Asking for someone’s hand in marriage is a daunting moment not only because you fear hearing the wrong answer, but also because so many people have such high expectations of the actual proposal.
Contrary to what people say, romance is not dead in this day and age. Just approach the proposal with a bit of creativity.
Treasure Hunt
Make the proposal memorable by setting it up as a challenge – send your partner on a treasure hunt with cryptic clues leading to you and the ring. You could either involve friends or local business owners who you can trust to pass on clues or messages.
Leave notes and little gifts along the way. If the treasure hunt is to last for a while, make sure it includes a cafe stop along the way where your loved one can indulge in prepaid refreshments.
Finally, end the treasure hunt at a place that has meaning to you as a couple. It could be where you went on your first date, or where you celebrated a birthday. Ideally, the hunt should last for a few hours so your partner really builds up on emotions.
Lip Dub
One of last year’s most watched videos on YouTube was a marriage proposal lipdub that saw a loved up American chap involving his friends, relatives and neighbours in the epic proposal to his girlfriend.
She was seated on the back of a car, legs dangling over the edge of the boot, and taken on the ride of a lifetime. As the car drove slowly out of the driveway, music started to play and people started to appear from behind trees, cars and alleyways all miming along to the song and dancing. Suddenly, towards the end of the performance the girl’s partner appeared and popped the question through song lyrics and gestures. Everyone joined together to toast the happy couple and cheer. Needless to say she didn’t say no.
This is a beautiful idea but difficult to carry out successfully. You need to have a lot of neighbours, friends and relatives willing to help out and keep their mouths shut until the big day. But if you pull it off, your partner will be blown away.
Print off the lyrics of the song and write down the exact time at which each word is sung. Assign lyrics to each participant, and tell them what to do, where to appear from at that moment. The song needs to be playing out loud so everyone can hear it and appear on the scene at the right time. Rehearsing is highly recommended.
Choose a song that means something to the two of you.
Picnic
This is one for the spring to autumn months when the sun is up and the ground is dry. It is the perfect romantic proposal idea for outdoorsy couples or city dwellers who do not get to spend much time in the wilderness.
Perhaps the two of you already have a favourite picnic spot, or there is a place you have been wanting to explore for a while. It could be a forest, a mountain top, next to a waterfall, or in the grounds of a stately home.
In England, the Lake District boasts many beautiful locations, in Scotland head to places like Bracklinn Falls in Callander, or the Highlands. Welsh beaches are stunning places, and in Northern Ireland the Giant’s Causeway is the perfect setting for a proposal.
Prepare in advance to make the occasion particularly special. Invest in a few accessories such as luxury hampers, a pretty picnic blanket, and crockery.
Ideally, you should get someone to help you set up the picnic spot by hanging fairy lights among the trees, putting up a parasol, and other decorations otherwise it will be quite difficult to carry all the items without raising your partner’s suspicion.
Make sure the hamper includes a bottle of champers and special treats like pralines you can share.
Pop the question after the meal so you don’t get distracted. Then you can spend the rest of the day lounging on the picnic blanket and discovering the local area.