Louise Roe knows a thing or two about rings. The style expert, who married Mackenzie Hunkin in October, tells The Knot in an exclusive new interview that she was methodical and low-key while dropping hints about her ideal engagement ring. “Often, people underestimate that you’re wearing the engagement and wedding rings for life,” she says. “You really do want to make it a reflection of your personal style, while keeping it timeless… This is your piece of jewelry.”
The Knot recently launched its new tool—appropriately called Hint—for those who want to convey their ring style without spoiling the surprise. In conjunction with proposal season, Roe presents several other tips and pointers for how to drop hints to your partners and loved ones organically.
1. Keep It Simple
Roe had minimal requests when it came to the ring. “[I shared it] bit by bit,” the L.A.-based personality recalls. “The two things I said was, ‘I love oval stones’—and at the time, you didn’t see many of those—and [I wanted] the yellow-gold band. Those were the only two things. Otherwise, you’re getting into so much detail that you’re basically telling them what to do.”
2. Be Subtle
The Front Roe blogger and author suggests quietly encroaching the topic. “We all know that girl who overdoes it and kind of takes the magic and surprise away by [constantly] saying it, or leaving out way too many magazines, or the laptop happens to be on a certain page,” she says. “Be careful of taking away the magic, and the guy’s pride and his sense of wanting to plan something and be creative.” Overall, that subtlety paves the way for complete ownership of the proposal from your partner’s perspective.
3. Be Cool—and Casual
Roe suggests dropping ideas during everyday activities, like shopping. “Personally, I think that you could point out certain shapes and things you like when you’re shopping and browsing. It’s always good to go to a flea market or an antique market and—Ooops!—you might just happen to be by the jewelry,” she says. “I think if you do it in a much more organic way—even if it’s super pre-planned by you—it will come off better.”
4. Trust Your Partner
“Shockingly, he will be listening,” the British beauty says. “Even the most relaxed of guys are taking mental notes. For sure.”
The former star of MTV’s The City tells The Knot that Hunkin jotted down all the right notes. “It really was [perfect],” she says. “What was also so touching was the effort that he had gone through to design it. I thought that was so sweet. He kept meetings and sketches [a secret] and pulled in different pictures that he’d found. It was very romantic.”
5. Trust a Friend
Roe recommends sharing your ideal ring in strict confidence—with a confidante. “Have a trustworthy best friend for sure. [Someone] who gets you and gets your style. If the conversation comes up [with your partner], just say, ‘Speak to her,’ ” she remarks. “I think through a third party, there’s a chance of not ruining the surprise. It’s better to keep the surprise.”
6. There’s the Wedding Band Too
If all else fails, there are plenty of solutions. “The worst case is the ring has to be slightly altered afterward,” she says. “But if you know exactly what you’re getting and when you’re going to get it? That changes the moment.”
While the engagement ring contains an element of secrecy, the wedding band design process is more of a partnership between you and your fiancé. “Whether it’s mixing metals or making sure it goes with the rest of the jewelry that you own or if you want to do a color trend, that’s fantastic. Just remember that color will need to not clash with things that you wear forever and ever,” says Roe, who’s partnered with engagement ring designer Verragio on its Make It Yours campaign. “Even in the details themselves, Verragio is very good at having mixed metals… I think it’s good to do something unique that nobody else is ever going to have.”
Take, for example, Roe’s wedding band requests. “I wanted a very simple gold band. My mom has that. My granny has that. I don’t know if it’s a European thing… people laughed at me,” she says. “I really like the engagement ring to take center stage. And I have a thin, gold, shiny wedding band.”
A photo posted by Louise Roe (@louiseroe) on
Hunkin and Roe first met six years ago while filming Plain Jane—she hosted the show, which he directed. “We would travel the world together and set couples up on dates. And so it was the ultimate twist of irony when [we got together], because we spent all this time getting people together,” she says. “Just after we finished the end of the show, I suddenly had a lightning bolt and I saw him completely differently. I obviously adored him, but I suddenly was like, ‘Actually, I’m totally in love with you.’ ”
The two married last October in a gorgeous Windsor, England, ceremony. “It was absolutely the best weekend ever,” Roe reflects. “I know everybody says that about their wedding, but it really was.”
