Westminster Cathederal is a great place to propose in London.

Westminster Cathedral, London
There are dozens of romantic places in London, but one of the best is the elaborate Westminster Cathedral. It looks far older than it’s 108 years, having been modeled by architect John Francis Bentley on the ancient cathedrals from a millennium earlier. If your gal loves old romance, she’ll love this place. Bentley died about the time the building was substantially completed, but he never got to see his work 100% finished. It would be too bad to work so hard on something, but never get to seethe finished product, don’t you think? For example, the delicate mosaics that are now so beautiful, were yet to be started upon his death in 1902, and actually took until the mid 1960′s to be fully completed. If you choose this as your proposal spot, you’ll get to see them in all their glory.

Northern California
Matanzas Creek Winery, Sonoma County California – Lavender Garden
Gardens can be the perfect proposal spot, and this garden is head and shoulders above many others. In fact, the whole setting is one of the most beautiful and romantic in the whole state of California. Nestled in the scenic Bennett Valley, the winery was one of the first in the area, producing it’s first vintage in the 1970′s. The lavender gardens is unique, because not only is it beautiful, but Mantanzas actually uses lavender to make all sorts of products for your home, from bath to kitchen. Of course, they’ll be only too happy to sell you some when you visit.

One nice thing is that the Sonoma area and the Bennett valley is not over crowded, as the Napa Valley has become. That lets you get a more romantic feeling of seclusion without having to fight the crowds. You can even get a wine and cheese tasting during your visit, something not to be missed, as the folks at Matanzas really know their food / wine parings. Make sure you plan your proposal when the lavender is in full bloom, typically in late spring and early summer.
If you want to contact the Matanzas Creek Winery, here is their contact info:
Address: 6097 Bennett Valley Road
City, State, Zip: Santa Rosa, California 95404
Phone number: (707) 528-6464

City of Sonoma – Sonoma Overlook Trail
If you’re the kind of couple who really values the outdoors, you might think about popping the question to your sweetie

The spectacular view form the Sonoma Overlook Trail above, appropriately enough, Sonoma California. A great place to pop the question to your gal.

while enjoying the scenic wonders of someplace scenic, an not too many places are more scenic than the vistas that await you on the Sonoma Overlook Trail. Sure, you could really step out and take a trek to Yosemite, or board a plane to the emerald island of Kauai. You’ll have to make no treks to the backcountry, or hop any planes if you’re in the northern California area.

Callaway Gardens, GA – Pine Mountain, GA – 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta
If you’re looking for a romantic getaway in the SE United States, check out Callaway Gardens. Only a bit more than a hour from Atlanta, it’s well worth the drive. Once there you can choose from romantic cottages, villas, or rooms at the Mountain Creek Inn. The cottages are 2-bedroom, so they are more for those who really want extra room. A secluded 1 bedroom villa is probably more up your alley, if you’re aiming for a romantic retreat so you can propose to her. At the time of this writing, a 1 bedroom villa starts at about $200 per night. Some visitors indicate that the Lodge and Spa are much better to stay at then the Inn, which is a bit older and more, uh, rustic. Steer clear of the Inn.

There are two azalea gardens, the Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl, and the Overlook Garden. If you visit in spring the azaleas will be in full bloom. There is little else that can compare to the sight of all the colors and textures. If she has any romance in her body at all, she’ll love it.

There are 8 different nature trails, each offering a different view of the area’s natural  beauty. Most are pretty easy hikes, and are less than a mile and half, so you won’t be exhausted when it comes time to pull out the ring. There are plenty of places to do that on the trails.

What better place to propose than in front of a statue of Cupid himself?

Queen’s Gardens, Nelson, New Zealand – Cupid’s Fountain
There are so many beautiful and romantic places in this island nation it’s difficult to know just where to start. Here is one, if for the name only (but it is a really beautiful place too). You’ll feel on top of the world, even if you’re on the bottom of it, down in New Zealand, proposing to your girlfriend at none other than Cupid’s Fountain. Cupid is, after all, the Roman god of erotic love and beauty. What better place to propose?
Bonus New Zealand Proposal Spot – You could also head to another great NZ location, the little burg of Akaroa, about 80 clicks from Christchurch on the Banks Peninsula. This is a quaint little town with a very French feel to it, due to the preponderance of French settlers there over 150 years ago. The French influence makes it even more romantic. It is a really small town, with something less than 600 full time residents, although form the number of boats crowding the harbor in the summertime, you’d think it was far more than that. In fact. the place is so popular as a tourist destination in sumer, that the population often swells to 10 times it’s normal size.

You’ll find any number of great proposal spots in Akaroa, weather you stay in one of the bed and breakfasts to be found

Imagine proposing to yoru girl while gazing outr at this view of the Akaroa harbor! It looks like something straight out of a movie. In fact, if you've seen movies such as "Lord of the Rings" you'll know why Hollywood has fallen in love wiht New Zealand.

there, or at the Akaroa Country Lodge just outside of town. You could propose in your room, over dinner, during a romantic stroll through town, or up in the hills overlooking the town and harbor. The views up there are out of this world beautiful!

360 Restaurant, Toronto, Canada – CN Tower
The 360 has won a gazillion awards, including Where Magazine reader’s poll “most romantic”, best of award excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine, and multiple awards for excellence in dining experience from Distinguished Restaurants of North America. Despite all those upper crust awards you don’t have to spend a fortune to eat there, although it seems it’s fairly easy to do so. The 360 nabbed a  Best Value award in the dinner category in UP! Magazine’s 200 Places to Get the Best Bang for Your Travel Buck. However, many people report spending around $200 for dinner (sans wine) and a couple of drinks, so it’s not like stopping by BK for a Whopper on the way home from work.

If you live nearby, or you’re planning on going to Toronto, that makes it a no-brainer as far as proposal locations go. You can’t beat the view, which is natural, as it sits over 1,100 feet in the air. If your girl is afraid of heights, this may not be the perfect place, but for everyone else, it should be worthy of consideration. The view is beyond reproach. Unless you’re a pilot you don’t see a view like this very often. Like the Space Needle in Seattle, the 360 restaurant slowly rotates, delivering a constantly changing view to everyone in the dining room.

