Engagement and Proposals.

[Pheesh]

I feel like because I don't have a ring, however, many people don't take the fact that I believe I'm engaged very seriously. And so I think: smurf them.

This is the main reason this issue bugs me at all. Some people believe if you don't follow their rituals, your relationship isn't very serious. You're right to dismiss them, but I can see that being annoying.

I don't think it means your relationship isn't serious, it just doesn't mean that you're married.

Also, I would think that people who don't take the whole ceremony side of it seriously would do it more often, not oppose it. If you think it's such a stupid trifle then why not get married at a city hall the next time you're in a relationship and then enjoy all the tax benefits?

Wait, so not having a ring would mean I wasn't married?

Not being married would mean you weren't married.

I also don't think having a ring means your engaged either, maybe when you set a date then it would be closer to being engaged to be married. Anything else I would simply class under 'committed'.