Brave the cold with these BRRRilliant winter proposal ideas, brought to you by our very own snowmen and women!
Some of us are waiting impatiently for winter to be over, as we shiver and curse the cold air. Then there are those of us who cherish every moment that winter brings, enjoying each cozy second under our fuzzy blankets, warming up with our significant other by the light of Netflix, the falling snowflakes twinkling outside our window. There is only one thing that would bring extra sparkle to the already shimmering winter scene – a diamond ring and a ‘Yes.’
Winter Proposal Ideas and the Engagement Rings Behind Them
From surprise Christmas tree decorations to a glacial getaway, these customers have embraced the winter season, demonstrating some truly festive proposals.
Winter Proposal Ideas: Evergreen Engagements
The Couple: Tom & Marie | Parlin, New Jersey
The Story: Tom marked a Christmas tree ornament with the date of his winter proposal, and the two celebrated their engagement at a Christmas party. READ THE FULL STORY.
“Kevin got down on one knee and asked me to marry him in front of our daughter that magical Christmas night.” – Lorelei
winter proposal ideas four prong comfort fit engagement ring
The Couple: Ashley & Craig | Michigan City, Indiana
The Story: While shopping with his family for a Christmas tree, Craig asked Ashley to be his forever. Now there’s a fun winter proposal idea! READ THE FULL STORY.
“I’m still on cloud 9! We found the perfect tree, my boyfriend found the perfect ring, and I found the perfect man for me!” – Ashley
Winter Proposal Ideas: Feel Trips
The Couple: Alyssa & Joey | Providence, Rhode Island
The Story: After four years of dating, Joey proposed to Alyssa on a Valentine’s Day getaway, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire… wait for it… In. An. ICE CASTLE! How much more Frozen-esque can you get? READ THE FULL STORY.
“I opened the little red box and instantly came to tears. I fell into his arms with happiness and joy.” – Alyssa
The Couple: Chelsea & Patrick | Norfolk, England
The Story: Chelsea surprised Patrick with a trip to NYC, but little did she know that Patrick was planning his own surprise – a winter proposal on top of the Empire State Building! READ THE FULL STORY.
“He started to play one of my favorite songs, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri, and then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!!!” – Chelsea
The Couple: Jennifer & Hector | Denver, Colorado
The Story: Hector got down on one knee on a magical glacier lagoon in Iceland, with seals as his witness. READ THE FULL STORY.
“The sky was covered in stunning pink light… Hector dropped to one knee, pulled out a ring, and asked me to be his wife.” – Jennifer
The Couple: Daynia & Colin | San Diego, California
The Story: On a family trip to a cozy cabin in Utah, Colin and Daynia took a break from their snowmobile ride, for the perfect winter proposal moment. READ THE FULL STORY.
“Ian and I love winter and snow. I couldn’t have imagined a more magical or more ‘us’ proposal.” – Meghan
The Couple: Marcus & Grace | Chicago, Illinois
The Story: Marcus chose the restaurant where he first met Grace as the spot to pop the question. We love how sentimental this winter proposal idea is. READ THE FULL STORY.
Though the most popular sapphire color is blue, sapphire stones also come in pink, green, yellow, and more. Sapphires have forever been a symbol of trust, loyalty and protection. When worn, the September birthstone is believed to protect loved ones and give its wearer clarity, health, modesty, intelligence, inner peace, and optimism. The stunning gemstone has long been a representation of sincerity and truth.
Design Your Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring This September
Walk down the aisle in pure white, with something blue.
Vintage Round Diamond and Marquise Sapphire Engagement Ring
WISDOM
Show off your intelligence in a smart sapphire and diamond ring.
White Gold Three-Stone Round Blue Sapphire Engagement Ring
FAITHFULNESS
Your stunning sapphire ring will be a constant reminder to stay faithful to who you are.
White Gold Enchanted Swirl Sapphire Halo Engagement Ring
OPTIMISM
Nothing can get you down when you’re wearing this sizzling sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
White Gold Side-Stone Floral Sapphire Engagement Ring
SENSITIVITY
Your sapphire gemstone ring will be a token of appreciation for your ability to stay in tune with others’ feelings.
Rose Gold Three-Stone Princess Sapphire Engagement Ring
SPIRITUALITY
When you glance down at this bird of paradise engagement ring, you’ll feel at peace with yourself as you’re reminded of your deep connection to your fiancé-to-be.
White Gold Bird of Paradise Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring
MODESTY
Take pride in your power to understand your shortcomings – it will help you become the best version of yourself.
White Gold Six-Prong Knife Edge Solitaire Sapphire Engagement Ring
CLARITY
This sunburst sapphire and diamond engagement ring will remind you what’s really important in life.