Don’t go on a weekend, though to avoid lines, which can be present even if you’ve made a reservation (kind of like your doctor’s office). I almost didn’t include the CNN 360 on this list, as reports have been surfacing that service quality has been slipping lately. However, there are still plenty of folks that report getting good service, the view is so great and the food is tasty, so it deserves mention here. Make sure you confirm your reservation for a view table a couple of times leading up to your arrival, to ensure you actually get to enjoy the wonderful view. The prix fixe menu (currently either $55 or $68 per person for dinner) is definitely the more value oriented way to order. There are more limited choices, but ordering the same items ala carte will set you back substantially more loot.

Franceschi Park, Santa Barbara, CA
If you want a spectacular and romantic proposal location and are on a tight budget, you can’t ask for more than this. After all the view is superb, and it’s free. It’s 18 acres of great city and Pacific Ocean views, and it is filled with exotic plants; fitting, as it is named after a horticulturist. Santa Barbara is already one of the most beautiful little cities anywhere, and this is a little slice of heaven within it. The park has experienced a dearth of funding recently, so there is no telling how long it will still be a great place to go, but for now, the view is fantastic, and even if the greenery isn’t what it used to be, it still makes the list.

Imagine proposing while kneeling on the viewing platform with the waterfall in the background!

La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica
Yes, it is private and yes, it is spendy (especially if you spend the night), but if you plan on going to Costa Rica, or just about anywhere else for that matter, you’ll scarcely be able to do better than proposing to your girlfriend next to one of the most stunning waterfall locations to be found on this planet. It’s a luscious, 70 acre wildlife preserve, replete with monkeys, jaguars, wild turkeys, and some of the most exotic wild birds to be found anywhere.

The park’s Peace Lodge has even been showcased on the Travel Channel as a honeymoon hot spot, but it would more than suffice for a proposal. It’s surely romantic enough.. Some of the suites even have bathrooms with waterfalls in them! Hummingbirds will sit on your finger as you feed them (not in your room, though), and you can take a short hike to the resort’s romantic waterfalls. It’s there that you’ll probably want to propose, although between the rooms, view balconies, and  butterfly garden, you should be able to find the perfect, romantic proposal location if the waterfalls don’t do it for you.

Villa San Michele, Fiesole, Italy
Can it get any more romantic than this? After all, it is a 15th century monastery, with a facade designed by none other than Michelangelo, and located in Florence, Italy. The Villa San Michele just reeks of romance. You’ll be rewarded with a view form the hotel that can’t be beat, and it has one of the most beautiful swimming pools anywhere, positioned to

If you have the (substantial) coin required, the Villa San Michelle is definitely one of the top places to propose.

take full advantage of the spectacular view.

If you want to propose in a romantic setting, you know that Italy is definitely that, and this hotel, while very expensive, will give your girlfriend the romance she’s looking for. Asking her to get married while you gaze longingly into her eyes as the sun starts to sink below the horizon will be the icing on the cake. Proposing during a romantic dinner on the balcony at the Loggia Restaurant (be sure to make reservations for a balcony table) is about as good as it gets. If you do have dinner at the Villa San Michele, you’ll be dining on some of Europe’s best food, especially the pasta, which is almost universally praised. For that extra romantic touch, speak to the staff beforehand to arrange a special desert, just for your sweetie.

Get ready to drop some serious coin if you get a room there, especially if you choose a suite, some of which can be over $2,000 a night. The Super Saver, which includes breakfast, is still a teeth clenching 440 Euros, or over $500US!

There is no shortage of recreational facilities either, for those of you that want to enjoy a little more than romance while you’re there. There are some great golf courses, plenty of good tennis facilities, and the locals rave about the mountain biking. Yes, you can rent bikes there, too. Unlike the hotel, some of the recreational facilities are quite a bargain. You can even get an hour long private tennis lesson from a pro for only $40.

Red Rock Canyon in Nevada is definitely one of the most beautiful places to propose in the entire U.S.

Red Rock National Monument, just outside of Las Vegas Nevada
This is quite simply one of the most breath taking pieces of natural beauty anywhere in the world. The different shades of red in the rocks and the plethora of different spots that would be perfect for an outdoor proposal. One that would be great for  proposing is the relatively easy, 1.2 mile trail to the Calico Tanks.

It is a bit of a climb, but if you’re even moderately physically fit, you’ll have no problem, and many people take young children on this hike. I took my 7 year old up there and she had no problems, except maybe wanting to get too far ahead! The trail starts past an old sandstone quarry, then meanders it’s way up through a striking red sandstone canyon. There are even sandstone steps through many of the steeper sections to ensure virtually anyone can enjoy the area’s striking beauty.

The 1.2 mile trail ends at the aforementioned tanks, which is really a sandstone basin filled with rainwater about 50 yards across. If you stop there, though, you’ll be missing the hike’s perfect proposal location, a dramatic sandstone

It's a pretty easy hike and well worth the effort. Even kids can do it.

promontory jutting out over the valley floor. Just keep going about 150 yards past the tanks themselves, and you’ll reach the vista you’ve been looking for. Go on the right side of the water and up the hill. There, you can propose with the valley and the city of Las Vegas as a backdrop. It’s an awesome vantage point. Don’t do this hike in the summer though, as it can be dangerously hot here.

These are some great places you can propose to your girlfriend. Remember that no matter where you propose, make sure your proposal is crafted specially for her. She’s got all sorts of things that make her who she is. You know her better than anyone, so use what you know to make that perfect proposal.

For more great proposal locations, see my post on the Top 30 Romantic Places to Propose to Your Girlfriend

You can propose to your girlfriend anywhere you'd like, but make sure it's somewhere that she thinks is special. Remember it is her proposal, not so much yours.

After reading so many proposal stories that get sent in you’d think I would be immune, but it never ceases to amaze me the lengths some guys will go to make sure their proposal is memorable. Here is a great one…..

“We have been very happily married for about 7 years now, but here is how I asked her to be my wife. Jenn and I had been dating for just about 3 years, and I was finally realizing that she was the woman I wanted to marry. We’d met when we were both finishing up our senior year of college, and hit it off instantly. There was definitely a heck of a spark right off the bat, but I wasn’t ready to settle down yet and she wasn’t either. There were too many things in the way that could have derailed our whole relationship.

