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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 20:06

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

We didn't have money for an engagement ring, we just got married. It's not really necessary. However, his reaction to this, and your strong emotional response does seem like you're not in the same place at all.

healthybychristmas · 18/01/2025 20:07

All these conversations about weddings and engagements, did he initiate any of them?

Hanto · 18/01/2025 20:08

Your post is all about how you think a year and a half in is time to get engaged, you want to go ring shopping, you have this timeline, your friends are getting engaged and encouraging you to go ring shopping. All he’s done is acquiesce until now. Now he’s communicating, and what he’s communicating is ‘I’m not happy’. It’s up to you what you do with this information.

BananagramBadger · 18/01/2025 20:08

1)He may already have bought a ring.
2)He might want to be in charge of actually proposing.
3)You can’t pick a ring and decide his budget for him - and what if you fall in love with something he can’t afford?

You need to stop. Men aren’t often in charge of much with weddings, but the proposal is most often their bit. You have already given him a timeline.

It really isn’t a thing to go ‘ring shopping’ ahead of a proposal. Vaguely looking at stuff in a jewellers window when passing is pretty normal!

GreyAreas · 18/01/2025 20:09

I hate this. You have a mature reasonable discussion about timescales. He agrees in theory (and wants to marry you) but then does absolutely nothing about it in any sort of timely fashion and then when you so much as mention something engagement tangential again he feels pressured 🙄
This happened to me too. It's such a trap. Say something you're nagging me, don't say something nothing happens. However, my situation has gone from strength to strength - so just keep communicating and you'll be fine

Mrsttcno1 · 18/01/2025 20:09

I don’t know anybody who’s went ring shopping together. My husband proposed, he chose my ring, we didn’t need to go shopping together and he got it when he was ready to propose. You’re trying to force it really and 18 months isn’t long at all.

Completelyjo · 18/01/2025 20:10

Autumntimes · 18/01/2025 20:01

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

Spending the next 6 months talking, looking at, trying on, talking about is a bit intense.

Either tell him you want to choose the ring and let it sit for a while for him to come and let you know he’s ready, you’ve already told him you are and now you need to meet in the middle, or get engaged without a ring.

The fact is he has told you he isn’t ready to 100% commit to engagement yet and so he isn’t going to be up for watching you try on diamonds.

18 months is absolutely on the shorter side of getting to know someone before engagement, it’s up to you if you want call it quits now based on the fact that he doesn’t know yet or give him some breathing space.

RedRock41 · 18/01/2025 20:11

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

Agree it sounds all a bit dramatic. Don’t talk about rings or marriage for a bit and let it drop. No ring shopping this end. DH surprised me and picked a lovely one. Let him do his proposing in his own way and time. Ring shopping when he’s not even proposed does sound a bit much. The engagement is the promise of marriage. Ring shopping way you describe seems to be a promise to engage!
If you do get married one day there will be many more things to fall out over (par for the course) so learning to not sweat every issue is important.
Sounds like your friends tying the knot and goading you meant you got carried away. Not everyone likes planning in great detail. I personally hate shopping so if he’s similar can see 💯 why he’d say back off for now.

EveryOtherNameTaken · 18/01/2025 20:11

You are pressuring him. And why? Because your friend said you should start looking.

She is not part of your relationship, you and him are.

Juiceinacup · 18/01/2025 20:12

You do sound weirdly obsessed by the ring and the “high of being engaged” so you actually want to get married to your boyfriend or just not to feel left out while folk you know get engaged? If I’m wondering that maybe he is as well?

Mrsttcno1 · 18/01/2025 20:12

EveryOtherNameTaken · 18/01/2025 20:11

You are pressuring him. And why? Because your friend said you should start looking.

She is not part of your relationship, you and him are.

Exactly this. All this drama over what a friend has suggested.

Tcsha · 18/01/2025 20:13

Don’t go shopping for rings unless you’ve both decided to get married. It doesn’t take long to find something you like, and your taste may change. If we hadn’t decided to get married and my partner was looking at rings I’d be annoyed!! If it’s just about having a nice ring you like, just buy yourself one now!

EveryOtherNameTaken · 18/01/2025 20:13

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

Jeez. It's meant to be a loving relationship not a formal interview.

LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 18/01/2025 20:14

I with @iwillfghhjjj
I was clear i was on a clock from the start
At 1 yr we moved in and by 2 yrs we had completed on/bought a house together.
A couple of months after that we went ring shopping and at 2.5 yrs he proposed. We married at 3 yrs 3m.
By the time we bought we had already had all the difficult chats, money, children, expectations on fertility treatment if there were issues, money, long term aims, work lifestyles, the home lifestyles we want etc etc
All the hard complex what ifs...

Also In my circles it is TOTALLY standard to ring shop pre-proposal. I cant think of anyone that didnt except someone who used an heirloom ring. who wants to drop ££££ on a ring she doesnt like?

You probably need a proper sit down and a calm conversation.
Nothing you are asking for is unreasonable.
He is likely nervous or wants to do it at his own pace. If so, thats fine
But if he isnt on the same page you need to know so you can make your plans accordingly. (Ie leave him)

Runfaraway · 18/01/2025 20:14

Are there any cultural differences here OP? Just reminds me of a couple I knew where they had different expectations around a marriage timeline because of their backgrounds.
Neither was right or wrong, just a mismatch.

Tcsha · 18/01/2025 20:16

Mrsttcno1 · 18/01/2025 20:09

I don’t know anybody who’s went ring shopping together. My husband proposed, he chose my ring, we didn’t need to go shopping together and he got it when he was ready to propose. You’re trying to force it really and 18 months isn’t long at all.

Everyone I know, including me, went ring shopping together. It’s something you’ll wear for the rest of your life, why wouldn’t you want to choose it together, same with wedding rings. It’s usually from joint money anyway. I’ve never heard of people shopping for an engagement ring without agreeing to get married, that’s bonkers!!

Darkeststarwillshine · 18/01/2025 20:17

I this 18 months is plenty of time to know if you want to marry someone or not. My husband proposed to me at five months we are now married and have been together 8 years! But that is a lot rarer although on previous discussions here there has been many eat proposals. If you want marriage and children then I personally think you really need to know exactly where this is going.

PizzaPunk · 18/01/2025 20:18

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

It's a potential engagement, not a Zoom meeting 👀

Thingsthatgo · 18/01/2025 20:18

So you go ring shopping, and then what? Your boyfriend hides the ring for 6 months to a year before asking you to marry him? Make the whole proposal a bit obsolete. Maybe he doesn't understand your timeline, because although you say it's common among your friends it is definitely not the usual way. I sell engagement rings for a living and the only time I've sold a ring to a couple they are already engaged.

AnneLovesGilbert · 18/01/2025 20:19

I’m for being proactive and marriage being a joint decision rather than something a man bestows on a woman.

So why don’t you talk about getting married, what that means, when would suit you both, what sort of wedding you’d both like instead of fannying around with ring styles and talk of proposals?

I note your OP is much more about what your friends are up to and how it’s been 18 months than how much you love him and want to spend the rest of your life with him. You say he’s a good partner. That’s great but do you love him? Or are you just ready for marriage and babies and he’s there right now?

MummaMummaMumma · 18/01/2025 20:19

I think you're being strange.
If you're going ring shopping (even to look), then that means you're getting married... Which therefore means you're engaged already. You don't need a proposal to be engaged.
He knows you want to within 2 years, but has he said that's what he wants also? Even if he did say that, sounds like he's changed his mind.

SchoolDilemma17 · 18/01/2025 20:19

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.

Couldn’t agree more. Too much too soon. You are probably alienating him with your pushy behaviour.

iwillfghhjjj · 18/01/2025 20:21

So just to clarify people are agreeing to marry someone without discussing their future plans/goals/expectations?

One explanation why divorce is so high.

SleepingisanArt · 18/01/2025 20:21

I didn't go ring shopping. I was proposed to with a ring my now husband chose knowing what my 'taste' is. He also chose my eternity ring again based on knowing my taste, our wedding rings and my engagement ring!

I don't know anyone who chose their own ring and the one person I know who effectively nagged her boyfriend into a proposal and wedding within 2.5 years of meeting is divorced as he left her within a year of the wedding as the nagging about children, a bigger house and posher holidays began..... (She's on her 3rd husband....)

yy99 · 18/01/2025 20:21

Your behaviour isn't normal.

I don't know anyone doing or saying the things you are 18 months in.

He likely feels very pressured.