You’ve been with your significant other for a few years now. You love her and believe that she loves you. You could see yourself spending the rest of your life with her, but you haven’t popped the question yet. It’s not that you’re not ready, you just know it’s something you shouldn’t rush into. However, lately, she’s been throwing around subtle hints like pictures of engagement rings, attending her friends’ weddings, and couples’ night out. You don’t want her to think you don’t notice the signs, but you’re not sure what to do. Here’s a bit of advice:

 Think About it

Sure, she’s throwing you hints and you’ve been with her for some time, but marriage is not a decision to be rushed into. So, while she might be sending you links of trendiest diamond and diamond and moissanite engagement rings, it’s probably best that you ensure that you’re ready. Though the decision is solely yours to make, signs you’re ready to get married include:

• You’re fully committed to the relationship
• You can’t see your life without her
• You feel encouraged, inspired to be better when you’re with her
• Her happiness comes before your own
• Your spiritually, physically, mentally, and financially prepared for marriage

To say that everyone who enters marriage having every one of these checked off would be an overstatement. However, if all or most of these align with your personal feelings and circumstances, chances are you’re ready to pop the question.

Talk to Friends and Family

Though you may not want to believe it, you’re not just marrying your girlfriend, you’re marrying her family. Hopefully, since the two of you have been dating for a while, you’ve had an opportunity to meet her family. Before going ring shopping and popping the question, it’s always a good and traditional idea to talk to her friends and family. Let them know how you feel about her and simply ask for their support in this next journey in your lives. Knowing that you took the extra steps to get the approval of her friends and family will make saying yes to your proposal a lot easier for her.

Go Ring Shopping

So, you’re ready to marry her and her friends and family are on board. Now, you’re ready to go and buy an engagement ring that symbolizes your love for her. While it can be intimidating, it is important not to get too stressed out about ring shopping. The idea is to find a ring that is nice and affordable. Here are some tips to make ring shopping easier:

• Remember her hints. If she was sending you pics and links of engagement rings online, try to look at those links to see which jeweler sales the rings she’s into.
• Set a budget. Sometimes you can get so caught up in the bling that you get carried away on cost.
• Ask for input from friends and family if she hasn’t dropped ring hints
• If ordering online, make sure that you order in advance. This way, if the ring isn’t what you expected, you have time to return it.

The Proposal

You’ve made up your mind, you’ve got the ring, and you have the support of those who love her. Now, all that’s left to do is go and get your girl. A wedding proposal is a special occasion, and while there are many ways to propose, you want to make it something unique that she’ll remember. Whether you propose at home over candlelit dinner or you decide to take her to a ball game and announce your love over the Jumbotron, make sure it is a moment she won’t soon forget.

There’s a lot of pressure that guys feel when engagement hints start to be thrown around. The good news is that you have a good girl who wants to spend the rest of her life with you. When you start noticing the little hints your girl is dropping, it’s time to get realistic. Start by assessing whether you’re ready for marriage and then proceed with getting other supporters on board. Lastly, remember not to be intimidated by the size or cost of the ring or how you’ll propose, just keep her happiness and your new lives together at the forefront, and the rest will fall into place.