Honestly, this is a good opportunity to let him earn and use his own initiative. It's utter nonsense to expect your parents to give you money for such a thing or pick it out. Listening to my dad and friends of theirs, they'd be thinking that was utter tosh and pick out gifts for their wives.
After reading this thread, I remembered being at lunch with my folks and a high school friend of mine and our families this Summer. My folks got married in 1964 and hers in 1965 and they were all like, 'Well, don't you speak to your girlfriend or wife, find out their likes and dislikes?' How nervous they were at proposal but of course, had spoken about marriage before, stood in jeweller's windows, 'Well, if you were to get married, which type of ring would you like?' My friend's dad went on to tell how, when he booked the hotel for their honeymoon, he had to pay in advance, of course, by cheque, and then got a letter of confirmation with a reminder to please bring the marriage certificate upon check in. Yes!
My dad, being Spanish and my mother with Italian parents, first asked my mother to marry him, of course, after discussion, but also visited her home (she lived at home) with his older brother (their father being in Spain) and a priest, to ask for blessing. Whoa!
But as they said, 'What's with the guesswork? TALK to each other for once, in person!'