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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Boyfriend felt pressured by ring shopping discussion

259 replies

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 19:47

Both in our early to mid 30s so I thought a year and a half is plenty of time to be engaged for our age. We are also living together now. We have discussed marriage and kids and I mentioned that I would not like to be together for more than 2 years and still don’t have a solution plan if we would get married. He seemed to be ok with the timeline but he never actively brought up the timeline convo again. I recently started to look at rings and I never try one on before. My friend who just got married recently has been encouraging me to at least start looking and it would take time to find something I like anyways so I should start looking for fun. I expressed to my bf that we should maybe go ring shopping together. He seemed ok to it at first. Today he finally mentioned that I am pressuring him and that I had been talking about it too much. Maybe I had been but I was just excited for the future and the fact that a few of my friends just got married recently made me feel the highs of being engaged. I freaked out and asked what he meant and he said he didn’t mean it in a negative way.
Now my head is all over the place. We had been talking about marriage for a while and he even wrote down the different shapes and cuts of rings that I came across on the Internet. I thought we were on the right direction. I had told him that I just wanted to do ring shopping for fun and did not expect this reaction.
Now I don’t want to even think about marrying him anymore. The relationship has been very good otherwise and he has genuinely been a good partner to me and his family is amazing to me.
Am I being dramatic? I feel dramatic because as the words came out of his mouth, my tears just wouldn’t stop dropping I had to take a cold shower to calm myself down. I can’t quite fantom whether it was the shame of me even asking to go for ring shopping or the fact that someone who I thought loved me would even feel pressured by ring shopping talk.

OP posts:
Corinthiana · 18/01/2025 19:49

Just plan the wedding. You don't need an engagement ring.
However..if the wedding planning gets the same response, you have your answer.

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 18/01/2025 19:49

Now I don’t want to even think about marrying him anymore.

I suspect that’s fortunate, because you’re not going to see him for dust!

PullTheBricksDown · 18/01/2025 19:51

It's maybe a little dramatic, but then again I agree that I'm not sure why he has a problem. You've talked about marriage, and rings. You're living together. Why is it 'pressure' to look at rings? I don't get it. And I don't see how he 'didn't mean it in a negative way'.

Mrsttcno1 · 18/01/2025 19:52

18 months really isn’t that long, and I don’t know why you’re the one thinking about ring shopping if you want a proposal? You can’t push someone into marriage.

SallyWD · 18/01/2025 19:53

I actually think a year and a half is quite soon to be getting engaged. I do understand that given your age you want to get on with marriage and kids. However, I also feel that it's soon. Dh and I only moved in together after 18 months and didn't consider marriage until a couple of years after that. However, we were (slightly) younger than you.
I think thar instead of getting upset, you need a calm conversation together about whether you're on the same page, whether you both want marriage and children and when. If you get over emotional and cry, you're unlikely to get honest answers from him.

mynameiscalypso · 18/01/2025 19:53

Maybe it's too soon for him. 18 months barely seems anytime at all. Or maybe he feels like you're trying to stage manage it a bit and he would like to propose in his own time and way. It all sounds quite high maintenance.

littlemissprosseco · 18/01/2025 19:54

Just chill, what will be will be…..

BodyKeepingScore · 18/01/2025 19:55

18 months is very early to be seriously talking about marriage...

TangerineClementine · 18/01/2025 19:56

I think it's a bit odd to go ring shopping when you're not even engaged yet! I'd say to him "I'm sorry you got a bit freaked out by the idea of going ring shopping. Don't worry, it was just an idea, no problem if you're not ready for that yet, but can we have an honest conversation about marriage and timing? I want to make sure we're both on the same page."

You are being dramatic if this means you don't want to marry him any more. He just wants to wait until you're engaged - which is normal IMO.

Viviennemary · 18/01/2025 19:56

Ring shopping will make any reluctant bridegroom run for the hills. Sounds like he does t want to marry you. Walk away.

PizzaPunk · 18/01/2025 19:56

A few of your friends getting married recently made you feel the 'highs of being engaged'?

I'd stop listening to your friends if I were you, and start listening to your boyfriend instead.

Maybe if you could dial down all the excitement and engagement talk, he might feel less pressured?

You can't force him to feel excited if he doesn't.

ImmortalSnowman · 18/01/2025 19:56

Too dramatic. You are trying to force something when he's not ready and taking away the decision from him when he is.
Seems far too early to have already been talking about marriage and children beyond that you want both in the future.

