If you’re in the market for an engagement ring, here is what you should do and know before you head to the jewelers.

Determine Your Budget Ahead of Time.
Set a realistic budget before you look at any rings. Engagement rings can easily be tailored to suit your budget—smaller or larger stone, more or less pave diamonds, platinum versus white gold—without compromising its overall style. Tell the jeweler your budget upfront so they show you rings within your means. It can be heart-crushing to find a dazzling ring and learn it’s five times your original budget.

Know Your Ring Size.
Whether you’re shopping as a couple or on the sly to surprise your significant other, you should know the ultimate wearer’s ring size. Stones can look bigger or smaller and bands thicker or thinner pending on your hand and finger size. It can be incredibly helpful to know the ring size ahead of time to get the proportions just right. And, if you need some pointers on how to determine your or your partner’s ring size, check out our post here.

Brush Up on Your Fine Jewelry Lingo.
We organized these handy cheat sheets that delve into the variety of diamond cuts and engagement ring settings and shed light on those puzzling “4 Cs.” Look them over to familiarize yourself with the general cut and settings options to focus your engagement ring search.

Double-Check Your Proposal Schedule.
If you want to pop the question on a particular date, be sure to cross-reference your calendar. Rings typically take a minimum of six weeks to be delivered (even longer if you’re having anything customized or engraved). Keep that lead time in mind and ask the jeweler how long it will take for you to receive the ring before placing your order.

Get Tested for Any Allergies.
Some people are allergic to nickel, the common alloying metal used in white gold jewelry. But obviously, most people don’t realize they’re allergic to white gold until they have a white gold engagement ring. Therefore, if you don’t know if you’re sensitive to nickel, you can get tested by an allergist.

That said, if you do not want to go through the hoops of getting an allergy test before you go ring shopping, you can have your jewelry plated to guard your skin after you buy it. The catch here is that you may have to make frequent trips back to the jewelers to re-plate it should you realize later on you in fact have a nickel allergy.