So I'm going to propose to my girlfriend !!!

[KKbluff]

Long story made short:
We have been together for over a year and half.
We both graduate in 1 week from Purdue.
I love this girl with all my heart.

My questions are:
How much should i spend on the ring? ( im thinking $ 1500-2000 which would be about 50% of my poker bankroll, but shes worth it..)

ALSO
For those who are married:
1. how did YOU propose?
2. How did you select the the ring?
3. How can i find her "perfect ring" without giving her too many "tells" that I will propose???

[ QUOTE ]
My questions are:
How much should i spend on the ring? ( im thinking $ 1500-2000 which would be about 50% of my poker bankroll, but shes worth it..)


[/ QUOTE ]

That's not really a lot to spend at all, but if it's 50% of your bankroll then I think it's fine. And if she doesn't think it's fancy enough then she's not the kind of girl that you should be marrying anyway.

[KKbluff]

I guess i should note that my date money as well as gift money (birthday,xmas etc..) for my gf come from my bankroll as well...

[rollingdirty]

[Talk2BigSteve]

Well under Mississippi Law I will never get married so I will help you out instead.

Plan ahead at a fancy resturant and have 11 Red Roses delivered to the table. Have her count them so she discovers there are only 11. Then say something mushy like "Although roses are beautiful they fade away and are forgotten over time, The love I have for you will never be forgotten, and it will never fade away"

Then give her this... 24K Gold Long Stem Rose (http://www.loveisarose.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GR011&Catego ry_Code=GLDR)

"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"

Get on one knee, and pull the ring out of your pocket and pop the question.

Big Steve /images/graemlins/cool.gif

PS It is 4 in the morning and I am sleepy but I hope that will work, re-word it PLEASE that is just fluff off the top of my head, and only you know how crazy you are about her, so they should be word from your heart not mine, but keep the dozen theme and completing you intact.

[Chairman Wood]

Jesus... it is getting easier each day to tell who are the kids on this forum who are <18.

[Chairman Wood]

Dude seriously, just ask Bison.

[buck_thunder]

i agree with rollingdirty. did you read the post where the gf got gangbanged at a skinny dipping party?? and you want to spend half your bankroll?? serously - they all lie and cheat. reat her like a whore and you will be fine - dont and she will be gangbanging too.

[ QUOTE ]
How much should i spend on the ring? ( im thinking $ 1500-2000 which would be about 50% of my poker bankroll, but shes worth it..)

[/ QUOTE ]
POTD.

[rollingdirty]

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"

[/ QUOTE ]

If I ever love someone enough to say something like this without vomiting, she had better say yes. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Deftoner]

[ QUOTE ]
35 dumb ass. TY.

[/ QUOTE ]

And still have never been in love? God your life must suck.

[___SK___]

if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.


and granted money isnt a symbol of love, but its a sign that maybe you should focus on a career (since u are jsut graduating) and focus on other aspects of your life. 1.5 years with someone is NOTHING compared to the amount of time you "plan" on spending with her.

[maxsick]

10K? Really? Wow.

[Deftoner]

[ QUOTE ]
if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.


and granted money isnt a symbol of love, but its a sign that maybe you should focus on a career (since u are jsut graduating) and focus on other aspects of your life. 1.5 years with someone is NOTHING compared to the amount of time you "plan" on spending with her.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel differently. If he really is in love with her and committed to spend the rest of his life with her and she the same to him then he should get married, why not? They can work through the struggles of life together.

To OP: Its a beautiful thing brother, wish you the very best.

[MrTrik]

Congratulations KKbluff! Good luck to you two.

[___SK___]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.


and granted money isnt a symbol of love, but its a sign that maybe you should focus on a career (since u are jsut graduating) and focus on other aspects of your life. 1.5 years with someone is NOTHING compared to the amount of time you "plan" on spending with her.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel differently. If he really is in love with her and committed to spend the rest of his life with her and she the same to him then he should get married, why not? They can work through the struggles of life together.

To OP: Its a beautiful thing brother, wish you the very best.