White Gold Sunburst Sapphire Halo Engagement Ring
Sapphire Engagement Rings Designed by our Customers
Platinum Twisted Pavé Halo Engagement Ring with Round Cut Sapphire
Blue Pavé Clover Sapphire and Diamond EarringsOval Shape Blue Sapphire and Diamond BraceletHalo Sapphire and Diamond EarringsBlue Sapphire and Diamond Halo Necklace
You’re about to embark on one of the most important journeys of your life – proposing. But before you even think about proposing you have to first find the right engagement ring. This handy guide on how to buy an engagement ring will show you how it’s done, and our customer service team of dedicated diamond professionals is here to help you every step of the way.
GUIDE: HOW TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING
Step 1: Decide a budget
Love doesn’t have a price on it, but engagement rings do. You certainly don’t have to (and shouldn’t) abide by silly antiquated rules like spending 2 or 3 months’ salary on the engagement ring, but it is important that you decide on a price that you’re comfortable with. When advising customers on how to buy an engagement ring, we always tell them to know how much they wish to spend first. You can rest assured that you’ll be getting the best possible quality at James Allen for your budget, and we offer payment options to help you make the engagement ring purchase.
Step 2: Choose a metal type
Engagement ring metal types
The next step in our how to buy an engagement ring guide is choosing the metal type. There are four metal types to consider: Platinum, white gold, yellow gold and rose gold. They each have their advantages. You can learn about choosing the right metal type for your engagement ring here:
If you’d prefer, you can start with finding the diamond or gemstone instead – the choice is yours. Browsing through engagement ring setting options can seem overwhelming, but it’s not as difficult as it seems. Determining her personality type and style will help you decide what type of ring to look for (solitaire, halo, vintage, etc.). Once you have that figured out, choosing the exact ring setting that suits her best will be much easier. Learn more about engagement ring styles here:
Don’t worry if you have no idea what your fiancée-to-be’s ring size is – it’s very easy to find out. We provide you with easy ways to figure out her engagement ring size, and you can even watch a tutorial. You can learn more about finding her ring size here:
Various diamond cuts for the perfect engagement ring
Much like choosing an engagement ring setting, you can also decide on a diamond shape according to her personality. Once you have the shape figured out, make sure you learn a bit about the 4 C’s so that you know what you’re looking for in a loose diamond. Learn more about finding the right diamond shape here:
Congrats! You’ve made it through the engagement ring purchase process and you bought the engagement ring of her dreams. Now you get to plan the proposal. Lucky for you, our customers can help you out with that. They’ve shared their proposal stories (and you can too!) to give you proposal inspiration. Check out their stories here:
7. Propose! You’ve bought her dream engagement ring, you’ve planned the proposal, now all you have to do is get the YES! Good luck! We hope we’ve helped you learn how to buy an engagement ring! Remember, the James Allen team is at your service, 24/7!
Subscribe to our email list for access to secret sales, practical ring-buying tips, and $100 off your first order!
Guys – you’ve decided she’s the one and are ready to put a ring on it. That’s all fine and dandy, but how in the world are you supposed to ask her? There are about a gazillion different proposal ideas floating around there on the internet, and you’re also getting confused by having each friend you’ve consulted with telling you conflicting advice…
Well, here’s a new piece of advice – CALM DOWN! It’s her we’re talking about… and she adores you. The most important thing is that you be yourself. The rest is just logistics. Then again, a little advice never hurt anyone. If you’d like to hear from proposal experts, you’ve come to the right place. At James Allen, we know everything proposal. Just take a deep breath, follow these steps, and you’ll be fine.
And ladies, help your man out and send him these proposal ideas – he’ll thank you for it!
Proposal Tips
Proposal Tip #1: Don’t Wing It
She may know you love her, but she still needs you to show her every so often. To most women, there’s nothing we appreciate more than when you make an effort. And that could mean anything from picking up your dirty socks from the floor, to take us on a fun date night, to planning the proposal of our dreams. So go ahead, put your thinking cap on and get to work!
Proposal Tip #2: Have Fun With It
Just because you’re about to ask her to make an enormous decision which will change your lives as you know it (no pressure or anything), that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a little bit of fun with the proposal. After all, one of the things she loves about your relationship is that you know how to make life fun, in your own, unique way.
Proposal Tip #3: Make it Memorable
Image Source: giphy.com
Nobody forgets their own proposal. That would be weird. But still, make it something that will bring a dreamy look to her eyes whenever she looks back on it. Make it something that she’ll be proud to tell her friends and grandchildren about – something that’s worthy of writing a story about for James Allen’s Engagement Moments. How do you do this? Sorry, you’re on your own for this one. That’s where Step No. 1 (put effort into it) comes in handy. As long as you do that, it’s going to be memorable.
