8 celebrity-inspired ways to click an engagement ring selfie

Dark selfies, hazy travel shots and impeccably-garnished dishes that don’t look appetising no matter what venue or background you choose—we get it, the struggle for the perfect Instagram picture is real. But admit it: among thousands of variants, the one click you might have mastered is the selfie—from the bathroom selfie and bedfie to the duck face and post-workout selfie, among many others. But when we’re talking about a type of self-portrait that, like the occasion it highlights, is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, there’s no avenue for practicing till perfect. The ring selfie is the picture you click when announcing your relationship’s newly elevated status on social media, and is clearly one of the biggest trends in the wedding category today—even the stars are doing it!

If done right, this click may look as sleek as a fashion editorial, taking your Instagram game up from novice to influencer. The first thing to keep in mind: getting the light right. (We’ve said it before, the answer to perfect photos is natural light.) Secondly, ensure your hands are camera-ready (read: get a manicure.) Now, think of the story you’d want to narrate with this picture—look for a winning spot to click you and your beau together. You may also choose or curate an interesting backdrop, and don’t forget to pick a pose that’s flattering to your hands. It also pays to keep in mind that you don’t want to be the one who spams her followers with images of her ring—post just one picture that makes an impact.

Not just popular with millennial couples, ring selfies have also been spotted among the new wave of celebrity matrimony that has downed upon us. From Kim Kardashian West to Priyanka Chopra, a slew of engaged and married celebrities have already taken to Instagram to announce their engagements in the past. We took cues from their social media proclamations help you stage an enviable set-up to broadcast your fiancé, your upcoming wedding and of course, your new diamond ring. Scroll ahead for what we unearthed.

1) Have fun with it

Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr announced her engagement to Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel with a post of the couple’s held hands, with that gorgeous rock in focus. Adding a whimsical tone, Kerr used a Snapchat filter over the click—the especially-created-for-the-occasion bitmoji featured caricatures of the couple during the proposal.

2) Design a ‘plandid’ ring selfie

In case you didn’t know it, the term ‘plandid’ is portmanteau of planned and candid. Although it sounds like an oxymoron, it’s a ‘meticulously planned’ picture that captures the mood of the moment without having you look directly at the camera. Priyanka Chopra nailed this ring selfie style while announcing her roka with musician Nick Jonas to her 35 million plus Instagram followers earlier in August 2018. And the caption was just as sweet as the image, reading, “Taken.. With all my heart and soul..” Jonas also posted the same picture with an equally sweet message for Chopra: “Future Mrs. Jonas. My heart. My love.”

3) Go all out with an editorial shot

If you love those editorial spreads in magazines, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official engagement portrait would have made you swoon. A beautifully shot, portrait-style image is perfect for the couple who loves to go all out and wants to save the image as a wedding keepsake. Start by creating a mood board of the various poses you’d like to take a stab at—the world wide web is your oyster. We recommend hiring a photographer over asking a friend to click it for you—since you want to be sure of the result. When it comes to picking your outfits, don’t follow the herd. Just because royalty got dressed in all their finery doesn’t mean you have to as well. If your aesthetic is casual, go with what resonates with you—don’t worry, a modest white shirt and jeans combination will look just as stunning if done right. Just be authentic.

4) Flaunt your ring and your fiancé

Though a done-and-dusted version, a car selfie with your beau to show your new status is still a popular style of announcing your engagement. When cricketer Zaheer Khan proposed to his now-wife, actor Sagarika Ghatge, the couple posted a simple, happy picture of themselves in a car, with the former showing off her ring. Bonus: it also makes for a happy, informal picture that captures you in the glow of the moment.

5) Or just take a close-up of your hands

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner went the traditional route when announcing her engagement to musician Joe Jonas. The actor clicked tight shots of her and her fiancé’s hands, handsomely showcasing the union and the rock. An equally simple caption completed the mood of her ring selfie post, reading, “I said yes.”

6) Take the monochrome route

The adage about monochrome pictures states, “when you photograph people in black and white, you capture their soul.” While Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West are not known to shy away from anything theatrical—for the big proposal, West hired an orchestra to play for his now-wife while a large screen flashed the words “Pleeease Marry Meee!!!!” at San Francisco’s AT&T Park—the announcement of their union was done in a candid manner. Kardashian West posted an achromatic picture of the proposal setting, with her ring in focus, to announce the upcoming wedding.

7) Get goofy with your frame

How would you expect the seriously successful and decorated Olympian Michael Phelps to announce his engagement to now-wife, former model and beauty queen, Nicole Michele Phelps? By having fun with it, obviously. The mushy picture captures the couple hugging in the snow when the retired competitive swimmer popped the question, and while it doesn’t exactly highlight the ring, it does capture the mood perfectly—and you can still see the rock.

8) Make a pre-wedding movie out of it

Why just click a photograph when you can make a movie? Take your inspiration from blogger Chiara Ferragni and rapper Fedez, who filmed a pre-wedding Instagram movie to announce their happy news.

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