Simon G iPhone App Lets You Try on Engagement Rings

Want to browse and try on engagement rings without going to a jewelry store? A new iPhone app by Simon G Jewelry lets you do just that. You can browse through their collection, virtually try on rings and more. There’s even an on-screen ring sizer for guys.

Click to see enlarged screenshots.

Once you have picked out the ring of your dreams, you can then search for local retailers near you who carry what you’re looking for. Oh, and the app is free.

Women Prefer Stability Over Wealth in a Mate, According to Survey

A new British study says women prefer low-key, stable men who are ready to settle down, as opposed to men with a lot of money and wealth. This is the complete opposite of what The Daily Mail reported a few weeks ago, but according to the article, this “new breed” of daters have shifted their focus away from material things to focus on more important factors, like commitment, starting a family, etc.

According to the survey, 14 percent of daters see a high income as a deciding factor when choosing a partner, while the other 96 percent say emotional security is important. Shocking! Or is it?

“Although they might not be won over by hearts and flowers, this doesn’t mean they aren’t romantic,” Match.com’s Katie Sheppard told the publication. “They’d simply rather show their love for someone through thoughtful gestures rather than splashing their cash.”

The study cites the slagging economy as an explanation to the rise of these low key daters, but is any of this actually new? Women have always looked for mates that were stable and ready to commit. Do you agree or disagree?

Couples Pop the Question on 10-10-10 in Vegas

October 10, 2010 was a big day for weddings, but it was also a big day for proposals for ten lucky couples in Las Vegas. We announced this on the blog last week, but now we have pictures from the event courtesy of E! Online (which also has a video of the event here).

We have to say, it’s a little bizarre to see all ten men drop to their knees at once, but the proposals were still an emotional experience for all, and I’m sure the couples felt lucky for having such an opportunity.

Technology and Relationships…Again

About once a month The New York Times likes to publish one of these “technology is killing romance” stories, and this recent one from their gadget blog is no different. Blogger Jenna Wortham is concerned about her relationship after she found out her perfect boyfriend doesn’t know how to text properly. She then goes on to explain how technology has become a deterrent in most relationships, causing a major riff between bite-sized, cyber communication and real human ones.

“It could be refreshing to meet someone blissfully unaware of popular digital preoccupations,” she writes. And although she’s somewhat on point, she then contradicts herself in her conclusion by using her boyfriend’s lack of technology skills as basis to end a relationship. So which is it? When our loved ones are more preoccupied with their Facebook statuses than with us, is that bad for a relationship? Or is it the ones who don’t participate in social media that are bringing everyone down because they refuse to live in the 21st century?

We often talk about the complexities of relationships and technology. Obviously nothing can trump real human contact, and although those quick texts you swap in the beginning of your relationship can be cute, eventually further down the road you both will start craving something a little more real. Our advice is to use technology to enhance your relationship while you’re apart, but put the technology aside once you’re together. The majority of your relationship should not be conducted online. Texting your boyfriend a quick “I love u” while you’re both at work is a nice touch to maintain a bond when you’re not together, but don’t use technology as a replacement for lazy human contact. It’s also not a good idea to conduct your relationship via social media, especially when in an argument.

How has technology affected your relationship?

Ten Couples to Get Engaged on 10/10/10

You might have heard of couples getting married on October 10, 2010, or otherwise known as the sacred 10/10/10, but the date is also popular for proposals. Ten couples will pop the question simultaneously at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on 10/10/10. The event was apart of a nationwide contest where couples had to submit an essay about their relationship. The ten chosen couples get a free trip to Las Vegas to wine, dine and get engaged at The Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace.

With host Donny Osmond standing by, all ten couples will line up and all simultaneously drop to one knee and propose at exactly 10:30 a.m. Afterwards, each couple will get a reception at Tiffany & Co, dinner hosted by The Palm-Las Vegas restaurant at The Forum Shops, a post-dinner event at PURE Nightclub, a two-night stay at Caesars Palace,  and gifts provided by retailers at The Forum Shops.

I Have the Engagement Ring, but Where’s My Wedding?

An interesting dilemma posted at Eve’s Dream today — a recently engaged woman is distraught that her relationship might be falling apart. She explains how it all happened when she got engaged. Shortly after the engagement her fiance expressed his wishes to prolong the wedding until he got a promotion and until they moved in together. She begrudgingly accepted, but things still only got worse:

Lately he’s been withdrawing into gaming (Xbox & WoW). He tells me that its because of his current leg injury that requires him to always be laying down, but im beginning to doubt that because he makes more time for playing the whole day and not even bothering to make me a 5 min call (then blames me for not calling)I know this is long but i really don’t know what to do. On one hand we’ve been engaged for only 4 months and the previous 3.5 years he has been reliable. On the other, after he proposed to me, he is withdrawing emotionally and I feel like he’s playing games. Plus the engagement is bringing out the worst in him. He seems to be taking everything he told me prior to this engagement back.

