Emily said “yes” in Santorini, Greece this past September. “On the morning of our anniversary, Ris woke me up to watch the sunrise over Santorini from our terrace, and despite being freezing cold and huddled together under a duvet, she proposed and my whole world changed.” Much to the surprise of her partner Marisa, Emily proposed back that same night–she had packed her ring for the 10+ hour flight, too, just in case.
Emily’s 3.5-carat Radiant Cut Moissanite is set in yellow gold, and it's a sparkler. It captures the light and attention in every brainstorming meeting we have at Coveteur. There is undoubtedly more excitement around same-sex engagements and weddings too–we always want to know who planned the proposal or who proposed to who. Simultaneously, we’re dying to see not one, but two wedding fits soon. But above all, we also want to know about the rings that made the final cut.
So, here we tapped four LGBTQ+ industry leaders for their style expertise on the investment of a lifetime. For Coveteur, they shared their engagement stories, exceptional ring designs, and more of their favorite engagement rings.
This couple opted for one-of-a-kind and custom-by-design rings
Photo: Troy Huynh
Micah Jesse (he/they) is an Atlanta-born television personality, social media influencer, and marketing consultant. You might also recognize him as a sideline host from the 71st Miss USA Pageant. Micah stepped onto the map in the early aughts by reframing celebrity journalism with optimism. For years, he’s been known for his positive disposition, infectious personality, and bold sense of style. So, it’s no surprise that his engagement ring is one of the most unique and impactful pieces of jewelry we’ve ever seen.
In 2013, he matched with Jason on Tinder before falling in sync over text and then into a full-blown crush after a first date at the Orient Express Cocktail Bar & Restaurant in the West Village. They started their relationship long-distance between New York and Los Angeles before bringing their lives together as a unit. Years later, their 2016 proposal embodied the passions that brought Micah and Jason together: creativity, personal style, and a deep appreciation of art and culture. “Jason asked me to marry him in the Miami Beach Design District in a perfectly planned proposal that was expertly captured by stealthy photographers." Micah and Jason’s 2017 modern disco-inspired wedding in Atlanta was also featured in Martha Stewart Weddings.
Like their love story, Micah’s ring is one-of-a-kind and custom-by-design. “My ring is unique and supremely special in that it was designed by my husband. When I look at my engagement ring, I'm reminded of his impeccable eye for detail and the great lengths he goes to show me he loves me,” Micah shared. Micah’s now-husband, Jason Mahler, designed the perfect custom engagement ring, which features pave-set diamonds hugging a yellow gold pyramid band.
Micah recommends ring shopping with your significant other too, even if they aren’t fashion industry leaders or jewelry designers like Jason, “to gather insights such as ring size, metal, and setting and stone preference.” For Micah, Jason knew where to start and brought that aesthetic into the process. “I think Jason knew I wanted something that was gold, bold, and sparked from every angle–and that meant diamonds… I'm drawn to engagement rings in unique settings that have a special story,” he notes. Here are a few other rings on Micah’s radar.
She said "yes" in Greece with sustainable and lab-grown diamond rings
Photo: Courtesy of Emily Greene
Emily Greene (she/her) is the Marketing Strategy Director for Coveteur and her love story is one of our all-time favorites. She started secretly dating her fiancé, Marisa, in high school. Five years later, they came “out” as a couple and only a few months ago, planned a week-long trip to Greece to celebrate their ten-year anniversary. But, they thought ahead and did their ring research together first. “[We] decided on Moissanites for our center stones; we both love that as a lab-grown gem, Moissanites are produced with very little environmental impact, while still sitting quite high at 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale (making it practical for everyday wear,) and they tend to be less expensive than other precious gems, without having to sacrifice quality or clarity. Bonus: Moissanites refract light with a rainbow-like shimmer, almost resembling a disco ball (so fun.)”
So, they designed their rings together but allowed romance to lead the next stages of their engagement. Then, their monumental anniversary coincided with an epic proposal at sunrise in Santorini in September. Emily’s engagement ring features a 3.5 carat Radiant Cut Moissanite set on a thin yellow gold band, while Ris went with an Oval Moissanite set in between two pear-shaped lab-grown diamonds.
