times. Their Tioro ring, made from titanium and featuring a tiny diamond, goes for about $120, which is waaaaaaay cheaper than most engagement rings for women. “UK women are no longer waiting until the man pops the question,” said an H Samuel employee. “We are equals in the work place and in relationships and we make our own decisions. Now this ring is a clear message to everyone that a man is to be married.” Do you think a woman who proposes should offer her man a ring? [Telegraph UK] Keep reading »
Recently, I committed the ultimate relationship taboo: I told a man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with me that I couldn’t marry him. Even worse, I broke off my engagement at a time in my life when many of my close girlfriends are blissfully picking out wedding dresses and drafting tender vows of love to their soon-to-be husbands. Welcome to your late twenties, ladies.
During my engagement purgatory phase, when I’d finally gathered enough courage to share my indecision with a few confidantes, I was met with a collection of theories on how I would know if my fiancé was “the one” or not. After the jump, find out why all the nuptial advice I got amounted to a load of courtship crap when it came to my relationship. Keep reading »
