Some people go for sapphires or emeralds to avoid the mercantile problems of diamonds (even lefties hate diamonds)

Engagement rings perhaps even more than wedding bands have a strong reason to follow tradition and expectation of getting something everyone will know is an engagement ring, like a diamond set on a gold band, because engagements aren't recognized in any official capacity by any big institution (as opposed to marriage which indeed carries lots of special status besides the ring).

@Der Seeteufel - SD That sounds quaint, I think you have a good compromise figured out. I'm not familiar with diamond pricing schemes for jewelry, but that what, few extra hundred dollars(?) could be put to much better use, such as paying for your room during the honeymoon.

Chris makes a good point on the distinguishing factor, but then again is she in an environment to be showing off or for it to matter? In other words, if she's isolated most of the time, it's less worth it for someone who's working or engaged in a lot of community.

Tl;Dr you're doing nothing wrong really

So my girlfriend told her father today that I have a dog and apparently he isn't a dog person.

He's that much anti-dog that he would care, even if it's not in his home?

It was actually a pretty funny conversation. Apparently he is appalled that I let my dog in the house. I then asked about the time her brother kept a pet lamb in their house and she said that's different.

lol

Are they foreign?

Australian.

Ah. That explains it. Fear of the dingo

I'm going over there pretty soon. I'm not going to be bringing my dog though.

That's pretty epic, crossing the world for the right woman. Best of luck!

Thanks.

Bring the dog anyway. That’s a power move.

I usually announce my plans to marry before the hand-holding phase

holding hands before marriage is super degenerate

@Rogue "usually"? how often are you getting married?

@Rogue I literally did that with my current GF, but to be fair her father did send her and her sister to America to find husbands.

@Rogue My dating profile lists my terms for marriage and my intended dowry

@John O - power move

A good waifu will be worth at least two medium income provinces, maybe more if accompanied by ladies in waiting.

If you want some good stuff for your dating profile look up some of the personal ads from the late 1700s. Lots of good stuff in there.

@Der Seeteufel - SD sounds interesting! Got a link?

Sorry @ThisIsChris I didn't see that notification until just now and I don't have the link I was looking at anymore.

I'm about to leave for Australia to see my girlfriend and her family. Wish me luck guys.

Good luck holmes

Good luck and don’t fall off the earth

I just got to LA from here I'm going down under. I'm not a fan of long flights. I always have trouble sleeping on the plane. Hopefully when we do the barrell roll at the equator it won't wake me up.

Goodluck! Safe Travels!

I made it to Brisbane. I'm going to Adelaide so I have another short flight before I see my sheila!

Australian picnic.

Girls like picnics.

@Der Seeteufel - SD nice! How warm is it there? It's summer there right? So weird how everything is the opposite there.

34°

Yeah it's summer.

They call it Summer in December, right?

@John O - it is summer. It's forecast to be 107°F on Thursday. I'm going to the beach.

I'm in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Wine Country.

It's actually pretty interesting my girlfriend and I are both German Lutherans her ancestors went to Australia and mine to America.