PW Reader Ring: Jamie & Michael!
Jamie’s ring!
The couple: Jamie Mulhare and Michael Podgajny, Philadelphia.
The ring: My ring has a pear-shaped diamond nestled into a white-gold vintage setting with six prongs and four delicately placed diamonds on either side. I fell in love with the pear shape because of my mother’s engagement ring and knew that I wanted a ring that reflected her style and our relationship. I also love that the cut is unique!
Michael and I talked about a pear-shaped ring for a long time, so he definitely was well informed that a pear was the cut to go with! He, too, liked the idea that not many women of our generation had that such a vintage look.
Originally, I had been pretty set on the idea of a simple, thin gold band to accent the diamond, but that changed when my friend/future sister-in-law and I stumbled into Barsky’s to “look around” one Saturday morning. As we were about to walk out, we decided to look at a pretty vintage setting that caught my eye and then everything changed! I was in love. She communicated the excitement to Michael and he took it from there, putting his own taste into the chosen setting.
The proposal: Michael planned the ultimate surprise for our engagement. The week of my birthday, I landed my dream job, so we went out to celebrate both occasions on a Wednesday night at Cook.
On the way home, we walked through Rittenhouse Square and Michael led me along the sidewalk near the park’s gardening shed. Much to my surprise, he took my hand when we were right in front of the shed, which was covered in lights. In the weeks before the proposal, Michael, his brother Brian and his father had constructed a PVC pipe frame to prop up against the shed to support twinkle lights, and while we had been at dinner, Brian and Mr. Podgajny had sweet-talked the security guard into letting them post up the lighting for the proposal. (After we were engaged, Michael and I walked over to thank the security guard, and as we gave him a hug, he gave us our first piece of marital advice: Always make time for each other.)
Jamie and Michael, post-proposal.
He completed the week with a surprise engagement party on my birthday and flew in my best friends and family from all over the country!
The band: Michael and I would like to have matching wedding bands, and I like the idea of mixed metals, so we are leaning towards either a delicate gold band or a band that matches my vintage setting in gold. Michael will get a classic rounded gold band.
Read other PW Reader Ring stories here.
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