You just have to move faster than expected. I told my wife many true things that happened to be misleading. "You think it would be fun to at least visit a jewelry shop just to look? Fine pick the closest one and we'll just go now." Little knowing that the closest one happened to be the one I'd already selected based on their custom design work and I needed to get her sized and see her reaction to a few style options in case I needed to tweak my drawings. It was a little family owned place and she loved it, so she was begrudgingly ok with their lead times again not knowing that I'd been in discussions to get it done before they closed for the holidays. Nor did she know that I'd already taken a trip to her parents to ask for her hand. But the real trick up my sleave was tricking her into planning her own engagement date. I don't remember how exactly I did it. But I got her to pick the restraunt I intended on the date I planned. Feast of the Holy Family. I needed a restraunt that would take us past Holy Family parish (ours). I even bought her a little friendly bouquet so should wouldn't smell the roses in the trunk.