do you have to have a diamond ring?

My partner and I can't wait to be married. This is not a decision we've taken lightly, but we would like to secretly elope as I'm leaving for the Peace Corps in a few months. The original plan was to get married after my two year tour in Africa, but we've decided that we want to officially tie the knot before I leave. We would like to become legally married, but then have a religious ceremony/reception with family and friends after I return. We truly just want to have a part of our marriage to be for only us two, and then share it with everyone else we love at a more appropriate time when we'll have the money and resources to do the "traditional wedding" right. What is the proper etiquette on this sort of thing? Should we tell our families that we eloped 2 years prior, or keep it a secret?

I am engaged and I want to get married...but I pay off a loan for my parents every month..they need help I dont want to tell my fiance. They also borrow money from me and then it causes me to overdraft. I follow dave ramseys plan but sometimes it gets hard

I wanted to get married settle down and have kids but he said he wasn't ready yet and wanted another 5 years I'm 25 this year hes almost 30. He wanted to play around enjoy bachelor life for another 5 years until he was 35 before marrying me settling down and having kids. we have already been together for 3 years -_- ' I told him I'm not waiting another 5 years for a serious marriage commitment I told him straight up if you don't propose by our next anniversary it's over i'm leaving to find someone who will marry me and want to commit to me anyways I told him that I've already given him 3 good years of my life and if he wants the rest of it he better put a ring on it or I'm going to leave and find someone else who will So he did propose the next week he bought a ring, its beautiful got down on one knee and everything and he said "You win i give I love you i don't want to lose you so I'll do it I'll marry you ok will you marry me and be my wife " those were his exact words I am so happy i got what i wanted but i feel bad because i think i forced pressured my fiance into it should i feel bad ? It feels like I rushed our relationship and rushed and pressured him into it but he gave me no choice , if i didn't do it he would have just lazed around for the next 5 years or so not taking our relationship seriously and would not have proposed .