Rules of Engagement

When I think of Shirley Bassey I recall two iconic songs which had peculiar titles: 'Goldfinger' and 'Diamonds are Forever'. But whilst men probably reminisce about the callous adventures of a womanizing, gadget-sporting, trigger-happy spy with a licence to kill, women are reading between the lines (And if you still haven't had your Eureka! Moment at this point then you are obviously a tom-boy). Gold = Ring = Finger. Similarly Diamonds are…self-explanatory.

But whether its gold or diamond women go 'ga-ga' over the engagement ring and men love that! The shock, the trembling, the tears and in some cases those high-pitched screams of OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! (No way? Just wait till it's your turn), But you've got to add a touch of romance to the whole process of proposing. Here are few guidelines which I would like to call the Rules of Engagement:

Have a build-up - Like a good TV drama, say ER (Emergency Room), you want to get her adrenaline going until she's literally gasping for the ER herself (No silly! Here I mean the Engagement Ring). Take her out somewhere nice where she hasn't been; a fancy restaurant, karaoke bar, jazz lounge, musical theatre, or the beach and then prepare to pour out your emotions like a rehabilitated catholic mobster at his first confession.

Break the bank - An engagement ring is very special so why not spend a little more than you would on a birthday, valentine, Christmas gift all combined? Your fiancé is going to wear the ring, not you, so be concerned about what her friends would say. I know there are two schools of thought on whether or not Size matters. Some ladies want to see a big rock on their finger but if you get something small, authentic, with a bit of 'bling' (ultra-extraordinary dazzle) then it'll probably dazzle her too.

Be original - There's no limit when it comes to this rule. Rack up a good collection of old-time romantic movie favorites and you can get some unique ideas: ring at the bottom of a champagne flute (make sure she doesn't choke on it though); a proposal on live radio (make sure she's tuned in); write those four magic words in the sand then take her to that spot (make sure the tide hasn't washed it away by then); or why not just get your knee dirty and do it the old fashioned way. That's a sure winner!

Now for ladies in relationships currently waiting to be proposed to, you might want to deliberately leave this article on your computer screen just when your boyfriend intends to use it. Every little hint you drop would hopefully lure him to ask the big question and thus crown your left hand's fourth finger. If you still don't get any results after a couple of months, then maybe its time to show him the 'middle finger'… : )

By T. Anthony

Written by Sugar Weddings