Emily is inspired by the unexpected. “Instinctually, I tend to gravitate towards rings that are untraditional, one-of-a-kind, vintage, or an unexpected design for what one would typically consider an engagement ring. I think—perhaps ironically—this sentiment subconsciously has a lot to do with the desire to break away from the “traditional” aspects of marriage, being in a same-sex relationship.” But, despite gravitating towards the unconventional, she kept the concept of forever in mind when picking her ring. “I felt myself really leaning towards something more classic and timeless—but one that I could still customize, so it would feel very ‘me,’ and that I could truly see myself wearing it every single day.”
In designing her ring with Brilliant Earth, she prioritized ethical sourcing, sustainability, customization, and gender/identity equality. Here are a few other rings she loves too.
This couple went for minimal, modern engagement rings (after their $1 Ring Pop proposal)
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson is the Chief Strategy Officer at Rebelmouse, a CMS and web agency. As a tech industry leader, he’s always thoughtful and methodical, but he also has an eye for innovation. Naturally, his Boucheron engagement ring exemplifies craftsmanship by bringing 18-carat yellow, white, pink gold, and brown physical vapor disposition (PVD) together in one piece. “What I love about our ring(s) is [that] the four types of gold and four different textures… all come together so perfectly [and] harmoniously.”
Chris actually proposed to his fiancé, Alex, on his birthday with a $1 Ring Pop before finding the perfect rings together. That surprise ring pop was only the start of an epic proposal that ended in Paris. “This past December 9th, after five plus years of dating, I asked Alex to marry me… I proposed with a $1 Ring Pop from the bodega! You see, there's so much pressure around rings [and] proposals. One perk of being gay is getting to decide what works best for us and not having to give into traditional norms. While there's nothing wrong with picking out a ring before proposing, it wasn't what was best for us. I did try looking at rings ahead of time, but quickly realized it was important for me to have us pick out rings together... as we're building a life together.”
From there, they journeyed to Paris to celebrate their trip there as a couple. Then, Chris and Alex found the perfect matching rings that combined the individualities of their own tastes while paying homage to Alex’s French heritage. Chris gravitated towards clean lines and eye-catching textures when searching for his engagement ring, but his decision-making process goes further than that. “Wedding/engagement rings, by nature, are all about making a statement–think about what statement you want to make. Besides the brand you want to be associated with, think about if it's important to you to have rings from a company that [are] green [and] eco-friendly. Are they LGBTQ+ friendly? Do they use cruelty-free diamonds? And most importantly, don't stress or rush it.”
From forged carbon to modern, minimalistic lines, here are a few rings that Chris loves, including one from the outwardly LGBTQ+ supportive Tiffany & Co. and the ring pop that Alex said yes to.
They chose timeless engagement rings and avoided design trends
Photo: Courtesy of Paige Popdan
Paige Popdan (she/her) has ten-plus years of experience in media and partnerships across her work with Here Media, Pride Media, and WebMD. As a Strategic Account Director, she’s usually taking the lead, but her proposal was a total surprise. “My now-wife Alyssa proposed to me on an NYC rooftop on a Monday; it was a total surprise. In fact, we caught the sunset on Fire Island the night before and I was so sure it was going to happen then. I was completely surprised and never saw it coming that day (so much that my outfit was not my best look; as the A-plus partner she is, she brought me a change of clothes, makeup, and a curling iron). After a champagne toast on the roof, we headed to one of our favorite local bars, where I was surprised again [by] our closest friends. We proceeded to celebrate well into the evening (it was a rough Tuesday).”
Just as Alyssa thought about all of the details of that dream proposal, she worked with their private jewelry designer to make Paige’s ring truly spectacular. She remembers, “The search for my ring started in an enormous jewelry store so that I could try on every style imaginable. Once we found the round bezel setting and saw it on, my partner and I both loved the style but wanted to customize the ring with special details. My engagement ring is a round brilliant diamond set in a low, white gold bezel setting perched on a thin band.”
That initial search started in a big jewelry store for a good reason: she wanted to see the designs she was inspired by on her hand with Alyssa by her side. “While browsing for rings online is easy, actually seeing a ring on your hand is so important. Bring your partner with you to try on different pieces that you both love. This is an exciting time in your life together, so don’t forget to enjoy the process!”
Timelessness and simplicity inspired Paige’s final selection of a round diamond on an uncomplicated band, “When selecting a ring, I would avoid any trends and really focus on something I want to look down and see forever.” Below are a few more of Paige’s favorite engagement pieces, from a sustainably sourced lab-grown diamond ring to a genderless bracelet that flips the conventionality of “engagement rings” altogether.
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