My senior year I had an advertising internship in New York that took up most of the first semester, so I wasn’t around campus very much. She was finishing up a double major in finance and marketing, so she was pretty busy herself. Despite our busy schedules, we still new there was something special going on. I had my share of girlfriends, both serious and the few-weeks-of-fun variety, and I knew instantly that this would be different. Thankfully, she felt exactly the same way.

We both moved to New York after graduation and settled into a schedule that only a medical intern could love. It was brutal for both of us, and we didn’t see each other nearly as much as we’d have liked, but you know what they say “Absence makes the heart grow fonder. ”Thankfully for us, it was definitely true.

Between going to Yankee games with the guys (in the company seats), entertaining clients 2 or 3 nights a week, working out, and watching the Jets play in the winter, it was a wonder I had any time left for Jenn, but she was working so much then; even more than I was. When I was away from her and having a great time, she was still always on my mind in a big way. No matter how much fun I was having (and I had quite a bit), I always thought the time would have been much better spent if she was there, or I was with her somewhere else.

That was when I knew for sure it was time to ask her to marry me, and and started to think of a way to propose that would really show her how much I loved her and how extra special she was to me. It wasn’t easy. I thought of all the traditional ways to propose, you know, the dinner at a nice restaurant, or walking along the waterfront somewhere scenic. None of those really did it for me though, and more to the point, I didn’t think they would for her, either.

I did everything to get ideas. I read books, talked to married and engaged friends, surfed the web, and generally puled in as much info as possible on the subject. Back then there wasn’t nearly as much help available on the web as there is now. There were some great ideas, but nothing exactly like what I wanted to do.

Finally I hit on something that I was sure she would be excited about. She is a pretty cerebral girl. Actually she is pretty and cerebral. Lucky me. One of the things that she loves more than anything is traveling through New England in the fall, when the leaves are just starting to turn. She also loves history and old things. That’s great for me in 50 years, I guess.

One thing that would be right up her alley is art, artifacts, and where they all collect, museums. There are dozens of great museums scattered throughout New England. We’d visited some of them before, since we travel up there once or twice a year. We would have both liked to make it more than that, but our busy schedules precluded too much time off.

Here is how I proposed to her. I told her that we should take off for a long weekend to get away, unwind a bit, and enjoy the sights of New England in the fall. As I expected, she was delighted with the idea.

We left NYC on Friday morning and headed north. It was beautiful. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. A gentle breeze was blowing, and it was a little chilly in the morning, but soon warmed up into the low 70′s. It made me wish I’d rented a convertible. I kept thinking that things were going almost too smoothly. I had managed to put off a client meeting until Monday, and Jenn was able to get the day off, despite an unusually busy time in her office as well.

First stop was in one of our favorite places, Providence. After stopping up on Federal Hill for lunch, we hit the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art. It is pretty fantastic, especially for such a relatively small town. They even had some jewelry on display, which I was sure to get her opinion on!

After spending a few hours at the museum, it was time to head back to Federal Hill for a nice, romantic dinner. I could have just asked her then and there, but that wasn’t the plan. The asking her would have to wait, but I wanted to put us in a few situations that might make her think it was a possibility first, just so she would be even more surprised when I really did pop the question!

Early Saturday morning we headed for Stockbridge MA, where the Norman Rockwell museum is. He is about as all American as you can get, and we both wanted to see some his painting up close and for real. It was definitely worth the drive. After about 3 hours there, it was back on the road for a beautiful, scenic drive up Rte 7, into the Green Mountain National Forrest in Vermont. What a beautiful, scenic drive. I love driving, so it was great to go through some of the most stellar terrain anywhere in the country. We both enjoyed it, and she thought it was very romantic. The plan was working.

We arrived in Ludlow, VT just in time for dinner. I had reserved a room at a fantastic bed and breakfast there; The Governor’s Inn. It is actually the ex governor of Vermont’s personal residence. If you’re going to be in the neighborhood, I highly recommend it. We had been wanting to stay there for quite a while, after getting positive reports from friends and reading really good reviews. We had a great time, and like I had been told, the Inn, the rooms, and the food were just about perfect. Once again, we had a very romantic evening together.

The nxt morning, it was back on the road. This time toward MA once again, and a museum I had been wanting to see for a while, and I thought she would enjoy, too.; the Worcester Art Museum. Not as big as some of it’s contemporaries in larger cities, this little museum nevertheless ahs a pretty good rep and I had a few friends go there, and say good things about it. The best part though, is what it has inside that’s not a painting or sculpture.

The Wocester Art Museum has this really unbelievable old French Chapel rebuilt right inside of the museum itself. It was actually dissembled in France and rebuilt, brick by brick, in the U.S. Actually, it is a chapter house, which is kind of ironic, because it was built for celibate monks!

I had been carrying the ring with me for the whole weekend, and kept thinking I’d lose the thing (or she’d find it). As we got to the museum I checked once more to be sure it was still in my jacket pocket. Relief! It hadn’t moved, and the time was about upon us now, little did she know. We spent quite a while going through the exhibits.

They had an early photography exhibit by Janos Scholz. I’m talking really early, like more than a decade before the Civil War. It was a great exhibit but I could barely contain myself while we were looking at it. She loves photography, especially the old stuff, and I could barely tear her away from it.

I steered her to the center court to look at the exquisite floor mosiacs, and then to the arch of the old, French chapter house. As we stood in the archway that had been built almost a thousand years ago, I told her that my love for her would last for longer than the stone of this magnificent, old church, and how very much she meant to me. When I started in about how I wanted to make sure we could share our lives together forever, I think she began to suspect when was happening.

Right then, I got down on one knee, pulled the ring from my pocket, took her hand, put the ring on her finger, and asked her to marry me. I had practiced taking the ring out of my pocket, opening the box, and removing the ring about a hundred times. I knew my hands would be sweaty, and didn’t want to fumble the whole thing when the time came to do it for real. Although we were in a public place, there was hardly anyone around right then, so we had the moment all to ourselves. It was perfect.