[/ QUOTE ]

if he's in love and commited, he doesnt need a piece of paper telling him that. At this point i realize i might sound bitter, so no i've never been married. i am just strongly against marriage and the divorce rate alone backs me up. Digging deeper at the issue, we are mammals we werent built to get along for extended periods of time. If someone is gonna make the plunge, it shouldn't be freshly out of college or 1.5 years into a relationship.

ps i've listened to love line for too long to be challenged!! jk just feeling fiesty.

[MrTrik]

I feel sorry for you.

[___SK___]

why cause i am not married or have high standards of what a marriage should be?

[Los Feliz Slim]

I proposed on a cliff in Big Sur, our favorite place, at Sunset, just her and me. Do something that's special to the two of you - if you're both avid hikers or bowlers or golfers or something, work that in.

I have a friend in the diamond business. You start by selecting the cut you like: round, emeral, marquis, etc. I went with Princess cut, which is square. Just my preference, and you get more for your money b/c less of the diamond is lost in the cutting process compared to some of the other cuts. From there, color, clarity, and carats are determined by your budget. $2000 is not a lot, but if that's all you can afford, don't get hung up on it. If she's the kind of girl who'll give you grief over how big the diamond is, don't do it.

It's much more romantic if she doesn't know you're doing this. Does she wear jewelry? Is it simple or complicated? Also, you can get her a solitaire (only the main rock) and augment it later when she's involved and you've got more cash - which she won't want to do anyway, because the ring you gave her is "special".

If possible, talk to a private jeweler you trust and avoid stores like Tiffany, etc. Again, more for your money.

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
35 dumb ass. TY.

[/ QUOTE ]

54 dumb ass. TY.

[KaneKungFu123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"

[/ QUOTE ]

If I ever love someone enough to say something like this without vomiting, she had better say yes. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

itd be even better if he says something that isnt cliche, boring, and fake.

[SCfuji]

you can pay 1.5k initially, but its the personal setting that shes going to want to get after she accepts that costs a ton of money.

[Zurvan]

It doesn't matter how much you spend. What's important is that you pick one that you feel she'll like. Does she like white gold or yellow? Most younger women these days like white, but she may be an exception. This is actually as important as the diamond - trust me.

Don't worry about how big the rock is, or whether it's super high quality of any of that garbage. If she loves you & wants to marry you, and is worth marrying, she won't give a crap. I don't know one woman who thinks her engagement ring is too small.

As for the proposal, I asked my fiance in the dining room after we had a quiet dinner. We're not public, outgoing people, so this was perfect for us. You don't need to do something super elaborate, but make sure it's something that suits you both. She'll remember it regardless.

Good luck.

[HopeydaFish]

[ QUOTE ]

"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"


[/ QUOTE ]

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
why cause i am not married or have high standards of what a marriage should be?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think its because you say you're against marriage, only because of the divorce rate. That high divorce rate is thanks to far too many people getting married after a month (or less, thank you Vegas) and not actually understanding how their intended "better half" will fit into their lives. There's more issues of course, but you have to be pretty bitter, as you admit, to be opposed to the concept in general.

To the OP - I don't have any suggestions, but best of luck to you...most people don't ask the question unless they know the answer, so I'm sure you'll be fine. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[KaneKungFu123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"


[/ QUOTE ]

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

instead of your nose?

[mslif]

First congratulations on finding someone you love and who obviously loves you back.
You both are just out of college, no careers yet, you have not had to worry about money, mortgage, bills, being together 24/7... Do you even live together? College life is easy compared to what you are going to face now. Make sure you know what you are doing. Love is not enough to make a marriage work, I learn that the hard way.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
I have a friend in the diamond business.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just because Tom Shane says that, doesn't mean he's really your friend.

[zoomOut]

[ QUOTE ]
...you have not had to worry about money, mortgage, bills, being together 24/7...

[/ QUOTE ]

boy this is so true isn't it mslif? Marriage is a jumble of fun times and excrutiatingly difficult times when it comes to financial problems.

