Getting engaged should be a joyful occasion. And while a lot of people enjoy splurging to buy their future spouse the most expensive engagement ring they can (and in many cases can’t) afford to show how much their partner means to them, there are others who choose a different route.
With the cost of living, student loans, rent, and a not-so-great job market, many couples are choosing to forgo the “bling bling” for more practical options.
This decision can come with its fair share of criticism, especially in today’s materialistic society.
Such was the case for Ariel McRae and her now-husband Quinn. According to her social media post, the Tennessee couple fell deeply in love after meeting online. They had great phone conversations and decided one day to meet in person. When they did, they both knew they had found the one.
But, since they were only in their 20s, they decided to gain a bit more life experience before entering a marriage. Finally, after spending two years together, the time seemed right. They wished to make their union official. Quinn worked hard to be a modest engagement ring set made with cubic zirconia and sterling silver. And Ariel did not mind one bit. According to her, the most important thing was she was going to marry her best friend and the love of her life. She loved her rings for what they symbolized, not because of what they were made from.
Sadly, not everyone saw it that way. While the couple was buying their rings from Pandora, a saleswoman made a very rude, snide remark about her rings and the man she loved without realizing she was talking about the couple in front of her. After posting her story on Facebook, her story quickly became viral.
“My husband doesn’t have a lot, neither of us do,” the Facebook post read.
“We scrape and scrape to pay bills and put food in our bellies, but after almost 2 years of dating we decided that we couldn’t wait anymore, so we didn’t. I wasn’t even thinking about rings, I just wanted to marry my best friend, but he wouldn’t have it. He scraped up just enough money to buy me two matching rings from Pandora,” Ariel wrote.
The wife went on to write, “While we were purchasing my rings however, another lady that was working there came over to help the lady selling them to us. She said, “Y’all can you believe that some men get these as engagement rings? How pathetic.”
The remark hit Quinn hard, making him feel like a failure. He started to worry that Ariel would not want to marry him because he couldn’t afford to buy her nicer things. However, his soon-to-be wife did not hesitate to set the record straight with the rude clerk as she marched right up to the saleswoman and informed her that the size or price of the ring did not matter. Only the love that’s held between the two people really counts. The couple bought their rings and left the store behind.
Not long after that, Ariel and Quinn eloped. After Ariel posted about her experience, and the story went viral, Pandora itself replied, apologizing for their experience and saying that the clerk’s attitude was not a reflection of their company’s values.
Ariel’s Facebook post had gotten over 160,000 shares and 216,000 likes. The happy and proud newlywed concluded her post with an update.
“I’ve never been this happy in my life and I couldn’t imagine spending it with anyone else ever,” she wrote.
And users on social media soon chimed in.
One person said, “That is so sweet.” Another person replied, “Pretty rings.”
A third person commented, “Congrats and well said sis!!! Love is so much more than materialistic possession.” Another person seemed to agree with this statement and said, “If anybody only loves you if you can afford a lot of material things, it is not love at all.”
You can also watch a video about this story below.
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Sources:
- “Woman Defends Her $130 Engagement Ring After Sales Clerk Tells Her It’s ‘Pathetic'” Apost.