Help Me Find an Engagement Ring

Okay, I have been being tortured by my family about the decision to spend two months salary on an engagement ring. They say that is too much money and obviously jewelers would like to sucker me into three months salary. What should I spend is the first question. Alright, one months salary is around $4,000 before taxes and deductions. Certain members of my family want me to spend less than that and friends say I should keep it around two months salary.

My current take on this is a little twist of some of the above. I have decided to set a range based on two months salary and my net pay over two months after all deductions including my 401 k and health benefits. This leaves me a range of approximately $5,000 and $8,000. What do you think, should this be my range? If not, what would you suggest. I can see why my family would say to spend less. This could be a downpayment on my first home.

Currently, this is also staving off my proposal. I've got about seven months before I will have enough to spend on a wedding ring. I will also, have to pay for the wedding. Which leads to question two, should the price of a wedding be included in my engagement gift since I have to pay?

The next question, I have selected two rings one is a compromise with my family it is paltinum the clarity is VS2, the color is G-H and the size is 3/4 carat the cost is $4,000 and the other is the same only it is a whole carat it costs $7,700. How important is is that I buy a full carat. The quality is what I am looking for on these two rings and I am thinking that a full carat is too much for my girlfriends hand. This is my third question, is getting the traditional full carat the right way to go?

I really need your help tell me what you think? What else should I consider? Should I design my own ring? Maybe, I should just spend the money I have saved up now I think I am stressing out about this way too much. Somebody save me.