Diamonds are a girl's best friend, so what does that make an engagement ring? While you ponder that, we'll give you the answer to a tricky question—how much should an engagement ring cost? Brides tossed that question the way of its wedding etiquette experts, who helped nail down a figure.
How much is too much to spend on engagement ring?
The answer depends entirely on your fiancé-to-be's financial situation. On average, a guy will spend about $5,229 on the engagement ring, but some guys spend a lot less and some spend a whole lot more. (Justin Theroux, for example, forked over about half a mil on Jennifer Aniston's rock—hello!) As a rule of thumb, most jewelers suggest that men shell out about three months of their salary. But if he's heavily in debt or concerned about his job security, he may want to scale back. Worried your boyfriend will be tempted to go overboard? Slip your opinion into a casual conversation. Try something like "You know, Jen was just telling me the other day that she really wishes her husband had spent less on the engagement ring so they could have had a bigger wedding budget to play with. I think some guys are going a little crazy these days. If a woman really loves you, she's also going to love the ring, no matter how much it costs. Honestly, I don't think anyone should spend more than $[fill in the max you want him to spend here], don't you?"
—Written by Brides
Pretty clever, don't you think? How much do you think should be spent on an engagement ring?
More from Brides:
*How to Find the Perfect Wedding Dress for Your Body Type
*Engagement Rings Under $5,000
*50 Ways to Trim Your Wedding Budget
*The Most Creative Wedding Cakes of the Year
*The Latest Wedding Dress Trends From N.Y. Bridal Fashion Week