I took a look at this thread just to get some opinions on what people spent on the ring and the wedding. I'm glad to see some of us are social!
I recently went through the process and this is what I would tell anyone who is planning to pop the questions:
1. Introduce the idea of proposing with a fake ring and then picking out a ring together. This is what I did and it worked out VERY WELL. My wife LOVES her ring and her taste was WAY different than I thought it would be. Some ladies (or gentlemen) may hate this idea, but if they like the idea, it's a fun experience together and you won't disappoint your partner.
2. Buy online. and ONLY buy online. My wife and I chose a 4 carat ring, which is gigantic... however, it was cheaper than the 1.5 carat ring that the salesperson tried to sell us at Greenberg's. The salesperson was very good and would have sold us if we came in with ANY intent to buy. You'll always get more bang for your buck online.
3. Plan the wedding for what YOU want. You don't need a big banquet hall with a DJ and crappy steak dinner and everything else. Think about what would make the day REALLY special for you... and do that.
4. Find the experts that listen to you. Whether it be the wedding planner, jeweler or who ever, find the expert who values your opinion the most. Don't let them convince you into something you don't want. Have a meeting with your future spouse about what you want before you talk to the experts so you are on the same page.