My husband was very smart when he proposed. He said 'let's go shopping for a ring honey.' I loved this because I had a good idea what style ring I liked and he had no idea. It was the quickest shopping trip in history. We walked into Service Merchandise and I immediately pointed to the one. Took all of half an hour including the car ride. It cost him a whopping $600. We're still together.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.

[/ QUOTE ]

And thats the low end of the scale.

PS: Hence why I am not planning on getting married /images/graemlins/smile.gif

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[Los Feliz Slim]

I don't think $10K is the "low end" of the scale at all. You can get a nearly flawless almost 2-carat diamond for ~$10K-$15K, setting and sidestones are an afterthought at that point.

Most rings start looking cheesy bigger/more elaborate than that, IMO, and then she has to worry about what neighborhoods she wears it in at night.

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.

[/ QUOTE ]

And thats the low end of the scale.

PS: Hence why I am not planning on getting married /images/graemlins/smile.gif

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I never understood the big deal about the engagement ring. Women care more about how big it is than the meaning behind it anyway. In my country, no engagment ring. You get the wedding band at the wedding and that's it.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
if u arent dropping at least 10k on a ring, u arent ready to get married.

[/ QUOTE ]

And thats the low end of the scale.

PS: Hence why I am not planning on getting married /images/graemlins/smile.gif

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I never understood the big deal about the engagement ring. Women care more about how big it is than the meaning behind it anyway. In my country, no engagment ring. You get the wedding band at the wedding and that's it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats how I plan to execute it as well if I finally settle down, spend the money on the home and our future together not the ring and the party.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[tdarko]

gl kkbluff, i wish you the best in the future. i don't know you or your situation so am not one to judge or even pretend to know what the best way to get married is, my only advice is to be happy. take care. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[SmileyEH]

[ QUOTE ]
Well under Mississippi Law I will never get married so I will help you out instead.

Plan ahead at a fancy resturant and have 11 Red Roses delivered to the table. Have her count them so she discovers there are only 11. Then say something mushy like "Although roses are beautiful they fade away and are forgotten over time, The love I have for you will never be forgotten, and it will never fade away"

Then give her this... 24K Gold Long Stem Rose (http://www.loveisarose.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&amp;Product_Code=GR011&amp;Catego ry_Code=GLDR)

"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"

Get on one knee, and pull the ring out of your pocket and pop the question.

Big Steve /images/graemlins/cool.gif

PS It is 4 in the morning and I am sleepy but I hope that will work, re-word it PLEASE that is just fluff off the top of my head, and only you know how crazy you are about her, so they should be word from your heart not mine, but keep the dozen theme and completing you intact.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm so glad you're back steve. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

-SmileyEH

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm so glad you're back steve.

[/ QUOTE ]
me too, how else would we get these completely unoriginal jerry maguire quotes that no man would ever say to a girl?

[RacersEdge]

This kind of statements just amaze me. I mean I just don't get it at all. Why do you need to spend so much money on something that is a symbol, not an investment or a piece of art?

Every time I read these kinds of things, it just seems like the jewelers of the world have everyone brainwashed.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
Why do you need to spend so much money on something that is a symbol

[/ QUOTE ]

There is some evolutionary psychology behind this. The symbol is of being a good provider and therefore a good mate, and it allows a quick and simple way to demonstrate this fitness. The symbol needs to be expensive, otherwise someone who is actually not a good provider could just fake it. This behavior worked it's way into a lot of our traditions when it comes to marriage.

Here is another example. (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Number=2982196&amp;page=&amp;view=&amp;sb=5&amp; o=&amp;vc=1) We may laugh at stuff like this, but it makes sense in the context of it just being a symbol of a good provider.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why do you need to spend so much money on something that is a symbol

[/ QUOTE ]

There is some evolutionary psychology behind this. The symbol is of being a good provider and therefore a good mate, and it allows a quick and simple way to demonstrate this fitness. The symbol needs to be expensive, otherwise someone who is actually not a good provider could just fake it. This behavior worked it's way into a lot of our traditions when it comes to marriage.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, but i don't think i'd want someone 'providing' for me that would waste $10k on a ring. buy a nice house instead /images/graemlins/smile.gif
(yes i realize you can do both, but that doesn't mean a $10k ring is money well spent)

[Punker]

The amount you have suggested to spend on the ring is fine. Talking about spending 10K on the ring is stupid.

