Getting ready for a marriage proposal can be quite overwhelming! There are many things to think about, and of course, you want to make this event special and unique for the person you love. Create a unique memory with the way you propose so you can tell the story to your children and grandchildren!

The ring is a big part of a proposal. Many families have antique engagement rings that are passed down from one generation to another. Is this a tradition your family has? If so, prepare the ring for its new prospective owner.

If you want to personalize the wedding gift and purchase one of many beautiful solitaire engagement rings, this is totally up to you. Many jewelry companies will give you the option of inscribing a special phrase on the inside of the ring. Think of a few special words you would want your potential wife to carry with her forever.

Incorporating your personality into the proposal can be a way to make the proposal even more special. If you are a person who is into simple, yet special there are a number of things you can do. For instance, whenever she has taken off her everyday ring replace it with the engagement ring. She will definitely find a surprise waiting for her when she goes to wear her everyday ring.

You can also propose while she is asleep. Slip the engagement ring on her finger while she is sleeping. Wake her up gently with a sweet drink and strawberries in hand. She may not get it at first but when she sees the new ring on her finger she will definitely be wide awake!

Creating a special marriage proposal does not have to cost a lot of money. It does however have to be special, and prepared with care. This may seem as difficult as learning how to get rid of acne, but the payoff of your efforts may very well be a life partner! If this doesn’t deserve your energy, what does?

Do you know how you will ask the question? Choosing a life partner is one of the most important life decisions a person will make. Make sure you are honest when you speak. Really let them know how you feel and why you want to spend the rest of your life together. You do not have to be the most articulate person in the world, just speaking honestly and from your heart can go a long way.

Canadian diamonds provide a new alternative to people who want to buy diamonds, but are not comfortable with buying pieces that are potentially “conflict diamonds.”  A “conflict diamond,” by the UN’s definition, is a diamond mined by a non-legitimate government force in order to fund a rebellion.Additionally, some people are still concerned about the legitimate governments that deal in diamond mining and production, because there is a lot of talk about human rights violations under those governments as well.

While diamond production and mining has become far safer and more politically-correct in the past few years, one way to be absolutely sure that no wrong has been done by producing the diamond you buy is to seek out a Canadian diamond.Canadian diamonds account for only 15% of all the diamonds in the marketplace, yet they account for 80% of all Excellent and Ideal cut diamonds.

Other diamond miners and producers have caught on to the popularity of Canadian diamonds, and have tried to mislead consumers by marketing their diamonds (mined in places other than Canada) as Canadian diamonds, so there is now a bit of confusion in the diamond marketplace about how to recognize a Canadian diamond.  There are only two ways to be sure.

One way to be sure is the GNWT Certificate of Authenticity.The GNWT (Government of the Northwest Territories) certification system tracks the diamond's journey all the way from extraction from the ground to its velvet cushion at the jeweler’s.This is important, because some diamonds mined in Canada are still sent to Asia or Africa for cutting and polishing – which puts you back into the sticky questionable human rights territory.GNWT-certified diamonds guarantee the diamond in question was mined in Canada, and handled ethically (most likely in Canada the entire time) all throughout the process.

The certificate bears the GNWT’s polar bear insignia and includes a Gemprint of the diamond.  A Gemprint is just what it sounds like – it is a “fingerprint” of the diamond:  a digital scan of the landscape of the diamond so you can be sure the diamond you’ve bought is actually the diamond that is certified.

To take the precautions one step further, each Canadian diamond that is mined, cut, and polished in the Northwest Territories of Canada come laser-imprinted with a unique serial number.  The number can only be seen with a microscope, so no worries about staring into your pretty gem and seeing somebody’s serial number.  The number is etched into the girdle of the diamond (which is the “rim between the flatter top and the pointed bottom”) and is proof-positive that the diamond is legitimately a Canadian diamond.

Again, while diamond mining and production practices have improved a great amount in past years, the extra piece of mind obtained from buying a Canadian diamond can make all the difference for someone who still has questions or concerns about typical diamonds that are mined in the usual places and could potentially be in league with those who have questionable business practices.  Additionally, Canadian diamonds are some of the cleanest, brightest, most perfect diamonds on the market.Isn’t knowing your special someone is getting an ethically handled diamond worth the extra effort?