The irony that I had asked my (now) wife to marry me in a place built for celibate monks didn’t dawn on me until later. Thankfully, celibacy hasn’t been part of our marriage up to this point.”

Many have sent in stories about their proposals. They are a great place to ideas if you aren’t sure about how you are going to ask your girlfriend to marry you. Here are some of my previous posts that can help you:

Romantic Ways to Propose to a Girl That Really Worked

Best Way to Propose to Your Girlfriend – Number 3

Best Way to Propose to Your Girlfriend – Number 2

Best Way to Propose to Your Girlfriend – Number 1

Great Ways to Propose to Your Girlfriend – From the Woman’s Perspective

I Hope these give you some ideas and inspiration on how to propose to your girlfriend.

Don’t forget to write in if you have a great idea and tell how it worked.

Wne you're proposing to your girlfriend there are certain protocol to follow, here are 6 you should follow, and a seventh you should consider, if you're fortunate enough to need it.

If you’re both lucky and good, proposing marriage is a once in a lifetime thing. You’ll both carry the memories of it with you forever, so it’s best to follow the proper protocol when proposing. No sense in going out of bounds on this one and causing a commotion or embarrassing yourself for all eternity, even if she does say yes. Remember there are plenty of ways to propose correctly, but you want to avoid any big faux pas just the same.

With that in mind, here are some protocol rules, do’s and dont’s that you’ll want to follow.

Rule Numero Uno – Make it uniquely for her. Your proposal should be designed with her unique qualities and personality in mind. Take into account what makes her really happy, what makes her heart go pitter patter, and brings a huge smile to her face. You know what those things are, so use them to your advantage when planning the perfect proposal.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Two – Do it in person, or at least be there for her reaction. Do not email her, write her a letter if you’re not going to be there when she opens it, any other such thing. You are the one proposing, and you need to be there to take part in the whole thing.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Three – Don’t be too casual. In some rare occasions you may be able to avoid this one. On the vast majority of occasions, even if the proposal is a somewhat light hearted affair the way you actually speak the words, and the way you present yourself during the actual proposal needs to done with a certain amount of formality.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Four – Tell her parents first. Unless you’re (or more correctly she)  pretty young, you don’t need to actually ask the father’s permission. After all, you are not going to let her parents run your lives, are you? You are both adults, and while it would be very nice to have her parent’s blessings, unless he is a union boss or a mob capo, you’re probably safe.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Five – This is more for after the actual proposal, but you need to lay the groundwork beforehand. If you bring significant assets into the marriage, get a prenuptial agreement. You  certainly don’t have to present her with the document along with the ring, but you should bring up the concept some time before you propose to test the waters. While marriage is meant to be forever, in this day and age that is sadly not always the case.

You need to be prepared for that very unpleasant eventuality, and let her go with just the Mercedes, the condo, and $10K a month. Better to keep the Porsche, the Yacht, and the house in the Hamptons for yourself. It may sound stupid now, when you’re head over heels in love, but hopefully if you had the insight to amass significant assets, you will also be on top of things enough to protect them in case things go sideways in the future.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Six – This is sort of an extrapolation of rule number one, but make the environment somewhere she is comfortable. For example, if she is uncomfortable with public displays of affection or people focusing all their attention on her, a Yankee Stadium proposal is the wrong choice for you (unless, of course, it is empty). If she is terrified of high places, don’t drag her up do a scenic overlook or high bridge for your proposal, no matter how spectacular the view. Some women may find that setting incredibly romantic, but your girlfriend will just want to get the heck out of there.

Proposal Protocol Rule Number Seven – Select your her engagement ring yourself. After all, if you have her choose it, you’ve pretty much blown the surprise element of the whole  occasion haven’t you? If you’re a bit sly, you can find out what she likes in a ring without having her there when you buy it. It also loses some of it’s romance factor when she picks out her own ring. Discretely find out the kind of ring she likes, then buy it yourself. For some great strategies you can use to save money on the engagement ring for her dreams, see my previous post on how to find affordable engagement rings. Check it out now.

Following these seven protocol rules for proposing can help your proposal and give you both fond memories of it for years.

Valentines Day may be the perfect day for you to propose, but there are things to watch out for.

Valentines Day is one of the most popular days to propose to your girlfriend. That can be both a blessing and a curse. It is very romantic, and women typically love romance, especially where their proposals are concerned.

On the down side, for the reasons mentioned above, it is also kind of cliché to propose on Valentines Day. After all, everybody does it, right?

With that in mind, here are some things to be aware of if a proposal is in your plans this Valentines Day.

It is already February 13th, sorry if these come a bit late to help you.

1) Things are going to be crowded. Make reservations and make them early, if your plans include a restaurant, be aware that this is one of their busiest days of the year.

2) If you are going to propose in a public place that is popular for proposals, such as the aforementioned restaurant, propose early. You don’t want to be upstaged by the 4 other guys that are going to propose th their gals tomorrow night too. Nothing is worse (okay, so that is an overstatement, but barely) than sweating all evening in anticipation, the ring burning a hole in your pocket, only to have Joey at the next table get down on his knee before you have a chance to. She’ll be enchanted, sure, but she should be for your proposal, not his. Plus, it kind of steals your thunder, no matter how finely crafted your proposal speech is.

3) Florists are busy too, so if you are going to get her flowers, you should probably get an early start. It is already too late to get the from most of the Internet florists. You may still be able to get them from someplace like FlowersFast.com or USASflorists.com, but time is getting pretty short. Check them now.

4) Try proposing at home on Valentines Day. You can still get all the romance of proposing on the 14th, without the crowds and competition. Also, home was picked as the number one place to propose on V-day according to a wine industry survey. Just make a nice, romantic dinner with candles (actually set the dinner table, and don’t just put the dinner spread on the coffee table in front of the TV)

Hopefully these tips can help you of you’re thinking of proposing on Valentines Day, one of the most popular days to pop the big question.

Before you slip one of these on your girlfriend's finger, you'll have to figure out how to propose to her. If you want to fly in the face of convention and choose a fun way to propose, check these out.