I went to a small jewelry shop, picked the stone, picked the ring from a catalog of ring types, and they made it. About $1500 all told.

As for how to propose and how to pick what ring...you know her, not us. My main concern was the size of the ring, which didn't need to be, since she went and had it resized after anyways /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[MrsNolanFan]

<font color="purple"> First of all, congratulations on finding the love of your life!

Second, I hope you will wait 6 months to a year before you propose. You are just finishing college, which is an exciting, but also VERY stressful, time in your life. You and your gf will probably need to focus on starting your careers (I'm assuming that is why you went to college). So do that first, start saving some money, and get used to being together outside of college. Also, planning a wedding is pretty all-consuming for the bride, so I would bet that if you propose now, you won't get married for at least 15 months anyway, because she will need to spend the first 6 months of your engagement getting settled in her career before she can even begin to contemplate planning a wedding. But if you propose now, she'll have wedding planning on her mind and that is just added stress for the next few months. Even if your gf is not the type of person to make a big deal out of wedding planning, if she is engaged everyone she meets will ask her about it... which puts stress on her unintentionally.
Once things settle down a bit and you have a little more money saved... then pop the question. The only reason I bring money into it is not because you need to spend a lot of money on her ring (I disagree with those that say you need to spend $10K plus), but because the whole process of getting married in our society is spendy. Even if your/her parents foot the bill for the entire wedding, you and your fiancee still have so much to pay for including the honeymoon, your wedding rings, gifts for your attendants, new clothes for honeymoon/bridal showers/rehearsal dinner, etc, etc, etc. AND I haven't even mentioned saving for a house.

Now as far as the ring goes... I think the best thing to do is for you to find a jeweler you feel comfortable with and learn all you can about the 4 C's. Then choose the very best solitaire you can afford and have it set in a very simple setting (no side stones, nothing but the diamond and the ring). Propose with that ring, then sometime during your wedding planning process, the two of you go back to the jeweler together and choose your wedding rings. She can then choose the final setting she wants for the solitaire. She's the one who will be wearing it for the rest of her life and if you subscribe to the theory that men only know what a women is thinking 50-80% of the time, it's a pretty big risk to think that you will pick out the perfect setting for her by yourself. The process I described above is what nolanfan34 did for me and I could not be happier with my ring! (I think the original ring the solitaire was set in was like $40... the real money went into the diamond.) Plus if I ever see anyone with a ring that I really admire, I can't blame Scott for not choosing better... I chose it myself!
Good luck to you!</font>

[mslif]

[ QUOTE ]

Thats how I plan to execute it as well if I finally settle down, spend the money on the home and our future together not the ring and the party.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree. That's the smartest thing to do. I prefer having a home than a ring on my finger

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why do you need to spend so much money on something that is a symbol

[/ QUOTE ]

There is some evolutionary psychology behind this. The symbol is of being a good provider and therefore a good mate, and it allows a quick and simple way to demonstrate this fitness. The symbol needs to be expensive, otherwise someone who is actually not a good provider could just fake it. This behavior worked it's way into a lot of our traditions when it comes to marriage.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, but i don't think i'd want someone 'providing' for me that would waste $10k on a ring. buy a nice house instead /images/graemlins/smile.gif
(yes i realize you can do both, but that doesn't mean a $10k ring is money well spent)

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. It's seems so archaic to have to show your value through jewelery. Just look at someone job or resume - or bank account.

Yeah, and take the money and buy a bigger house, nicer car - or just take a longer/nicer honeymoon. It seems so obvious to me.

