HELP!!!! I need to propose but need ideas!!

Also, my engagement ring wasn't diamond- a beautiful opal ring (my birthstone) that he bought at H.Samuel.  And I love it.  You can get a gorgeous ring for 100 quid and still have something to give her that won't totally break the bank.

My engagement ring is Amethyst and CZ from H Samuel, and I think it was "only" £79, but I absolutely LOVE it and wouldn't trade it for anything flashier.  I also saw a lot of really nice CZ rings on their website - some for as low as £20, and IMHO, you really can't tell they are CZ and not diamonds.  You can always get her something CZ and then get her a nicer ring for a milestone anniversary.

I saw this on a movie and I thought it was kinda cute.  The guy basically made the girl think he was getting ready to propose, then he just asked her something silly to throw her off.  For example, you could just be sitting at dinner one night and start off with "You know how much I love you, right?"  Then you could give her a mini-speech on how much you love her and enjoy spending time with her, etc.  Then you could say something like "I just wanted to ask you a question."  So by this point she is probably freaking out and thinking your about to propose.  Then you could just say something like "Can we get a dog?"  Depends on her personality if she will appreciate that later on or not...so use discretion.

Haha that makes me think about the time Tim faked me out.  I was leaving to return to the US this past April, and we were walking across the parking garage at LHR, and he told me to stop and look out the window. I heard him fumbling in his backpack and I thought for sure he was going to propose...but all he had brought along was my brush to brush my hair one last time.  Still super romantic, but man, was I disappointed!

yup this is mine.  I LOVE it!

http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/5211182/

plus, he bought my diamond wedding ring on etsy. it was an antique. 

ebay has great deals on rings too.

My fiance purposed to me, and my ring was under 200.00 US dollars..its absolutely gorgeous.  A dainty solitare diamond set in white gold, I absolutely love it.  He has offered to buy me another one, but I put my foot down..I love this ring, and it has meaning..wouldnt have it any other way. 

So I am sure no matter what you give her, she will be completely in LOVE and happy.  Its the moment, not the size of rock!

So I am sure no matter what you give her, she will be completely in LOVE and happy.  Its the moment, not the size of rock!

Couldn't have said it better myself.

My hubby bought this as an engagement ring from HS...and I love it to death...

http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/5437431/?Sm=1

The good thing about something like that is that you can buy matching jewelry as time goes on.  My hubby has already talked about buying the matching earrings and necklace for the ring as anniversary prezzies.

Mistress T- that ring is gorgeous!

yup this is mine.  I LOVE it!

http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/5211182/

plus, he bought my diamond wedding ring on etsy. it was an antique. 

ebay has great deals on rings too.

ooooh, pretty! Mine is this one: http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/6373720/

Our men all have the same taste in jewelers...

ooooh, pretty! Mine is this one: http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/6373720/

Oh that's beautiful!!!!

Our men all have the same taste in jewelers...

And good taste too!  They picked American women and great jewelry. LOL!!!!!

Our men all have the same taste in jewelers...

heh!  I have a journey necklace from Kay's, and we even looked at rings there over the Summer, but I just didn't see anything I liked!  Plus, I think the prices at H Samuel are very reasonable for good quality items. 

I agree with the others, you can get some pretty decent engagement rings without breaking the bank. Mine is white gold since I prefer it over regular gold--and it's not anything with tons of bling or whatever (I can't believe I just used 'bling' in a serious context), but I adore it. Between my engagement and wedding ring, we spent under $200 or so, and I wouldn't trade either ring in for the world

As for a proposal, I think any way you propose to her will be special, IMHO. The very act of you asking her to be your wife trumps any pomp and circumstance, though I like the idea of asking her to grab something out of your pocket or whatever like JessicaKate mentioned, that's really sweet My husband proposed to me in his front room, in the middle of November, so there was no real special-ness to our engagement beyond the actual engagement though he did mention afterwards that he bought the ring at the same time he bought his ipod--but that's very much my husband for you I suppose

As for a proposal, I think any way you propose to her will be special, IMHO. The very act of you asking her to be your wife trumps any pomp and circumstance, though I like the idea of asking her to grab something out of your pocket or whatever like JessicaKate mentioned, that's really sweet My husband proposed to me in his front room, in the middle of November, so there was no real special-ness to our engagement beyond the actual engagement though he did mention afterwards that he bought the ring at the same time he bought his ipod--but that's very much my husband for you I suppose

Yay, I had a good idea! Hahahahaha, ok, done gloating now....

My husband also didn't propose in any grand way.  But it didn't matter because it was the moment I had been waiting for.  And I loved every minute of it!

But Kudos to you that you are taking time to think about this and asking for advice.  I think that's pretty awesome!

ok right then girls i have another little request for you :p in the most craftiest way haha i managed to get her to tell me her ring size, and she is none the wiser lol, she says a 6 or a 6.5 hmmmmmm im not a ring expert but what is that in uk sizes dont we use the alphabet here???ahhhhhh help haha.

Ok my idea of a proposal, let me no what you think, obviously somewhere in new york, now i am either thinking new years day walk central park my shoe lace miraciously comes undone, but before i go down i take my gloves off in clear view haha put them in the opposite pocket, as i am doing my lace up i ask her to grab my gloves out my pocket and when she reaches in voila!! then i say my bit

or....

new years eve same sort of thing, but if she expects anything she will assume it to be around midnight maybe i could do the same type of thing after when we are on our way home i am not sure or just do it round midnight and i have found a cute ring well i think it is you want to see it?haha

Here is a general conversion chart that I found.  You probably want to check with the specific jeweler you are buying the ring from because the conversion charts do vary from company to company (I found this out when me and hubby were looking for rings online and I was about 5 different UK sizes, depending on which company the ring was coming from).

http://www.celtarts.com/ring_size.htm

I think your proposal idea sounds really good...AND...you'll already be down on one knee   To me, that is such a sweet, romantic gesture that a lot of men tend to leave out of their modern day proposals. 

you want to see it?

Of course!  Would you expect any less?

Proposal idea sounds excellent.  And I'm with the Mistress, bring on the ring.