Spring and summer are big months for weddings, which means brides are gearing up this time of year for the biggest day of their lives. And sometimes it seems there aren’t enough days in the week to complete every task on the Big Day To-Do List.

Starting today, we begin our bridal series, to run each Friday through March 21. Most stories will aim to give advice to the key player in all the wedding blitz: the bride.

Today, however, we’ll start with our groom. Because the road to a beautiful wedding begins with a memorable

proposal.



By Leticia Gonzales

Special to The Free Press

Worrying about whether she will say yes is stressful on its own.

Pile on the responsibility of having to choose the perfect ring and say just the right thing, then we’re headed into break-down territory. Especially if you want the proposal to be a complete surprise.

That’s how Joseph Bauer did it. He liked the idea of a surprise unveiling of the engagement ring. Although his was a success story, finding that perfect ring took some time.

“I had no idea where to start,” said Bauer of St. Paul, whose fiancée lives in Mankato. “All I knew is that I wanted to propose and that I wanted to find a ring to fit her personality.”

Like most guys, Bauer wanted a ring that was unique — one that no one else had and that would stand out from traditional engagement rings.

“I found a ring that I had never seen anything like before. The band was thick, wavy and two-toned, and there were rows of little diamonds running down the sides,” he said. “It was unique and creative, so I knew it was perfect for her.”

The proposal went down a couple of months ago on Christmas Eve at his fiancée’s parents’ house. He gave his girlfriend, Emma Baumann, a ring disguised as a Christmas gift. He waited until all of the other gifts had been exchanged to pop the question.

“I proposed in front of her family because I knew how important family was to her, and Christmas was the perfect time to do it,” he said.

Not only was she surprised about the proposal, Baumann fell in love with the engagement ring.

“She said that she wouldn’t have wanted anything else,” he said. “She couldn’t believe I picked it out myself.”

There are plenty of people out there who know about bands and diamonds and are more than willing to work within people’s budgets to help guide grooms-to-be, just like Bauer, through their ring-buying experience.

Sarah Person, owner of Exclusively Diamonds in Mankato, said most men will spend two months salary for that perfect ring. She recommends ring shoppers make quality their No. 1 priority.

“That is the one thing she will wear every single day of her life,” said Person. “Make sure the ring has integrity about it and that it is made well.”

Ring shoppers usually come and look at the ring twice before they make a decision. Person makes sure shoppers are educated about how to choose a diamond and why they are priced differently.

From elaborate bands with various diamonds on the side, to the basic solitaire, Person said white gold is still selling about 80 percent compared to 20 percent yellow gold, especially among younger brides.

In terms of style, Ryan Anderson, store manager at Goodman Jewelers in the River Hills Mall, said the princess cut and the round cut are the most poplar.

Many jewelers also may recommend couples come in together to shop for rings. Many times, the bride has an inkling that the proposal is forthcoming.

So why not involve her in the process of selecting the ring?

That’s how Richard Garvey’s ring-shopping experience went prior to his proposal last year on Valentine’s Day.

“I didn’t really have to shop for it that much because she already had it picked out,” said Garvey of Mankato, who is getting married in four weeks. “I knew the one she wanted, and I knew it would make her happy, so I just went for it.”

Person said most brides come in ahead of time to select their rings, making the process easier for the grooms.

“We still have the very romantic engagement where he comes in by himself and surprises her with a ring,” Person said. “But that’s not the norm anymore. She wants a say in how it will look.”

Regardless of what the ring looks like, sometimes engagements don’t end in Holy Matrimony, or maybe the ring you choose just isn’t her taste. If that happens, no need to worry. Most jewelers offer returns or exchanges for a brief period of time following the purchase, usually ranging from 60 to 90 days. After that period, you may have to turn to other options like Craigslist and eBay.

And if it does work out, make sure the jeweler you select offers free cleaning and adjustments for the life of the ring.

Whether the bride is involved or not, finding the right ring is all that really matters in the end. At least, that’s how Dustin Scheppmann relayed his experience.

“The proposal was not the most important thing for us,” he said. “It was more important to us that she got the ring that she wanted.”

Scheppmann of Fairmont said he did a lot of looking around on the Internet and in various stores by himself and with his fiancée before selecting the perfect engagement ring.

“I didn’t worry so much about the proposal. I wanted it to be special, but I just wanted her to say yes,” he said. “We just really wanted to get engaged and start our lives together.”