Do you admit to your fiancé that you hate your engagement ring??

It’s the most exhilarating moment. The love of your life gets down on one knee and asks you to marry him, it’s unexpected, exciting and above all romantic – until your betrothed drops a clanger. So it’s a ring you wouldn’t be seen dead wearing, let alone show off, but it’s the thought that counts right?

Whichever way you look at it, it’s a tough one. Do you tell the truth and risk hurting your husband-to-be’s feelings, or spend the rest of your life looking down at a diamond you detest? The problem is, you can’t have it both ways. If you choose the ring you miss out on the thrill of unexpected proposal, don’t choose the ring and you get the romance but potentially a ring you could definitely live without. So what’s a girl to do?

Chances are your finance knows you pretty well, you are about to marry him so you should hope so. Some would argue it’s a case of “wrong ring, wrong man” however comedienne Dawn French admitted she hated the engagement ring her husband Lennie Henry presented her with, yet they’ve been married for 25 years. However there may be a grain of truth in this no-nonsense theory. If your beau has bought a ring which is completely not your style, is nothing like anything you would ever wear, it could be an indication of deeper problems within your relationship.

Let’s not forget one very important factor here – men are notoriously bad at choosing gifts. It’s a sweeping generalisation but one that holds water in the majority of cases: men don’t like shopping. Try as they might it’s just not something which comes easily to them, so your man might have put in all the effort but was struck down by this fundamental flaw. Remember the clock is ticking. Most jewellers have a return policy of 28 days so if you do want to exchange your ring for something more you, don’t delay.

The worst possible ring scenario is that your repulsive rock is actually a family heirloom. How do you get out of that one? Here’s a couple of ideas: you could say you wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing such an important item daily and would rather keep the hideous heirloom for special occasions and buy a new one for everyday use – very cunning! Or suggest having the old ring reset this way you can re-jig it to suit your own style.

There’s no easy answer to this prickly predicament. Hopefully you’ll have gained a few tips from this article but I’m afraid girls, now you’re on your own.