> As for ring expenses, I've had several people think that my engagement ring cost about $2,000. I tend to keep my lips shut and just smile, but it actually cost a lot less. It came as a set, and both bands have itty-bitty diamonds in them. The engagement ring also has a 1/3 carat diamond in it. However, Sean got the set at about 50% off because the store was closing. Both rings were well under what people think he paid.
>
> I know some women have big flashy rings that cost a whole bunch of money, but I wouldn't trade with them. As Wolf said, the rings are a symbol. When people see a ring on my finger, they know what it means. That ring could cost $40 or $4,000, but it still means that I'm committed to one person, and only one person, and I want the whole world to know it.
>
> Ell"Look at my sparkly ring, everyone!myruh

That's the same way I feel about my engagement ring. When I showed my mother the ring all she could say was "That's so ugly" and "Look at how little he spent on you," which made me really, really mad. We picked out my ring *together,* and it is exactly what I wanted. And my mother was all worried about what other people would think about how much Darien spent on it.

But not worrying about money goes two ways- we'll get what we want regardless (or disirregardless ^_^) of how much it costs. If it's really cheap, fine, but it's also fine if it's really expensive. Because what matters is that we have what we really want, not how much we spend on it.

~Mina "Yellow topaz and white gold for not all that much- and I love it" moon