Proposing with an inherited engagement ring can be really special. An heirloom ring carries stories and significance. It can make your proposal all the more romantic and personal. Not to mention the fact that your other half gets a treasured, beautiful (and potentially expensive) ring, and you haven't had to dip into your savings to buy it (in other words, more money in the wedding budget).

There are so many reasons why a family ring makes the perfect engagement ring, but there are also lots of reasons why it doesn't. Lots of people adore their inherited engagement rings, but we also hear from those who have been given an inherited ring, and are not sure how to tell their other half (and potentially their whole families) that they don't want it.

So while we're not saying proposing with a inherited engagement ring is a bad idea  — your partner may have already told you that they want a family ring, and if so, you're good to go — but it does deserve a little more thought before you pop the question. To help, we've rounded up five reasons why it warrants thinking over before you propose with an inherited engagement ring.

1. They May Not Be Emotionally Attached to the Inherited Ring

You need to consider whether or not the heirloom ring has significance to your other half. If it's from your family, rather than theirs, it might not mean as much to them as you think. Yes, you were really close to your grandparents, but if your beloved never met them, it might be hard for them to feel as sentimental about their wedding rings as you do.

Again, this will differ from relationship to relationship, but giving someone a ring that means something to you, but not them, is pretty risky.

2. Heirloom Rings Can Mean a Lot of Pressure

Proposing with an heirloom ring, particularly one that's not from your fiancé(e)'s own family, can be fraught with pressure. Not only does it feel extra precious (losing it suddenly seems like a terrifying prospect!), but there's a lot of pressure to love it too - or risk offending the family if you don't. The last thing you want is to have to tell your new mother-in-law that you don't want to wear her family ring.

If the original owner of the ring has passed away, you're also carrying around a little piece of their legacy, which in itself can feel like a big deal. For many people, this won't be an issue, for others, it's a whole world of anxiety, which is why worth thinking through before you go rooting through the family jewellery box.

3. The Inherited Engagement Ring Might Not Be Their Style

Following on from the point above, a family ring might not be in a style your other half would ever choose for themselves. For some people it won't matter, the ring is so meaningful, that the style doesn't even factor. But for others, particularly if it's not a ring from their own family, it might start to grate.

Heirloom rings are often vintage in style, so if your other half prefers her jewellery minimal and modern, it might be best avoided. Likewise they often have coloured gemstones, yellow gold, and classic settings, again all this might be right up your wife- or husband-to-be's street, but if it doesn't sound like their style, tread carefully. As it's hard to turn down an inherited ring after the proposal.

4. They May Want Their Own Ring

An engagement ring is a gift from one person to another, to ask for their hand in marriage, and it can also be a symbol of love and starting your life together. That means different things to different people, but for some, that means having a ring of their own, that tells its own love story.

While your loved one might treasure their mum or granny's ring, that doesn't mean they don't want a ring of her own, that represents their own relationship. They may also not want to look down, and see someone else's ring on their hand every day - and have it never really feel like its their own. A good compromise for this is to use a family ring for the proposal, as a token ring, then go shopping for a sparkler afterwards.

5. If You Are Proposing with an Inherited Engagement Ring...

You're sure you want to pop the question with an inherited ring, you know they either have their heart set on it, or are going to love it, here are tips to make sure it's a perfect proposal...

• Have the ring newly cleaned, ideally resized (here's how to work out the sizing) and insured, before you propose, so it's ready to show off straight away.
• Getting it resized will also flag if there are any issues, as resizing is difficult for eternity rings and tension settings.
• After all the excitement of the proposal, have a frank conversation. Let your new fiancé(e) know that it's no problem at all if they're not entirely happy with the ring, and that they can have one of their own if they want to. Let them feel safe to speak up, and don't upset or offended if they do.
• Have contingency savings ready, just in case they do opt for a new ring.
• While you may not want to spoil the surprise of the proposal, it's important to get permission within the family that the ring belongs to, before you take it, and make sure everyone is happy with you using it. Most likely they'll be excited for you, but a sister or brother may also have had their heart set on the same piece.

More helpful advice on engagement rings:

• How much you should spend on an engagement ring?
• Why you should consider a token engagement ring
• How to work out someone's ring size
• Where to buy an engagement ring in Ireland
• How to design your own engagement ring
• Why you should think twice about proposing with an inherited ring
• What to do if you don't love your engagement ring
• Engagement rings for men
• The ultimate guide to engagement ring styles
• Tips for buying an engagement ring online