Crafting the Perfect Proposal: 5+1 Expert Tips for Popping the Question

Asking for someone’s hand in marriage often difficult, because it is an act that your partner, i.e. your future one, will remember forever. Therefore, approach the proposal conscientiously, plan everything carefully and, above all, think it through in detail. As you may already guessed, this article is meant to advise men on how to ask for their loved one's hand in marriage and not ruin it (or at least do as little harm as possible) and get the answer you’re looking for.

1. Engagement ring

The holy grail of all engagements, without which a proposal is not possible. An engagement ring is a tricky little thing that looks simple at first glance, but the truth is that choosing the right one is sometimes a real pickle. You have to choose a suitable style, colour, setting (precious stones vs cubic zirconia) and above all hit the size of your loved one’s ring finger (How to choose a ring size) And don’t forget about the box! Imitating scenes from romantic movies, where the partner finds the ring in a glass of champagne or in a piece of chocolate cake, is dangerous and instead of the joy from the engagement, you can make her choke.

2. The right place

One of the factors playing a key role in the proposal is the place. The choice of location depends a lot on your own taste: someone likes attention, so they choose a restaurant or family celebration, others prefer privacy, and therefore like to cook dinner alone at home or go with the ring to a nice quiet place, perhaps somewhere out in nature.

If you are an attentive partner who remembers even the little things (and sometimes they really are) that your partner says on walks around the city, be sure to propose in a place that connects the two of you. The place where you first met, where you went on your first date, had your first kiss, or any other place that means something to you both. Nothing pleases a woman more than the fact that you remember the place where you met.

Our tip no. 2 – Family celebration

This opportunity is suitable for those of you who have a very good relationship with your partner's family. Proposing is hard, and if you get nervous easily, family support will definitely give you courage and help you express yourself as best you can. Family can also help you create the right atmosphere, so the proposal will be even more pleasant for your partner, who may initially be a bit shocked.

3. You can’t go wrong with food

Does your partner like food? If so, we have fool-proof advice for you. Take her to a restaurant for a nice meal and propose to her on this occasion. Another idea, which requires at least a basic skills in the kitchen and knowledge of food, recipes and appliances, is to cook the food YOURSELF. While there is a risk the meal will be a failure, but believe me, every woman will be blown away by your initiative and especially the effort.

4. For lovers of surprises and playfulness

There are those among us who love surprises, or at least their partners love them. You can actually surprise her in any way – at work, when cleaning the house, during Sunday afternoon coffee, on Christmas ... But please always consider whether the proposal is suitable in the given situation. A very original and playful version of a proposal is a “treasure hunt”, where you prepare the clues according to which your partner will proceed, with the “box” being the final treasure.

5. Be prepared

So, somehow you've already reached the situation where you're opening the box with the engagement ring and …? Now what? What to say? Your partner stares at you, you stare back at her and there is an embarrassing silence. You definitely want to avoid this, so whether you like it or not, you have to engage your creativity, preferably your poetic sense, and plan a good speech in which you mention why you made this decision and what your girlfriend means to you, ideally not too long or short.

A final bit of advice: Relax and be yourself.

Remember, a proposal is an expression of love between two people that are to spend the rest of their lives together. It should really come from the heart and suit your style. There is no need to have the most original, most expensive or most stylish proposal at all costs. Therefore, just be yourself. Fingers crossed!