From the archives: This story was last updated in September 2019.
A young couple, very much in love, went to a Pandora jewelry store to pick out an engagement ring that fit their budget. A disparaging comment from a store employee about their $130 ring almost ruined the moment, but Ariel Desiree McRae, of Tennessee, took to social media to share the anecdote, and her response.Ariel’s post in 2016 quickly went viral, and her message was loud and clear: you can’t put a price tag on love.
Ariel was not concerned about the ring itself. “I just wanted to marry my best friend,” she said. Ariel and her partner, Quinn McRae, picked out a sterling silver and cubic zirconia set, and Ariel was over the moon.
“While we were purchasing my rings however,” Ariel continued, “another lady that was working there came over to help the lady selling them to us. She said, ‘Y’all can you believe that some men get these as engagement rings? How pathetic.’” Ariel was devastated.
“I watched my now-husband’s face fall,” Ariel recalled. Quinn had already voiced concern over the value of Ariel’s rings, asking her time and time again, “Are you sure you'll be happy with these? Are you sure this is okay?”
“Old Ariel,” as the young woman referred to her once-self, would have flown into a rage. But “Mature Ariel,” she added, had a more thoughtfully constructed response. She turned to the store employee and responded, “It isn’t the ring that matters, it is the love that goes into buying one that matters.”
The couple purchased their chosen rings and left the store. To date, Ariel’s post has been shared 163,000 times and counting.