Proposal Tip #4: Value Tradition
Some of us make a big thing about not conforming to society and paving our own way. However, when it comes down to it, show me one girl in love who wouldn’t like her boyfriend (or girlfriend) to get on one knee and ask her to marry him. It shows respect, and that you’re taking this commitment seriously. We are all connected to the past, to the people who came before us, to the men who knelt down before their brides-to-be and asked the anticipated question, to the women who were taken aback when hearing that question (even if they knew it was coming) and said yes. The very idea of proposing itself is a tradition, as is the engagement ring.
Proposal Tip #5: Enchant Her
Image Source: media.giphy.com
Keep in mind that this is the moment she has been waiting for since, well, pretty much ever. She acted out proposal scenes with her Barbie and Ken dolls, she imagined finding her own Prince Charming when watching Cinderella walk to the carriage in her wedding gown (why do you think Disney Proposals are such a popular choice?)… and now she finally found the one who could give her her very own fairy tale. So it’s your job to give her that magical feeling she deserves – embrace the romantic inside you and sweep her off her feet!
Proposal Tip #6: Be Yourself
You’re the one she’s going to say yes to – not the proposal. Do something that feels like you, and you’ll both be more comfortable. Don’t try to compare your proposal idea to other people’s proposals – while you should take a look at other proposal stories for inspiration, at the end of the day, it’s you who she fell in love with, and she’ll adore whichever direction you choose to go in.
Now that you’re ready to plan the proposal, it’s time to choose the ring!
Is the proposal already behind you? Share your James Allen proposal story: Media@JamesAllen.com.
We’re excited to announce the launch of Engagement Moments, featuring genuine James Allen customer proposal stories and photos.
About Engagement Moments
You can get inspired by couples’ proposal stories and view the stunning rings behind the moments. Take a tour around the world and share in our customers’ engagement memories.
Thinking of proposing? Check out the stories for proposal ideas!
Dreaming of being proposed to? Get into engagement mode by sharing in the romantic proposal moments of others.
Already engaged? If your ring is from James Allen, share the love! Your own engagement moment could be featured.
Check out our first Moment of the Month for a special featured proposal story.
Moment of the Month
Kelsey & Drew from Charlottesville, Virginia
Kelsey and Drew were drawn to each other straight from the start, but the timing wasn’t right. Finally, one lucky St. Patrick’s Day in 2011, they ran into each other and decided it was time to give dating a try.
Their first date was an unforgettable one, at a peanut-filled University of Virginia baseball game. They were hooked. Dating was so fun and easy.
On Labor Day weekend in 2015, Kelsey and Drew headed out to Johnson City, Tennessee, Drew’s hometown. Kelsey was unaware what was in store for her. Kelsey, Drew, Drew’s mother, stepfather and 2 bulldogs all piled into the truck to Drew’s grandfather’s “secret” farm.
After a relaxing cow-filled afternoon and a stroll along the riverbank complete with Grandpa’s anecdotes, Kelsey suddenly heard their song playing – the Avett Brothers’ “Swept Away.” She turned around and saw Drew on one knee.
He asked her to take his last name, and the rest was history.
Chances are, you’ve been dreaming of some variation of that moment since you were in pigtails and braces – the moment he gets down on one knee and asks you that magical question which makes you believe that all the Disney fairy tales are based on true stories.
What’s harder to imagine is how you’ll actually react when the time comes. How can you imagine how it will feel and how you will react, if most find it hard to even put their emotions into words? It seems that everyone is in a state of shock when they’re being proposed to, often left in speechless disbelief.
This is one of the things which makes it all so exciting – no matter how many proposal stories we read, how many romantic comedies we watch, fairy tales we’ve grown up with, nights we’ve spent dreaming of him to ask us, nothing can really prepare us for our own, unique proposal moment. We can get a taste of what it will feel like from other people’s stories, but we’ll never know how it will really feel until it’s happening to us.
Check out 23 times our ecstatic customers have struggled to get out an almost breathless ‘yes.’
1. Marcus & Grace Chicago, Illinois
“When Grace turned around, Marcus was on one knee. The details from there are blurry on all accounts, but one thing we know is she said ‘OF COURSE!’”
“He started by telling me how happy he was with our relationship, and then I blacked out from there. I don’t even remember him getting on his knee or saying yes, but according to the pictures it really happened.”
Image source: newlovetimes.com
Rosanna’s Ring:
white gold thin french-cut pave set diamond engagement ring
“He then said he had a surprise for me and took me back into the band stand out of the rain and got down on one knee, pulling this amazing twinkly ring out of his pocket – all I could do was cry and smile! Asking me the one question every girl wants to hear, of course my answer was yes ;)”
Image source: memesvault.com
Nikki’s Ring:
platinum common prong six round diamond engagement ring
“I went through the whole video until the end, thinking he was just being mushy. But then I saw the song titles at the end spelling out “Marry Me?” and I was just speechless. When I turned around, I couldn’t even think of the word ‘Yes.’ But, he couldn’t find the words either because he couldn’t speak through the tears!”