[TimM]

By that logic, wanting a woman with big boobs is archaic too. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
By that logic, wanting a woman with big boobs is archaic too. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That's just biological wiring - can't really change that. But having societal standards the same now as 500 years ago is silly.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
By that logic, wanting a woman with big boobs is archaic too. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That's just biological wiring - can't really change that. But having societal standards the same now as 500 years ago is silly.

[/ QUOTE ]

But these traditions built on biological wiring too. There are animals that risk their lives showing off to attract a mate. Why would they do something that reduces their chances of survival? Because they need a quick and simple way to prove their fitness so that they can get in before the competition does.

Traditions do change with the times, but slowly. Not very many generations have gone by since you could just look at someone's job, resume or bank account. I don't like it either, but it's not so easy to just use logic to overcome these things.

[cassette]

If someone spent 10K on a ring for me I would consider them a very poor provider.

[[censored]]

congratulations and good luck.

[cbfair]

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="purple"> First of all, congratulations on finding the love of your life!

Second, I hope you will wait 6 months to a year before you propose. You are just finishing college, which is an exciting, but also VERY stressful, time in your life. You and your gf will probably need to focus on starting your careers (I'm assuming that is why you went to college). So do that first, start saving some money, and get used to being together outside of college. Also, planning a wedding is pretty all-consuming for the bride, so I would bet that if you propose now, you won't get married for at least 15 months anyway, because she will need to spend the first 6 months of your engagement getting settled in her career before she can even begin to contemplate planning a wedding. But if you propose now, she'll have wedding planning on her mind and that is just added stress for the next few months. Even if your gf is not the type of person to make a big deal out of wedding planning, if she is engaged everyone she meets will ask her about it... which puts stress on her unintentionally.
Once things settle down a bit and you have a little more money saved... then pop the question. The only reason I bring money into it is not because you need to spend a lot of money on her ring (I disagree with those that say you need to spend $10K plus), but because the whole process of getting married in our society is spendy. Even if your/her parents foot the bill for the entire wedding, you and your fiancee still have so much to pay for including the honeymoon, your wedding rings, gifts for your attendants, new clothes for honeymoon/bridal showers/rehearsal dinner, etc, etc, etc. AND I haven't even mentioned saving for a house.

Now as far as the ring goes... I think the best thing to do is for you to find a jeweler you feel comfortable with and learn all you can about the 4 C's. Then choose the very best solitaire you can afford and have it set in a very simple setting (no side stones, nothing but the diamond and the ring). Propose with that ring, then sometime during your wedding planning process, the two of you go back to the jeweler together and choose your wedding rings. She can then choose the final setting she wants for the solitaire. She's the one who will be wearing it for the rest of her life and if you subscribe to the theory that men only know what a women is thinking 50-80% of the time, it's a pretty big risk to think that you will pick out the perfect setting for her by yourself. The process I described above is what nolanfan34 did for me and I could not be happier with my ring! (I think the original ring the solitaire was set in was like $40... the real money went into the diamond.) Plus if I ever see anyone with a ring that I really admire, I can't blame Scott for not choosing better... I chose it myself!
Good luck to you!</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks mrsnolanfan, your presence here was greatly needed.

1. I'm 100% pro marriage (for all who want it but thats a different thread)
2. Right after college isn't neccessarily too early to be married, but it is a time of great change.
3. Consider all your options: Start a career, live together for a awhile, travel europe together, whatever.
4. When the time is right, you'll know it but I'd be patient. I say this as someone who got married at 29 and is very glad to have waited, when I look back and imagine marriage at ~21 I cringe. Your time may be right now but it could be just as right (or better) in 6 months or 6 years.
5. I have no idea why this is a numbered list, it just seemed right at the time.

[gorie]

[ QUOTE ]

1. I'm 100% pro marriage (for all who want it but thats a different thread)
2. Right after college isn't neccessarily too early to be married, but it is a time of great change.
3. Consider all your options: Start a career, live together for a awhile, travel europe together, whatever.
4. When the time is right, you'll know it but I'd be patient. I say this as someone who got married at 29 and is very glad to have waited, when I look back and imagine marriage at ~21 I cringe. Your time may be right now but it could be just as right (or better) in 6 months or 6 years.
5. I have no idea why this is a numbered list, it just seemed right at the time.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is one of my favorite posts ever.

