Is there anything better than the run up to an engagement? The nerves, the excitement, the planning, and the selecting of the ring.

Traditionally, in male-female couplings, it is anticipated that the man will pop the big question – and it seems that expectation isn’t going anywhere quite yet.

Despite the taboo of a woman asking a man to marry her finally being banished from our society, it seems that for most, the traditional romantic elements of a proposal are still important, with 98% of male respondents to a survey by Fields the Jeweller saying that they are the ones who asked the question.

95% of women in male-female couples echoed this, saying 95% of the time that their partner had got down on one knee.

When it comes to cost, almost a quarter of respondents said they spent over €2000 on an engagement ring, with a similar number spending over €1000. This amount is very close the average spending on an engagement ring in the UK based on a recent study.

Less than one fifth of respondents spend €4000 or over on this special purchase, while one in ten will spend less than €1000.

Lets talk time frames – is there ever a ‘right’ time to get married after falling in love?

Irish people seem to prefer to leave some time between the engagement and their wedding day.

Over 50% of respondents waited over 2 years to get married, with one quarter waiting over three years.

Less than one quarter of respondents got married within 12 months of getting engaged.