The Top Ten Ways to Propose to Your Girlfriend

Step one: Fall in love.
Step two: Realize you can’t live without her.
Step three: Okay, this is where it gets harder. According to the expectations of family, friends, and, hopefully, your girlfriend, you will be thinking about making it permanent, tying the knot, and every other corny euphemism that applies to getting hitched (why is it so hard to just say it? Getting married).

It may be a natural progression, but there’s no doubt, it is a big change to go from single and dating to engaged and on the brink. Couples have learned that just buying engagement rings is not quite enough. Think you can use a little help to successfully pull off the proposal and move to the ultimate step? (Again, we’re talking about marriage.)

How Well Do You Know Her?

Start paying attention to her likes and dislikes well before you devise The Proposal Event. Think about things you enjoy doing together, and develop ideas that fit.

Is she outgoing and into doing things with a group? Or is she more comfortable in private, quiet settings? Does she love being taken to a classic restaurant with white tablecloths and formal waiters, or is she happier in a noisy, busy space where she can see and be seen? Is she sentimental about dates, life events, and remembering the first time you kissed?1 You’ve already spent some time surveying jewelry stores, and you’ve chosen the ring she’ll keep forever. Now, it’s time to start planning a proposal event she’ll remember forever.

Helpful hint for the future: Start making use of your smartphone calendar or other device, to set reminders of your shared important dates, so you can make her feel special.

Pick Your Spot

Think about the best location for your big moment. Should it be the most intimate, small, private setting, like just the two of you at home? Will she want to share it with close friends and family, or with a wider audience, say 70,000 or so?

Here is a Guide to the Top Ten Ways to Propose Marriage, filled with fun yet practical tips that can take you from single to married status before the next tax season rolls around.

1—If your girlfriend is sports-phobic and leaves the room whenever you turn on the football game, do not plan a showy, live proposal on the jumbotron at your local NFL stadium. It won’t be her idea of a fun evening, and the outcome could be embarrassing, at best. On the other hand, if she is a face-painted, jersey-wearing sports fiend, you may want to investigate this option.

2—Is she an outdoorsy, nature-loving type? Take a special picnic hike by moonlight to a favorite view spot (not too challenging a hike for this purpose), and, of course, have the ring securely tucked in the picnic basket. There’s something about crystal champagne flutes out in the rough, sparkling with bubbly, enhanced by an even sparklier blue diamond engagement ring. Warning: there have been cases of the hapless fiancée swallowing the ring along with the champagne, so consider alternatives, like placing it in its lovely, velvet box on a dish of cheese and strawberry bites.

3—Does she love the sand and surf? Chances are you’ve had some special moments at the beach, whether on vacation or just on a local weekend. Plan a return visit with your trusty picnic basket in hand. This can be a barefoot occasion with whatever attire you prefer, from dressy to casual.  Ideally, choose a significant date to commemorate a happy time you’ve shared at the beach. She’ll be looking forward to a special celebration of that moment, and you can surprise her with a dramatic presentation of the ring and proposal.

4—The best restaurants are way ahead of you on methods for proposing by candlelight over a gourmet dinner. The right location can feel private and intimate, but just that little bit more exciting with other patrons surrounding you. If you don’t have a known spot, do some research and keep in mind her favorite foods. Arrange ahead for the time and method of revealing the ring and “making the ask.” This has the great advantage of taking some pressure off you, as the food, venue, service, and planning are all taken care of. Just be sure you’ve met with the manager in person and that you feel confident in the restaurant’s ability to help you pull it off.

5—If you love nothing better than sharing time in the most private place of all, at home, then consider ways to propose that are romantic, sentimental, and irresistible all at once. Arrange the traditional red rose petals along the floor—or, for a more lighthearted approach, colored confetti—leading her into your special room. There, you’ll have—what else—champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, amid rows of lit candles. So far, all she knows is that it’s going to be special. Be sure your ring is in your pocket, so that after your first toast, you can propose, and then celebrate the magic moment together.

6—How foodies get engaged: You love to cook, she loves to eat. This is a foodie match made in heaven. What could be better than creating your best menu with all her favorite dishes, and presenting a diamond ring for dessert? Followed, of course, by a real dessert … did we mention champagne?

7—Proposing in the big city: You have more architecture to work with. Plan a date at a revolving restaurant, on top of the tallest building, or near a fountain. Meet at a beautiful public park—carefully choosing a safe, visible spot near an important monument, or alongside a peaceful lake with swans and geese floating by, and pray for a lovely, sunny day.

8—Proposing at her workplace: This is ideal if she is comfortable with her co-workers, and they can help you plan the right time to appear with a large showy bouquet of flowers or balloons (or both), and a big, hand-lettered sign asking for her hand.

9—How techies get engaged: Create your own, new web page to convey your proposal. Include lots of photos of the two of you, and perhaps one of the engagement ring, along with a very clear, large “Will You Marry Me” message. Direct your fiancée to the new URL, and wait for the reaction—and then present the ring, of course.

10—In almost every flavor of marriage proposal, if you’re going to do the ring, you’ve got to do the one-knee maneuver. It’s a sure-fire winner, and hard for even the most reluctant bride to resist the drama of that moment. Do yourself a favor, and practice the down-on-one-knee flourish beforehand.

As we’ve repeated several times, know where the ring is, and make sure it can’t accidentally fall out of its box or hiding place—or your pocket.

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1. http://www.theplunge.com/gettingengaged/how-to-propose/

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