Most experts counsel that you should take your marriage proposal seriously and make it a romantic affair (maybe not the best choice of words for this occasion). When asked, most women replay that they wanted their proposal to be more romantic. What if you have a more light hearted girlfriend, though. She may have her heart set on a something a with bit more levity. I’ve posted some great ways to propose in the past for those of you that want to take a more lighthearted bent on the subject. With that in mind here are some more fun ways to propose marriage you can use to win her hand.

Be aware that any of these could backfire a bit if you are not 100% sure that she doesn’t have that underlying romantic streak that would point to a more romance oriented proposal. If you’re ready, here are some great, fun ways you can propose to your girlfriend. Be aware, some of these are bit over the top, but then again, they may be perfect for your gal.

Video Proposal – You can have a slickly produced, professional video made where you propose to her, or you can do it yourself. If you have it professionally done, it will probably look better, and if the productions staff is good, they can give you some great insight on how to compose it. On the other hand, it will cost more, and if you want to do any of it around the house, it will be more difficult to hide it from her; “Why do you have a film crew here?” She may also appreciate the personal touch if you are artistic enough to make the proposal video yourself.

You can watch it with her, leave it in her  DVD player, if she watches movies frequently, or get a label made for it that looks like some movie she has been wanting to see with her friends and give it to her, suggesting that she invite her friends over to watch it. Be aware that the more complicated you make it, the greater the chance that something goes wrong.

Puzzle Proposal – Several companies will make any picture you send them into a professional jigsaw puzzle. Take a picture of yourself holding a ring and a sign that says “Will you marry me?” Make sure it is in the middle, so if she does the outside of the puzzle first, as most people do, she won’t stumble on to the proposal at the beginning. Obviously she should be the type to love puzzles for this to be a big hit. Alter the picture on the front of the box so that she won’t see what’s up from the get go. Just blur out what you’re holding, or even better, take two identical photos, one with you holding the ring and a sign, and the other with you holding something a bit more innocuous. Have the puzzle company put that one on the front of the box, and actually make the puzzle out of the one of you holding the ring and proposal.

TV Commercial Proposal – If your gal is the type to regularly watch a particular TV program, you can have a commercial made and aired during it. Be advised that if her favorite show is a popular one in prime time, this could be exorbitantly expensive. You might want to shoot for something a bit more off the beaten path, so to speak. The other caveat with this approach is TiVO. If she uses a DVR to skip commercials, she may well go right past yours.

Scavenger Hunt Proposal – You can have a scavenger hunt set up. It is great to do one with a whole group of people, so she won’t suspect a thing. She’ll just think it is a fun group activity. Little does she know….. Give her and all the other participants a letter, outlining the scavenger hunt. Each will detail a different set of clues, with your girlfriend’s ending where you’ve hidden the ring. If you’re worried about leaving her engagement ring somewhere where it can be found by just anyone, use a note that says something mysterious, like “redeem this with (your name here) for something truly magical.” You’d obviously replace the “your name here” with your name.

There are many other fun ways to propose to your girlfriend if she’s not the type that would rather have a romantic proposal. Just make sure, because like a first impression, you only get one chance to propose… For more fun ways to propose, see my earlier posts on fun ways to propose.

Stuck for something to say when you propose? Maybe a love poem is just the thing to get the creative wheels a turning again...

If you are going to propose to your girlfriend, sometimes you can use a poem. Obviously a love poem will not be right for everybody, but it can add that romantic touch some proposals are lacking. Here is a collection of love poems that you could use for your proposal. They are also a great source of inspiration if you’re having trouble deciding exactly what to say. For more on that, see my previous post on what to say when you propose after you check these poems out.

I Seem to Have Loved You
Rabindranath Tagore

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times,
In life after life, in age after age forever.
My spell-bound heart has made and re-made the necklace of songs
That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms
In life after life, in age after age forever.

Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, its age-old pain,
Its ancient tale of being apart or together,
As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge
Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time:
You become an image of what is remembered forever.

You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount
At the heart of time love of one for another.
We have played alongside millions of lovers, shared in the same
Shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell-
Old love, but in shapes that renew and renew forever.

Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you,
The love of all man’s days both past and forever:
Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life,
The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours-
And the songs of every poet past and forever.

I Love Thee
Eliza Acton

I LOVE thee, as I love the calm
Of sweet, star-lighted hours!
I love thee, as I love the balm
Of early jes’mine flow’rs.

I love thee, as I love the last
Rich smile of fading day,
Which lingereth, like the look we cast,
On rapture pass’d away.

I love thee as I love the tone
Of some soft-breathing flute
Whose soul is wak’d for me alone,
When all beside is mute.

I love thee as I love the first
Young violet of the spring;
Or the pale lily, April-nurs’d,
To scented blossoming.

I love thee, as I love the full,
Clear gushings of the song,
Which lonely–sad–and beautiful–
At night-fall floats along,

Pour’d by the bul-bul forth to greet
The hours of rest and dew;
When melody and moonlight meet
To blend their charm, and hue.

I love thee, as the glad bird loves
The freedom of its wing,
On which delightedly it moves
In wildest wandering.

I love thee as I love the swell,
And hush, of some low strain,
Which bringeth, by its gentle spell,
The past to life again.

Such is the feeling which from thee
Nought earthly can allure:
‘Tis ever link’d to all I see
Of gifted–high–and pure!

A Better Tomorrow
Yvonne Warren
I never knew there would be a better tomorrow
But you’ve come into my life and taken away all my sorrow

My days of sadness are a thing of the past
Because I have found true love at last

My days of emptiness are gone for good
Because you fill a void in my heart that you should

You’ve opened a window
You’ve shown me the light
And my love for you will continue to burn bright.
A Breathtaking Fantasy
Joyce Hemsley
My dearest, here I am planning
a trip down the lane to the sea,
in August as the sun is shining
and you’re there to comfort me.
A breathtaking fantasy.

Over the fields we will ramble
picking fruit from God’s bramble
soft fruit for jelly & blackberry pie,
oh happy day ~ sing I, sing I,
as my eyes point up to the sky.

We should be well-nourished
with His gift of the purest,
edible berries, and vitamin “C”
giving us strength and vitality,
ever to be in love you see.