Most of the commenters advised her to get out of the relationship and that her fiance was just stringing her along, but let’s look at this from another angle. First of all, long-term engagements are perfectly normal, especially in this economy. It’s nothing to feel bad about, but it looks like the fiance in our story is scared to commit and is quickly retrieving out of fear. Long-term engagements only work if both couples are on the same page about waiting. If one couple is waiting on the other, then it doesn’t work.

If you’re in a similar dilemma, here are three tips to remember:

1. Most men who propose do it because they want to. Eventually most men will comply, but if getting him to walk down the aisle is like pulling teeth, maybe you should find someone who actually wants to marry you.
2. Make sure you both want the same things. If you’re content with your life, career and you’re ready to buy a house and have kids, but meanwhile he’s still in school struggling to find a job and pay off loans, then you might be more ready to settle down than he is. Try to take things like this into consideration.
3. You can’t wait forever. Eventually if your instinct is telling you that it’s not working, then it’s time to move on. Sure it’s good to be open-minded and understanding in a relationship, but one partner shouldn’t have to wait on the other, especially if you’re waiting for more than three or four years. He’s not going to marry you. Move along.

What advice would you give in this scenario?

Rihanna's Engagement Ring

Rumors have been flying about the “Rude Boy” singer’s pending engagement. So is she or is she not engaged? We have no idea, but we want to suggest some engagement ring styles for Rihanna anyway. The singer is known for her trendy, edgy style, so we think a big, bold edgy ring will suit her perfectly.

This engagement ring by Bez Ambar definitely has a flair for the dramatic. The way the large diamond sits in a suspended setting gives the ring that edgy, unique look while still staying a tad classic in its appearance. What do you think of this ring? Do you think it suits Rihanna’s usual style?

Does Engagement Ring Determine Answer to Proposal?

Most couples will tell you that although engagement rings are nice, a strong relationship is what’s most important — or is it? According to a new study, a third of British women will turn down a proposal if they don’t like the engagement ring.

According to the study, 13 percent of women believe the engagement ring reflects social status, while 64 percent said they would ask their fiance to change the engagement ring if they didn’t like it, and 41 percent said they would rather just choose the ring themselves.

“There’s a lot of peer pressure – we see celebrities flashing their big diamond rings and everyone wants to be like a celebrity,” relationship expert Jo Barrett told The Daily Mail. “For others it’s more personal and instead of seeing it as a simple gesture of love, some women take it as an indication of how much her partner values her or how well he knows her.”

So, what does this mean for guys? Well, research shows 45 percent of men found the process of buying an engagement ring stressful, while 52 percent said they wish there was a more convenient and direct way to buy an engagement ring. Maybe if these men did their research they wouldn’t have been so stressed out, or maybe they wouldn’t have ended up spending out of their budget. That’s why it’s important to consult our engagement ring shopping guide before heading to a jewelry store.

To be honest, I think the findings are grossly exaggerated and was designed to make women look desperate, materialistic and, well, just kind of evil. Obviously it’s important to buy an engagement ring your fiancee will like, but you can’t put a price tag on a relationship. What do you think of the research’s findings?

Bruce Springsteen Surprises Couple in Engagement Photo

Ed Dwyer and his fiancée, Jen Smith were taking engagement photos on a boardwalk in New Jersey when they happened to run into Bruce Springsteen. The couple’s photographer, Kella MacPhee, asked Springsteen if he wanted to be in the picture. “The Boss” himself picked up a guitar and produced these once-in-a-lifetime shots for the elated couple.

The couple was later invited on the CBS’ The Early Show where Dwyer called the encounter “cool.” I don’t think “cool” is enough to describe this encounter. Lucky couple!

Bachelor’s Sarah Brice Auctioning Engagement Ring

Former Bachelor winner Sarah Brice might no longer be together with her former fiance Charlie O’Connell, but at least she got to hold on to her $20,000 Tacori engagement ring.

Because Sarah and Charlie’s relationship lasted more than two years, Sarah got to keep her engagement ring and didn’t have to hand it back to producers like so many others. So, what is Sarah going to do with the pricey sparkler? She’s auctioning it off. The ring is currently up for grabs on eBay with a starting bid of $5,000, according to In Touch.

“It seemed like a bad omen to keep it,” Sarah told the tabloid.  “It’s a gorgeous ring, though, and someone will be very lucky to get it.”

The auction currently has zero bids, but there’s still plenty of time left if you want to come by and snatch it up.