They’re wearable symbols of your love and commitment to one another. And they (especially your engagement ring) also happen to be gorgeous pieces of jewelry you get to look at every day. These days, more and more couples are going ring shopping together.

Do Couples Look at Engagement Rings Together? Absolutely! If the idea of an engagement has been on the table for a while, many couples choose to explore engagement ring options together long before the proposal actually happens.

Can I Help My Partner Pick the Engagement Ring? Definitely. In fact, 62 percent of couples now go engagement ring shopping together. Simply tell them that you don’t want to do a joint shopping trip because you think it’s more romantic to be surprised.

Tradition has it that the bride (and/or her family) buys the groom’s wedding ring, while the groom (and/or his family) pays for the bride’s. Again, this language is binary—the real moral of the story is that each person traditionally pays for the other person’s ring.

If you do decide to include her in picking out the ring, but still want to leave a little bit of a surprise, bring her at the beginning of the engagement ring hunt. Casually take her to a jewelry store to browse, or maybe have her pick her 5 favorite rings, which will allow for you to pick the one.

Necessity. An engagement ring isn’t required to propose; some couples get engaged and then shop for the ring together so that the woman can choose her own ring. Waiting on a ring is a good idea if a couple wants to save money for a special ring but doesn’t want to wait to get engaged.

There is no right or wrong answer. Simply, it’s what feels right for both you and your significant other. What’s most important is that both of you are on the same page and are happy and comfortable with whatever you chose to do, as this ring will symbolize the beginning or your new life together.