Your wedding proposal is a moment you’ll never forget, whether you’re the one popping the question, or saying, “Yes!” To make sure your proposal is memorable for all the right reasons, here are some top tips for planning your proposal so that you’ll have the best possible experience and a wonderful story to share for years to come.
4 Amazing Ways to Plan an Unforgettable Proposal
The Right Time
There’s nothing more important to a proposal than making sure you and your partner are both on the same page about the timing. Before you start making concrete plans, take the time to talk about your feelings on marriage, where you both want the relationship to go, and how you see your future together.
There are no hard and fast rules about how long you should have been together before you propose or your age. Instead, the key thing is that you’re in a happy, healthy relationship, that things are going well between you, and that you can’t imagine your life without the other person.
The Ring
No matter how well you know your partner, choosing the perfect engagement ring that they’ll love can be tricky. If you’re buying diamonds, remember the 4 C’s – cut, colour, clarity and carat to help you determine a ring’s true value.
You might also want to enlist the help of your partner’s friends and family to help you find the perfect engagement ring. You should consider your partner’s personal style and the type of jewellery they usually wear, plus take into account any preferences they’ve expressed about engagement rings in the past.
Make It Personal
You want your proposal to be personal and unique to you as a couple. Think about choosing a place that holds special memories for you both, whether that’s the restaurant where you had your first date, a local beauty spot you often visit, or the home you live in together. Consider things such as the season and time of day, whether the location will be crowded, and what the scenery or backdrop will be like, as you’ll no doubt want photos to mark the occasion!
Public or Private
One key consideration is whether your proposal will be public or private. This is where you really need to know your partner and the kind of personality and social disposition they have. Some people would love nothing more than a public proposal, where their partner announces their undying love in front of a crowd before dropping to one knee, whereas others can’t imagine anything more horrifying!
Hopefully, you’ll already know your partner well enough to know which of these two camps they fall into. If you’re not sure, and they’ve never mentioned the idea of a public proposal before, then it’s best to play it safe and opt for something more intimate.
Even if you are in a relationship with someone who you think wouldn’t mind being the centre of attention, you’ll need to consider timings carefully. If you’re whisking them out for a meal directly from work or popping the question as you take the dog for its evening stroll around the park, they may feel unprepared for all eyes to suddenly be on them or reluctant to star in photographs that the two of you will want to treasure forever. Whilst you can’t exactly prepare your partner for a proposal without spoiling the surprise, you can drop hints that you’re going somewhere special and time your proposal so that they’re not feeling frazzled or distracted after a difficult day.