“After the song got through the chorus a few times, which felt like a lifetime, he finally got down on one knee and popped the question. I was crying and nodding yes before he even finished asking. It is the best box I unpacked, ever.”
Image source: anna-arendelle.tumblr.com
Megan’s Ring:
white gold pave halo diamond engagement ring (princess center)
“In that moment, he got down on one knee with the most beautiful ring in my favorite color box (red, of course) and asked me to marry him! I was so shocked that it took me a minute to get words out; it was like time stood still in that moment and all I could see was a beautiful ring and my best friend staring back at me.”
“I realized he was down on one knee. For the next three minutes, the smile on my face was huge and I remember nothing from what he said. Two weeks on, I am still glowing and I cannot believe my fairy tale proposal happened.”
“Brandon got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, and held out the most gorgeous sparkly ring in the cutest red box! I was so shocked and happy that it took me a minute to say yes, but I said yes!!”
“That is when he got down on one knee with the ring. I don’t remember much after that – what he said, or what I said. All I remember was jumping up and down, crying and shaking, and saying, yes I will marry you!!!”
Image source: mrwgifs.com
Kirstin’s Ring:
white gold thin french-cut pave set diamond engagement ring
“When we arrived, he got down on one knee in the freezing snow and proposed to me. I saw the ring and nearly fainted. During the whole drive back, I had the windows down (in 20 degree weather) because I was in shock from the moment, and every time I looked down at my ring it would sparkle in my face and fill me with so much happiness I thought I was going to faint.”
Image source: byebyebullshit.files.wordpress.com
Shannon’s Ring:
rose gold pave halo and shank diamond engagement ring (pear center)
“When I came out, written in the bottom of our pool was ‘Alyssa, will you marry me?’ I burst into tears of happiness! Tom got down on one knee, showed me the most beautiful ring and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes!”
Image source: gifsec.com
Alyssa’s Ring:
platinum common prong round shaped diamond engagement ring
“Once we neared the bushes, he called my name and I turned around and he was down on one knee. He said ‘Will you,’ and I screamed and said ‘Are you serious right now!! lol.’ Then I started crying tears of joy, and through the tears I said ‘Yes, baby, yes,’ and he put this beautiful ring on my finger.”
Image source: sharegif.com
Awnya’s Ring:
14K White Gold Thin Channel Set Round Shaped Diamond Engagement Ring
“Then when we got up to leave he got down on one knee and said, ‘Before we leave I have to ask you something very important,’ and then he pulled the ring out of his pocket and asked ‘Will you marry me?’ I was SO ecstatic that the man that I am so deeply in love with was asking me to marry him! Of course I said, ‘YES!’ and practically tackled him to the ground hugging him so hard.”
“He starts to play one of my favorite songs, ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri and then gets down on one knee and asks me to marry him!!! Of course, I instantly start to cry and within a few seconds say YES!!!!!”
Image source: 33.media.tumblr.com
Chelsea’s Ring:
14K White Gold 2.5mm Knife Edge Solitaire Engagement Ring
“I saw him on one knee but to be honest, I didn’t hear a word of what he said because I was so surprised that I ran out of the room twice, laughing! And the third time I went back to the room, I said yes! It was an amazing evening. Very intimate yet sweet :)”
Image source: data.whicdn.com
Fadeke’s Ring:
white gold pave halo diamond engagement ring (cushion)
“He dropped down on one knee, in his hand, the most beautiful diamond ring propped in a box that was a little wet from the beach. Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. I was in complete shock and disbelief. Speechless, my heart racing, I fought back tears as he told me how much he loved me, and how he wants to marry his best friend and be with me forever. I still didn’t know if this was real. I cried like a baby with my hands clasped over my face until he laughed and asked me if I wanted to try it on — I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I almost forgot about the ring!”
’ Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?’ After what seemed like an eternity, I got an awestruck affirmation. Best day ever! I have yet to wipe the smile off her face.”
“I began to sing to her and she has a bewildered look wondering why I am singing and I get on one knee to ask her for her hand and marriage. At first there was silence because she was very shocked and then she said yes.”
“He is down on one knee with the ring box opened and he says ‘Victoria, Will you marry me?!?’ My first instinct was to kiss him, which I did, then I said ‘YES!’ He stood up and put the ring on my finger and I CRIED, boy did I cry!! For a good 10-15 minutes, every time I looked at my hand and the gorgeous ring I had and was reminded of the commitment Michael had just made to me I would start crying (tears of happiness, obviously).’”