My dearest, here I am planning
a breathtaking trip to the sea,
down lover’s lane so beguiling,
berries will grow wild and free.
A breathtaking fantasy.
All I See is You
Kelly Lobdell
I remember us,
the way we used to be,
I’d hold you in my arms,
your smile so sweet to me,

But now when I see you,
you look right through me,
I feel so alone now,
but when I close my eyes…

…All I see is you.

The love we used to share,
gone up in whirl winds,
will I ever love,
or ever live again,

I am tired of crying,
and I am done trying,
To remember all about you,
but when I close my eyes…

…All I see is you.

All the love I am sending,
the memories I won’t sell,
I know there must be an ending,
to the story I will tell,

I dream only of your love,
and happiness in life,
I try not to think of you,
but when I close my eyes…

..All I see is you.
Author: Anonymous
In this world full of hurt and pain,
I need someone who would help me through the rain.
To comfort me when I’m sad,
Doing everything just to make me glad.

In this world I need a Brave Knight,
Who would never give up any fight.
A knight who would dry away my tears,
Telling me to overcome my fears.

A knight who loves me for who I am inside,
With him there’s nothing more I need to hide.
A person who will still be standing strong,
Eventhough everything has gone wrong.

I need someone who is willing to give me more,
Someone I can call my Knight In Shining Armor.
An Angel To Me
Patricia Annette Roden
The moment I opened my heart and let you in
I saw this great love starting to begin.
I opened my eyes to a vision of you
I hope, I pray your feelings are true.
I have loved and I have paid the cost
And I have felt the pain of the love I lost.
But, now, I think I have truly found
An Angel who walks upon the ground.
You go beyond all limits for me
Just to show your love endlessly.
I could search my whole life through
And never find another ‘you’.
You are so special that I wanted you to know
I truly, completely love you so.

Hopefully these have inspired you or at least given you a glimmer of an idea for your own proposal. Have a great weekend…

Know these when you propose to help prevent disaster.

This is proposal season and there are so many different ways to propose to a girl, you might appreciate a little guidance if you’re planning on popping the question. There are some important things to remember before you propose that I’ll look at, and there are some classic, and not so classic ways to propose that you can draw from for your own proposal.

Here are some important points to remember when proposing and planning your proposal:

Be sincere – Sincerity is of the utmost importance when you are are asking the woman you love to marry you. Leave the funny stuff at home; now’s probably not the time for it.

Be In Command of the Situation – Women love confidence, and although there’s a good chance you’ll be shaking like a leaf as you propose, do your best not to show it. In fact, you should do your best to portray nothing but supreme confidence, not only when you deliver the proposal, but throughout the entire sequence of events leading up to that moment.

Make the Situation Romantic – Women love romance. As it is with confidence, this is a generalization, but it is far more often true than not. Yes, it’s been said before, but even if your girlfriend isn’t overly romantic, she will want romance in her proposal.

Make it Just For Her – A proposal is a very personal thing. You should use every bit of knowledge at your disposal to make sure your proposal is laser targeted. You want it to be specially for her, and you’ll need to take into account her personality, what she likes, what makes her feel special and comfortable, and what she holds near and dear to her heart. Music, food, locations, settings, season of the year, weather, literature, poetry, hobbies, family, and just about anything else you can think of is all fair game.

Don’t Do Anything as Part of the Proposal that Will Make Her Feel Uncomfortable. – Sure, you may think it’s really great to propose in front of her family. After all, what could prove your love for her more than that? Unfortunately, that may make her feel like running from the room. Eve if she doesn’t feel completely uncomfortable, you’re trying to make everything perfect. Making her feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever doesn’t fulfill that goal. The same goes with proposing in a place that she may not be comfortable in, such as in a balloon if she’s uncomfortable in small aircraft or high places, or at a sports stadium, if she’d rather not share this intimate moment with 75,000 of her closest friends (possibly more if the event is televised).

Practice makes perfect – You think that practice is a good idea for anything important? You’re right, and nothing in your life will be more important than this. Run through it a few times, including the proposal speech (What you say to her, not the assembled throng) and everything leading up to it. Make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible, because even with practice, there will probably be a few hiccups.

Plan everything – Spontaneity is fantastic, but you don’t want to leave anything to chance. Make sure you have plans and backups in place in case there is any problem. It is best to make a plan that has a minimum of opportunities for problems so you’ll not have to go scrambling around for your backup plan.

Leave as Little to Chance as Possible – Want to propose outside? Great, there is certainly nothing wrong with that, just make sure you check the weather forecast if you have anything planned that is weather dependent. If part of your day includes a restaurant, double check your reservations, and make sure you check the day before you’ll be going there.

Don’t Forget the Engagement Ring – Do you need a ring to propose? Maybe technically not, but the vast majority of women polled indicated that neglecting to have a ring at your proposal is the most serious proposal related mistake a man can make. You don’t have to give her the Hope Diamond, but at least put a ring on her finger. Another ring related mistake is to spend too much for your ring. Sure, you want something nice, and something that she deserves, but you don’t want to start out your life’s journey together with a boat load of debt. Better to start off on solid financial footing and a little smaller ring.

These tips can help you propose to your girl the way that she deserves. For more ideas, see some of my previous posts. You’ll find romantic ways to propose, the best from stories that were sent in by readers, and some great proposals from the girl’s point of view. There are nuggets in there that you should mine to find out how to propose to your girlfriend.

Proposing can be your key to life of happiness; if you do it correctly

How should I propose to my girlfriend? It is the question of the day, and one you likely want an answer to. What are the most important things to keep in mind when you’re proposing? Is what you say the key to the whole puzzle? How about the setting? Is that important?

I’ll cover all the answers to those questions and more shortly. If you don’t find the answers in this post, there is plenty more to look at in the archives, so take the time to look around some, you’ll probably find the answers you are looking for.

There are some things to keep in mind when you are deciding how to propose. One thing is that most guys don’t necessarily do it wrong, but they don’t do it nearly as well as they could, or should. No pressure, but think about this; your proposal will be one of the seminal moments in your girlfriend’s life. She will carry those memories with her until the day she dies, hopefully far in the future. Don’t you want the proposal that starts your life together to be perfect for her?

