We’ve all thought about the perfect proposal at one point or another and yet, when the time comes, we often find ourselves getting overwhelmed by the situation. Is it romantic enough or am I going over the top? Do I need a ring or is it safe to do my own thing? Depending on the type of atmosphere or situation you are looking to create for your proposal, there can be a lot of things to consider. To help you keep a cool head, here are simple tips on how to plan a proposal! Use them as a checklist to ensure you’re not forgetting anything important.
Choose Your Proposal Date
If you want to make sure everything will run smoothly on the day of your proposal, set a date for it in advance. There are several options for when to propose, you may choose a special time of the year or just pick a random date. This will allow you to schedule all the things on your to-do list accordingly and will give you time to make any necessary arrangements with family or friends you’d like to be a part of that special day. It will also help you stay calm, knowing exactly when you will be taking one of the biggest steps of your life.
Decide How You are Going to Do It
There are many different ways that you can propose and you may struggle with choosing the way you think your partner would like you to do it. It is a good idea to match the proposal method with your partners personality. For example, if they are shy then a proposal with a huge audience is probably not the best idea! Just choose something that you are both comfortable with while making sure it is a night to remember.
Decide on the Location
The location is obviously going to be one of the most important aspects of your perfect proposal, so choose it wisely. Choose one that means something to you as a couple, or a place your partner has always wanted to visit – be it a trendy new restaurant or a trip to a foreign country. It should be somewhere you can feel relaxed and comfortable; you’ll be nervous enough as it is on the day, so don’t add any extra pressure by opting for a proposal location that will really pump up your adrenaline.
Keep Your Cool
The planning stages of your proposal will be wrapped in secrecy and with so much stuff in your head to keep on the down low, the risk of tripping up and ruining the surprise will increase. You may not exactly blurt out your big proposal plan, but if you’re too secretive about your daily chores leading up to the event, your partner might catch on and start suspecting something. Keep your cool! Confide in a friend or family member so you can use them as a sounding board – the risk of spoiling the surprise will decrease if you have someone to share your plans with.
Decide on a Ring (or Not)
Whether you decide to propose with a ring or not is a personal choice. Perhaps you would like your partner to choose their own ring, or maybe you’re still in the process of raising the funds to buy the perfect ring. Either way, a ring is by no means a must – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! If you do decide to propose with a ring, do your research ahead of time. There are many amazing cuts, designs, diamonds and gemstones to choose from, and seeing as this milestone will mark the beginning of the rest of your life, you will want to be sure you have made the right choice.
Get it Out of the Way
Instead of saving the best part of your day/night for the end you could get the proposal out of the way before you hit the road en route to a weekend get-away or get ready to rock out at a concert – this way you’ll both be able to enjoy every moment to the fullest without being distracted by the butterflies dancing polka in your belly in anticipation of the proposal moment.
Be Yourself
If you’re not one for big, public declarations of love and romantic spectacles, don’t go against your nature just because flash-mob proposals happen to be the latest YouTube trend. Your partner loves you for who you are – don’t go changing to try and please them. Plan a proposal that feels natural to you and your relationship; that’ll guarantee a healthy, authentic start into the engagement/marriage.
Speak from the Heart
When the time has come to get down on one knee and start trying to say the words that make up your proposal, emotions will be running high, even if you felt completely calm leading up to this day. When your heart is overcome with so much love and every single brain cell is focused on the beautiful person before you, there is a possibility the words you had so carefully rehearsed will fail you. And that’s OK. No matter what comes blubbering out of your mouth, it will come from the heart and that’s what counts. You can always recite your rehearsed speech later, once the nerves have evaporated.
Go with the Flow
Sometimes even the most meticulously planned proposals face their challenges due to unexpected downpours, cancelled reservations, car trouble or any other kind of common hiccup. Don’t let it get you down, these things happen. The last thing you want to do is get stressed out – or worse, stress your partner out! – on the day of your proposal. If the rain decides to pour on your favourite picnic spot, seek shelter and relocate your picnic; if your reservations fall through, think of an on-the-spot alternative, even if it wasn’t quite what you had in mind – the nearest, coolest Airbnb or the boutique hotel in your hometown. There’s magic all around you, you’ve just got to make it happen.
The Post-Proposal
Once all the happy tears have dried and you’re finally ready to sit back on your little pink cloud, you will need a day to process this amazing moment. Think of relaxing, romantic ways you can spend the rest of your proposal day and allow yourself to really relish this time. Night time post-proposals call for packed bags and quick getaways to cozy, romantic destinations; during the daytime a leisurely stroll in a park followed by a delicious lunch by the water will perfect a day to remember.
