Findings, from not-yet engaged women highlight a post-COVID shift in attitudes on engagement

NEW YORK, US - Media OutReach - 13 December 2021 - Just ahead of "engagement season," the period between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, De Beers Group and The Knots "Engagement Expectations" study reveals new insights around marriage proposals in a post-COVID environment. Nearly 300 women in a serious relationship were surveyed about expectations related to the proposal process, from where and how it takes place to the selection of the engagement ring. The findings highlight an increased interest in intimacy and connection when it comes to the proposal itself, and an almost universal desire among women to have some involvement in the selection of their engagement ring.

According to a study conducted by De Beers Group and The Knots on "Engagement Expectations" in a post-COVID environment, 96% of respondents would like to have some involvement in the selection of their engagement ring.

While most pre-engaged women still want their partner to propose to them, they want the experience to be more personal and unique. Grand gestures and elaborate public displays were less appealing to respondents, with a solid majority saying the ideal way to pop the question would be one person proposing to the other (98%), planned ahead of time (66%), and in a private place (66%). 

The pressure may be off when it comes to staging a grandiose ask, but nearly every woman surveyed (96%) said she wanted to have some involvement in the selection of her engagement ring, and would not want it to be a total surprise. Three-fourths of pre-engaged females have thought a lot or some about their engagement rings and most are increasingly preferring more personalized and unique engagement rings. The primary choice for an engagement ring remains a diamond, with the majority citing this as their first choice.  But contrary to popular opinion, pre-engaged women are less focused on how big the diamond is than on the shape, style and setting of the stone.  When it comes to purchasing the ring, about 2 in 10 respondents expect both partners to contribute to the cost; most women (76%) expect their partner will pay.    

While females desire more intimate proposals, the majority (85%) feel there is more pressure on their partners to plan a unique proposal than in their parents' generation. Additionally, the majority (68%) also believe that ring designs today are more unique than in their parents' generation, and one in five feel the exchange of rings has more meaning and significance today.

Methodology

The Knot and De Beers Engagement Expectations Study was fielded on Instagram in October 2021 among 296 females in a serious relationship. A majority of female respondents (77%) participating in the survey believe they will be engaged in the next two years. Most were between the ages of 18 and 34.

The Knot is the nation's leading digital wedding resource offering a seamless, all-in-one planning experience—from finding inspiration and local vendors to creating and managing all guest experiences, wedding registries and more. The trusted brand reaches a majority of engaged couples in the US through the #1 wedding planning website TheKnot.com and #1 iOS and Android mobile app The Knot Wedding Planner, The Knot national wedding magazine, and The Knot book series. Since its inception, The Knot has inspired approximately 25 million couples to plan a wedding that's uniquely them. Visit The Knot online at TheKnot.com and follow on social media: Facebook.com/TheKnot and @TheKnot on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers Group strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers Group is committed to 'Building Forever,' a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.