PullTheBricksDown · 18/01/2025 19:58

ImmortalSnowman · 18/01/2025 19:56

Too dramatic. You are trying to force something when he's not ready and taking away the decision from him when he is.
Seems far too early to have already been talking about marriage and children beyond that you want both in the future.

But why is it 'his' decision?

PiastriThePastry · 18/01/2025 19:58

It is quite a quick turnaround, 18 months, I genuinely feel like 2-2.5 years is the true make or break period for most relationships. It’s bizarre to me that you’ve come on so strong about ring shopping yet seem oblivious to the fact that doing so is, in fact, piling pressure on him. You probably got so upset, in part, from feeling a bit embarrassed, it’s easy to get swept up in things and get carried away in your own head so that a reality check can feel rather shocking.

SallyWD · 18/01/2025 19:59

PullTheBricksDown · 18/01/2025 19:58

But why is it 'his' decision?

Because OP has already made up her mind but he needs to be ready too.

MayaPinion · 18/01/2025 19:59

Has he even proposed? It’s sounds like you’re really jumping the gun there. Step back or you’ll look like a bunny boiler.

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 20:01

SallyWD · 18/01/2025 19:53

I actually think a year and a half is quite soon to be getting engaged. I do understand that given your age you want to get on with marriage and kids. However, I also feel that it's soon. Dh and I only moved in together after 18 months and didn't consider marriage until a couple of years after that. However, we were (slightly) younger than you.
I think thar instead of getting upset, you need a calm conversation together about whether you're on the same page, whether you both want marriage and children and when. If you get over emotional and cry, you're unlikely to get honest answers from him.

I have mentioned to him that I do not expect to be engaged yet. I wanted to take my time to figure out what my preferences would be with regards to a ring and it could be months before we get engaged. I personally think 2 years is enough to know if you wanna propose to someone. We are a year and a half in. If he feels pressured now and I wasn’t asking to be proposed to right now, I’m not sure what it will change in a few months to a year

OP posts:
Bibbetybobbity · 18/01/2025 20:01

He doesn’t want to get married.

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 20:02

TangerineClementine · 18/01/2025 19:56

I think it's a bit odd to go ring shopping when you're not even engaged yet! I'd say to him "I'm sorry you got a bit freaked out by the idea of going ring shopping. Don't worry, it was just an idea, no problem if you're not ready for that yet, but can we have an honest conversation about marriage and timing? I want to make sure we're both on the same page."

You are being dramatic if this means you don't want to marry him any more. He just wants to wait until you're engaged - which is normal IMO.

Do people go ring shopping after engagement? I thought it was common to do ring shopping for a bit of fun before the actual engagement, which could be months or even a year down the line. Regardless, just didn’t expect him to freak out

OP posts:
LarkinAboot · 18/01/2025 20:04

18 months is waaay too early for most people imo, but then if he was up for it he wouldn't feel like this. He could change his mind in time but there are no guarantees.

festivemouse · 18/01/2025 20:04

I think it's honesty dramatic - tears dripping down your face and a cold shower to calm down is not going to make a good impression tbh.

Corinthiana · 18/01/2025 20:05

I'm going to disagree, 18 months is long enough to be together and to plan for the future. If you've living together, there's every reason to think about future plans. You're not 23. However. He's obviously not where you are, so think about what you want.

iwillfghhjjj · 18/01/2025 20:05

You need an adult conversation. Sit down calmly together and discuss your future.

When do you see yourself engaged/married
Do you want children
How many
Where do you want to live
If you have children will you both work
How will you share finances
Do you have a faith
If you have children what type of parent do you intend to be
What lifestyle do you see in your future
What career aspirations do you have
Do you want pets

Open a line of communication and find out if you are on the same page. There's no point in wasting time if you are not

Runfaraway · 18/01/2025 20:05

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 20:02

Do people go ring shopping after engagement? I thought it was common to do ring shopping for a bit of fun before the actual engagement, which could be months or even a year down the line. Regardless, just didn’t expect him to freak out

I don’t think that’s common actually, no.

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 20:06

MayaPinion · 18/01/2025 19:59

Has he even proposed? It’s sounds like you’re really jumping the gun there. Step back or you’ll look like a bunny boiler.

Why do I need to wait for his proposal before I look for rings? I’m talking about engagement ring here. A lot of people I know do ring shopping together months and even a year ahead of the proposal

OP posts:
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