The perfect proposal can be hard. The right place, the right time, and the right engagement ring – all of these things really count. In the United States, an average couple spends about $1k to $5k for an engagement ring. But for some fiancées, even that isn’t enough.

This man proposed with a $2,000 ring because for him, marriage is about much more than the material things. For his fiancée, however, it was the opposite; she expected a more expensive diamond, worth at least $20k. Her reaction made one thing clear: perhaps the couple isn’t meant to be together if their values are so different.

The price of an engagement ring proved to be the ultimate test for this couple

Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)

In the girlfriend’s mind, the ring was too cheap, but her stubbornness ultimately cost her the relationship

Image credits: Drazen Zigic / freepik (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Physical-Bus6025

People should spend on an engagement ring only as much as they’re comfortable with

Image credits: serhii_bobyk / freepik (not the actual photo)

Today, when we think of a traditional engagement, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a ring. One partner gets on one knee and asks the other to accept an engagement ring as a symbol of their love and devotion. But, in reality, are engagement rings really that important?

The main problem in this story was that a ring meant something different to the man and the woman. Like with everything in life, there are always two perspectives; neither he nor she is wrong here. Still, it’s interesting to explore the arguments for and against engagement rings that people and wedding industry experts have.

To the girlfriend, the ring symbolized the relationship itself: the more expensive it was, the more serious and valuable was the future marriage. There’s this saying that an engagement ring should cost at least a three-month salary. However, jewelry experts today say that this tradition is quite outdated. Vogue claims that it’s just a clever marketing ploy to get people to contribute even more to the wedding market.

Many women have been conditioned from childhood to expect an engagement ring to complete the fairytale of marriage. Dr. Fran Walfish suggests that when women think a ring is “not enough,” they might have other doubts.

A flashy, expensive ring would only distract from the problems within the relationship. Dr. Walfish says people need to get used to disappointment. “It’s not that we’ve ‘settled’, it’s that we’re reaching a point where we’re realizing we have to decide what is priority, and that we can’t get every single thing we want in a partner.”

An expensive engagement ring isn’t a guarantee for a long and happy marriage

Image credits: wirestock / freepik (not the actual photo)

To the man, on the other hand, the meaning was purely symbolic. He would much rather invest in more practical things they’ll need in the future: a car, a house, investments, and even her business ideas.

Some research shows that men who spend between $2,000 and $4,000 on engagement rings have a higher rate of divorce. Those who opt for cheaper engagement rings from $500 to $2,000 have longer-lasting marriages. However, the researchers also found that spending less than $500 on an engagement ring is more likely to predict that your marriage will end in divorce.

Relationship experts say that materialism can often be a distraction from what is really important. “A relationship built off of intangible intimacy rather than a lavish lifestyle is much more likely to not only last, but thrive into a loving partnership that lasts for a lifetime, Christie Tcharkhoutian, LMFT, told NBC.

“Instead of going into debt, buy an engagement ring within your current budget that you’ll both love, and upgrade in the future if you desire,” the jewelers at Martin Busch Jewelers write. According to Brides magazine, people should spend only what they’re comfortable with. They recommend speaking about this with a partner: assessing your budget and future financial goals.

Some commenters sided with the guy, agreeing that the price of an engagement ring shouldn’t be a priority in a relationship

Others, however, supported the girlfriend, inviting him to look at it from her perspective

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