[DavidVoid]

The general advice that I've heard (and which I agree with) is that when you propose should be the big surprise/reveal, not that you're proposing.

It seems to be best if both partners have discussed and agreed on marriage prior to the actual proposal, and it would then make sense to also have discussed the kind of ring (or price class of ring at least) that they would want.

Exactly what ring you get can be a surprise of course, but I think the price tag should be somewhat known beforehand.

[jimhefferon]

I guess so, but your idea of a proposal is different than mine. If the partners have discussed and agreed to get married then I'd say the proposal has already passed. But whatever makes folks happy is OK with me.

[DavidVoid]

The pre-proposal discussion is probably more of a "think we should get married someday?" kind of thing, the actual proposal (and consequent concrete plans to get married) might not be until months/years later.

[sukilot]

You should ask your married friends what a proposal is, and how ring shopping works, before you find yourself making an embarassing mistake.

[jimhefferon]

> You should ask your married friends what a proposal is

If by "you" you mean me, I've been married since 86. (I understand that you may have meant a generic "you.")

FWIW, we didn't buy a ring. I can't say we took that money and put it to use X but in the first years of marriage we certainly had some months where we were only able to pay bills by looking under the couch cushions for quarters, so I think it was a sound direction, for us.