Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you might be thinking about proposing to the person you’ve fallen madly in love with. Marrying my husband – my best friend – was the best thing I ever did, so I’m a huge fan of weddings, and go weak at the knees at anything even remotely romantic. Whether you’re planning to go all out or just want a simple proposal that expresses your feelings, it’s good to have some sort of plan in mind. Proposing is a very special occasion that you’re both going to remember for the rest of your life, so here are some tips for your preparation.
What type of proposal would your partner want
It’s important to know how your partner would want to be proposed to. Some people would love a big proposal in front of family. Some people would love it being videoed or photographed. Others might want a small personal proposal, just the two of you, in an intimate setting, or perhaps at the end of a long hike, at the top of a mountain, or somewhere that holds special memories for you. Someone who is introverted and would want a private and intimate proposal is not going to want a big 100 person surprise video proposal. You know the person you love, so you can think, what would they want?
Do you need to talk to the parents?
I don’t personally believe in tradition of a man asking a woman’s parents for her hand in marriage. In fact, I think women can be the lead when proposing so you might well be a lady reading this, thinking of proposing to your partner, and of course there are many marriages between different genders too. You know your loved one and what they would want. There are still people out there who would prefer to do things a more formal and traditional way. You know their parents, and their relationship with them. If your partner would want you to talk to their parents, then do.
Pick a memorable location
Once you’ve decided if you want public or private, big or small, it’s time to pick the location. As I already mentioned, it’s important to pick somewhere that’s going to have positive memories. It could be your favourite restaurant, or your favourite bench overlooking a lake. Pick somewhere special that’s going to mean something to you both.
Don’t forget to think about the time of day and the weather too. You probably don’t want to be asking in a dark, unlit place whilst the rain lashes down!
Choosing an engagement ring
The engagement ring is something that will be worn every day. It’s something you want them to love and feel confident about wearing. Don’t feel constrained to looking at rings on the high street or buying plain designs, as you can find good quality, modern and unique engagement rings shopping online. Nude Jewellery, for example, offer unique engagement rings using gemstones as the main focal point rather than diamonds as featured in the imagine above. I’m in love with Shades of Pink, a contemporary and sophisticated ring, rose gold with pink and violet sapphires, and rubies.
You can sneakily ask your partner what they think of different styles when you’re passing the jewellery shop window, or looking at online jewelers. You’ll also need to find their ring size; which you can do by taking an existing ring’s measurements or taking it to the jeweler. But don’t worry if this isn’t possible, rings can always be resized. The style of the ring should suit the style of their current jewelry, fit their personality and their fashion.
Choose your words
Write out in advance what you plan to say. This will avoid you getting tongue-tied mid proposal, and also help you with your self confidence. Be thoughtful, true to yourself and honest. This is a story your partner is going to tell time and time again, and is going to remember their whole life. Make her smile, laugh, cry – make her feel the emotion of the moment. It doesn’t have to be a big speech, sometimes keeping it simple is the best way, but have a plan for what you’re going to say in advance.
Think about the type of engagement celebration you want
Together you and your fiancé will plan what sort of engagement you want, but thinking about this in advance shows how much effort and thought you’ve put into it. Do you want to make an announcement on Facebook, or in person, and will there be an engagement party? Together you two can plot your future together, and it’s going to be fantastic!
I have one final piece of advice for you when it comes to preparing for that perfect proposal…
Be flexible!
If it all doesn’t go to plan, keep yourself flexible and calm. Don’t panic, roll with it. If it turns out this isn’t the right moment then nothing is saying you have to propose now. Or ma
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