Couples more involved in picking out the ring
■Jewelers are noticing that
the bride is having more say in
how she wants her ring to look.
BY LAUREN ADAMS
The touching picture of a guy
down on one knee while the girl’s
eyes fill with tears of happiness
wouldn’t be the same without the
little Mack box that has the ring.
Everyone wants their ring to
dazzle. College couples often hunt
in local jewelry stores to find that
perfect gem.
“College students are a main
part of our business,” said Bob
Fixtor, general manager of Sartor
Hamann Jewelers.
Cheryl Kozisek of Nebraska
Diamond agreed.
“There is a mix of ages, but
there is a significant amount of
college students,” Kozisek said.
i ne ring is one oi, n not me
most important, elements in wed
ding plans, Fixtor said.
“The
ring is the
first major
purchase
this couple
will be mak
ing,” Fixtor
said.
Because
of the uni
versally rec
o g n i z e d
importance
of the ring,
there are
often several
_ styles to
choose from.
The most popular style of ring,
according to Kozisek, is the soli
taire.
“He wanted
to make
sure / liked
it, since it’s
going to
mine for the
rest of my
\ife.n
Michelle
Tetherow
recently engaged
“Hie solitaire is a popular style
because the man doesn’t have to
stress out about all the styles,”
Kozisek said.
Fixtor said there’s several
options for ring-shoppers.
While there may be millions of
combinations depending on clari
ty, cut, color and karat weight,
there does seem to be a trend
among the most popular styles.
“Simple and straight styles are
really popular right now,” Kozisek
said.
Kozisek and Fixtor agreed that
the role of the man and woman in
picking out the ring has changed.
“Couples are coming in more
than in the past,” Fixtor said. “It
used to just be the guy picking out
a ring to surprise his girlfriend”
“I think guys are intimidated
by all the choices that are out there
now,” Kozisek said.
Jewelers see many combina
tions of shoppers; sometimes just
the man, the man and his friend,
the man with one of his girlfriend's
friends or the couple.
“My favorite is the guy with his
mom or the girlfriend's mom,”
said Kozisek. “That’s really sweet”
Freshman secondary educa
tion major Michelle Tetherow was
engaged over Thanksgiving break.
She and her boyfriend went ring
shopping together, said Tetherow.
“He wanted to make sure I
liked it,” explained Tetherow,
“since it's going to mine for the rest
of my life.”
1CU1C1UW 5dlU Miuppillg
together made the ring all the
more special. She also said the ring
was unique and special to them
because they were actually able to
design it themselves.
“I especially like the heart
shaped diamond and the fact that
we picked it out together,” said
Tetherow.
* Tetherow acknowledged the
cliche that a diamond is forever.
“The ring symbolizes all the
love in our relationship,” said
Tetherow. “The diamond is forev
er, just like our relationship is for
ever.”
Senior wildlife major Katie
Jolly said she told her boyfriend
some basic guidelines about what
kind of ring she would want so he
could pick it out himself.
Jolly said because she will be
working as a zoo keeper, she want
Couples travel to tropical
locations for honeymoons
HONEYMOON from page2
Swindell agreed.
"Definitely cruises - those are
always favorites for honey
moons,” he said.
Holmes also put cruises near
the top of the list of happening
vacations, specifically those in the
Caribbean Islands.
Once the variety of paradise is
decided, the question becomes
hnw Inner tn Slav
Holmes said her agency offers
plans for five-day, seven-day or
10-day trips.
Swindell recommended hon
eymoons lasting up to two weeks.
“I’ve noticed a trend of cou- -
pies asking for two-day, three
night packages,” he said.
Swindell said he didn’t agree
with this, not because he, as a trav
el agent, wanted to sell the bigger
package, but because the honey
moon should ho snorial
ed a ring that she could wear all the
time, even at work.
"I know so many people that
have to take their wedding rings
off everyday,” said Jolly. “I want to
wear mine all the time.”
Jolly said her ring was plat
inum so it would last and had inset
diamonds that won’t catch on
things. Jolly said the style of the
ring wasn’t the only thing that
made it special
“The ring makes it official,”
said Jolly, “It shows others that
what we have is real.”
With so many choices and so
much importance riding on the
ring, guys are encouraged to take
their time seeking out the perfect
ring, said Fixtor.
“I’d advise guys to spend time
looking at all the different dia
monds," Fixtor said.
“Just come in with an open
mind and have fun shopping.”
Kozisek said it’s important that
men realize they didn’t need to
spend thousands of dollars on the
ring.
“The ring isn’t the thing that
will make or break the relation
ship,” she said
Kozisek added that college
students should especially be
careful about spending their
money.
“The ring is supposed to bring
happiness and love,” said Kozisek,
“not financial chaos.”
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