Of course you do, and that is the key. It has to be uniquely for her. The proposal you give has to be tailored for the person she is, and presumably you know who she is more than anyone else. You know her likes and dislikes, her wants, and her hopes and dreams. Use all that knowledge when you’re planning your proposal.

Add in another ingredient that too many guys go a little light on, romance. Women polled in a recent marriage proposal poll conducted by Korbel Champagne found that nearly three fourths were not satisfied with their proposal. I pull that stat out quite a bit, and this definitely isn’t the first time that I’ve mentioned it, but I do it to prove a point.

Far too many guys don’t give enough thought to how they should propose to their girlfriends. Let’s qualify that a bit. Many actually give it entirely too much thought, but it’s the paralyzed, deer in the headlights kind of thought. You know; “What am I going to do?” Then, all to often they end up doing what too many guys do, and give her the old standby nice restaurant proposal.

There is nothing inherently wrong with proposing at a nice restaurant, but in many cases it isn’t the perfect proposal for her and you could do better. One way to do better is to make the proposal an entire romantic experience. Treat the proposal experience like a fine piece of literature, with a beginning, a body, and a conclusion, with the conclusion being you actually down on your knee asking her to marry you and slipping the ring on her finger. Only then will you have made the kind of proposal that the love of your life truly deserves.

So, how then can you go about creating the kind of proposal that she’ll grow teary eyed about when telling the story to your grandchildren?

Use your knowledge about her to create the perfect proposal just for her. What is near and dear to her heart? What does she find romantic?

Be aware of – Something to think about before you go further. If you think an outdoor proposal would be perfect for her, you may very well be right, but remember to check the seasonal weather where you are going to pop the question. You’ll then want to check the actual forecast within a few days of the actual date you planned on proposing. Many a guy has had his carefully laid plans derailed because inclement weather threw a monkey wrench in the works. Sure, you can still propose in a situation like that, but it won’t be the special proposal you’d planned out.

Remember that you’re striving for a whole experience with a beginning, middle, and conclusion. Like any other intricate task, break up your plans into manageable pieces. Do you want the experience to include travel? If so, where to? Planning that portion of her proposal is one piece. You can start by looking for a city or location you think would be the perfect spot, and then looking for a place to propose in that city. Alternatively, you can just look for the perfect spot to propose, and then make your travel plans to the city where it happens to be.
See my post on the Top 30 Romantic Places to Propose Marriage for some inspiration.

Maybe traveling isn’t what you have in mind, and you want to propose closer to home. There are some great reasons to propose close to home, including budget and time constraints, or being able to propose at a romantically significant location. Planning your proposal around something significant to your relationship, such as the location of your first date can be a great idea. That has serious romantic connotations.

Something else to be aware of – Remember that planning your proposal for certain days can give you plenty of competition with other proposers. Valentines Day is the most common of these competitive days. It’s not uncommon for there to be three or four proposals at a popular romantic restaurant on any given Valentines Day. If you want to propose on Valentine’s Day, think twice about doing it at a popular, romantic restaurant, or other popular romantic location in your city. You don’t want to be about to drop to your knee and give your proposal speech, only to have some guy two tables over beat you to the punch.

When you are designing your proposal, remember that it is all about her. Some women will want something simple, others will really appreciate something more extravagant. What ever you choose, sincerity is of paramount importance. You need to communicate to her that she is special, that she is the only one for you, and why she is the only one for you.

The ring, always remember the ring. One of the most serious mistakes a man can make is proposing without the ring, so don’t make it. If the economy has rendered you a bit short of funds, you may have to get a smaller ring that you would like, but for goodness sake don’t propose without one. You can usually by rings on credit or using your credit cards, but don’t go too deep in the hole for her ring. You do not want to start off your life together deep in debt. See some of my previous posts for powerful strategies to get affordable engagement rings.

Making your proposal romantic and about her doesn’t means just taking every item from the romance menu and serving it up as a proposal. Let’s see, I’ll have the flowers, serve her a nice dinner, a nice box of candy, and then get down on one knee. Anyone could do that! Remember that it has to be especially for her, and take elements from her likes and personality that she’ll really appreciate; only then is it the perfect proposal.

Here is another important tip to remember when planning how to propose; don’t do anything that would make her uncomfortable. Now, that may seem self evident, but guys often forget this vital bit of information. If she is uncomfortable in front of crowds, don’t gather her family together to propose in front of. That means you should think carefully before proposing to her at a music or sporting venue, or in front of her family.

Actually, while a few women would really appreciate a proposal in front of their entire family, most would not. Even a woman who is very close to her family would probably rather the proposal be an intimate gathering with just the two of you. It is up to you to determine if your girlfriend is one of those women who would think that a group proposal is the perfect one for her.

Another hot tip; remember the music! Music is one of the most powerful emotional triggers in the human experience. If you have a special song, as many couples do, can play it (or arrange to have it played) as you propose to her. If not, play her favorite music that fits the occasion. If you’ll be proposing somewhere you think that isn’t possible, at least try to find a way to make it happen. It is another way to personalize the proposal for her and make sure she has the right memories of it.

What to say? That is possibly the most difficult part of the whole enchilada when you are trying to figure out how to propose. Many guys get a bit tongue tied even at the best of times, and you can multiply that about a hundred-fold when they are trying to ask their girlfriend to marry them.

There are countless ways to propose to her, but you need to include some important elements when deciding what to say to her. Make sure you tell her why she is the only woman for you, that you will always be there for her, no matter what (you don’t have to use those exact words)and then ask her if she will marry you.

In the vast majority of cases, don’t try to be funny or flip when you propose. Unless your relationship is based upon humor, this is better treated as a serious occasion.

There is no one right way to speak the actual proposal, but for more ideas on exactly what to say when you’re down on one knee, check out my posts on what to say to propose to my girlfriend.

Here is something that will make the whole thing run much more smoothly; practice! That’s right, to the extent that you can run through the entire proposal as many times as possible, until you can get it perfect every time, even under stress.

Remember, your (her) proposal is going to be in her memories for the rest of her days. It’s up to you whether those memories are all they can be. Sure, she may say yes either way, but wouldn’t you rather your proposal story be a family legend than forgotten for eternity? Only you can make sure she is really, truly happy with her proposal.