[cbfair]

Oh, about the ring...

We got engaged in an uncommon way, I surprised both of us by suggesting it when it came up in conversation. Thats how we got engaged. I had already been looking at some rings and had my eye on one in the 7k range. When I sent my new fiance to the store to check it out, she simply schat. There was no way she would let me buy that ring even though it was less than 2 months salary (the old rule).

We went shopping together and both agreed on a beautiful ring for around 2500. This was returned within 45 days as we found one we actually like better for about the same price. We just had our 2 year anniversary and we've been actively shopping for a new ring for the last year or so. In time, we'll significantly upgrade both of our rings, but there's no real hurry.

This is all by way of saying that its best to be flexible. There is no gaurantee that whatever ring you put on her finger at the time of engagement or during the ceremony will continue to be her ring forever. People change, and so do tastes. BTW- the plan is to turn her current ring's sidestone settings into earings when we upgrade, that way she'll still have part of her original wedding set.

For the people, who suggest 10K+ - in one of my many conversations with jewelers, I was told that fewer than 1% of American women have at least a 1 carat stone. I'd venture to guess that the vast minority of that group are recent college graduates.

[HopeydaFish]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

"This rose is for you, it completes the dozen, like you complete me, it will last forever just like my love for you"


[/ QUOTE ]

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

instead of your nose?

[/ QUOTE ]

Had I been laughing at the time, the puke may have come out my nose. I wasn't, so it remained in my mouth.

[KKbluff]

MrsNolanFan,
You are an amazing help and have great insight.
You couldn't be more right about this being the most stressful time of my life (so far)
Anyways...
Right now me and my girlfriend ARE focusing on our careers, but I can tell she is worried that because of our future job locations etc... that things might get very difficult.
We are trying to get jobs in the same city as of now, but some of the job offers (the better ones) I have would require me to train for managment in locations hours (if not a day or two) away from her...
Not to mention my job location (or hers for that matter) AFTER training..

Any advice??

[MrsNolanFan]

[ QUOTE ]
MrsNolanFan,
You are an amazing help and have great insight.
You couldn't be more right about this being the most stressful time of my life (so far)
Anyways...
Right now me and my girlfriend ARE focusing on our careers, but I can tell she is worried that because of our future job locations etc... that things might get very difficult.
We are trying to get jobs in the same city as of now, but some of the job offers (the better ones) I have would require me to train for managment in locations hours (if not a day or two) away from her...
Not to mention my job location (or hers for that matter) AFTER training..

Any advice??

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<font color="purple"> Hmmm... this makes me even more apt to say wait on the engagement until things settle down. But, not to worry about a little distance. Scott and I dated in college and he graduated 1 semester before me then moved about 2 hours away to take a job. When I graduated I could have moved to the same city he was in and looked for work there, but I knew he was on a contract that would end one year later and I didn't really like the city he happened to be living in. So I decided to move to a different city that put me about 2 1/2 hours away from him. We maintained a long distance relationship for almost 1 1/2 years (including the time I was still in college) and I honestly think this was GREAT for our relationship. It was tough to be away from each other, but it gave each of us the opportunity to focus on starting our careers, learn to be good communicators since our primary contact was via the phone, plus when we did see each other about every other weekend it was really special and we made a point of doing fun activities rather than just "hanging out" or doing typical day to day stuff. Then Scott moved up to the city I was in and we lived together for 6 months before he proposed.
My point is not that everyone should have a long distance relationship, but that if you do end up in a situation where you and your significant other are away from one another for long periods of time it can actually have a positive effect on your lives and your relationship. Don't be afraid of it. Make the most of your career opportunities right now because the job market is still pretty tough. That's my two cents!
Good luck!</font>