There are so many different ways to propose, and the best on for your girlfriend is out there somewhere. Michael Webb, featured on many TV shows, and probably best known for being a frequent, featured guest on Oprah for his relationship expertise, (he has even been called Oprah’s “romance expert”) has just revealed the 101 best proposal ideas.

How can he possibly say that? Easy, he had 7,329 great proposal stories to pick from. He sifted through them all, and after careful consideration came up with the 101 best ones. You know that some of them will really help you discover exactly what to do for your proposal.

Click here right now to check out Michael’s 101 best proposal stories.

Going to the beach can be the foundation for a great, romantic proposal. Check this one out!

Here is the third in the series of romantic ways to propose to your girlfriend. This post is the continuation of 2 weeks ago, where I shared the first two of the three best stories I’ve received recently on romantic proposals.

“Here is how I proposed to my girlfriend. Her name is Tiffany, and she is now my wife. Here is what I did to ask her to marry me. She was still away at college finishing up her senior year, and I was working in DC at the time. It was really tough being separated from her, even by only a few hours, but we did the best we could. She came to see me when ever her schedule allowed and I did likewise. It was difficult for me to leave, with a new job and all, because I was trying to get noticed. She was pre-med, which is pretty time consuming, so her schedule was packed also.

I knew I wanted to do something that would really convey to her how much I loved her, but we didn’t have the time or money to go away on a long vacation or anything. I talked to a few of my friends to see what they did and get some ideas, but most had just asked their girlfriends at nice restaurants.

One of them asked his girlfriend to get married when they were up skiing. That was more along the lines of what I was thinking, but we don’t ski, it’s too expensive, and I didn’t think a learn-to-ski trip would be a great place to propose. I talked to my parents, and my dad had asked my mom after a Rolling Stones concert. While I love the Stones, that wasn’t really what I was looking for either.

I was about pulling my hair out, when suddenly I had a brainstorm. This is how I decided to propose. Tiffany is crazy about the ocean, and it’s not too far away. We could sneak in a trip on a weekend without busting the bank. I found a little bed and breakfast across the street from the ocean in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware called the Light House Inn. From my place in Maryland it’s only about a 2 ½ hour drive.

I told her that I wanted to take her away for the weekend to let her relax before finals started. She had no idea I planned to propose, and that’s just the way I wanted it. We left after I got off work on Friday evening. I had worked for a week putting my plan into action, and was more tired than usual, but I played it off as being really tired after a long week at work. I told her how much I was looking forward to a weekend away for some relaxation.

The room wasn’t booked on Thursday, so I rented it and they had let me come over and prepare it for the next day, when we would be arriving. Let me tell you that working to get the room prepared, in addition to 5 hours of driving was no mean feat when you have to work the next day.

I wanted to lay the ground work for a very romantic weekend. I put vases of roses throughout the room; about 15 in all.. By the time we arrived the next day, the room was filled with the smell of roses. Next, I hid some candles in the bathroom, so I could give her a candlelight bath on Saturday night. I brought up the ingredients for her favorite dinner, so they could prepare it for us Saturday night. She loves romantic poetry, so I brought up some of nicely framed copies of her favorite poems and put them around the room. I scouted out all the nice spots around town for lunches and strolls on the beach, too. All in all it was a busy few hours, but for something as important as proposing to her I wanted it to be really special.

I picked her up after school on Friday and we got on the road. I was pretty excited, and my heart was pounding with anticipation, like I’d had a few too many Red Bulls. I must have fingered the ring box in my pocket about 500 times, just to be sure I hadn’t lost it. I’m kind of a chicken in situations like this, and even though I’ve always been really comfortable with Tiff, and we can discuss anything, the thought of proposing was making me more than a little nervous.

We got there a little after 6 and went to dinner at a place called the Eden Cafe. Cafe is kind of misnomer, because it was a pretty nice restaurant. Not uppity DC nice, but more relaxed nice, and the food was awesome. She’s not a foo foo food kind of girl, so I wanted something nice, without being too over the top. We had a romantic dinner and a bottle of good wine. It’s cool because the booths are all enclosed in curtains, which added to the romance.

After dinner, we went for a walk at the beach to watch the sunset. We talked for a long time, taking in the salt air, and watching the sun sink below the horizon. It’s not like California, where it sinks into the water, but it is beautiful just the same. It was very romantic, and I almost asked her then and there, but I decided to stick with my plan, and build up the romance factor even more.

We went back to the room, and she was really surprised by the vases full of roses everywhere. She started reading the poetry and realized that they were all her favorites, and that really shocked her. She accused me of being a hopeless romantic, something that I cheerfully plead guilty to. It was going just perfect so far, and that made me kind of nervous.

The next morning we took a relaxing shower and went downstairs for breakfast. The breakfast was delicious, and just what we needed to get ready for a day down by the beach. It was forecast to be a really nice day, and it seemed like the meteorologists justified all the money their parents paid for college, because it was the perfect day, about 80 degrees and sunny, with a gentle breeze off the ocean. We just had a great day at the beach, which was one of her absolute favorite things to do. We even ate a picnic lunch at the beach.

A while before the sun started to go down, we packed up and went back to the B&B. I had more planned to help get her relaxed. One of the great things about the Lighthouse is that it includes a massage, which seemed like the perfect way to increase the relaxation factor. Boy, did it ever! We were about as loose as you can be when we washed up and went downstairs for dinner.

The dinner was superb, and she was amazed that they had her favorite food as the dinner that night, which of course they didn’t, but she didn’t know that I had arranged the whole thing in advance. They suggested a spectacular bottle of wine to go with it. I’m not a big wine drinker, but this stuff was incredible! It was something white, but I don’t remember exactly what. Anyway, it was a really romantic dinner. After dinner, we went for a leisurely stroll around town. We stopped for a beer in one of the pubs downtown. Before the Saturday night crowd started to flood the place, we headed back to the room. Now I was starting to get really nervous, because the time was approaching fast. I was so excited to ask her, but plenty nervous just the same.

When we got back to the room, I went in a got the bath ready. I put out the candles, and spread rose petals all around the tub. I had the nice towels and thick bathrobes folded and arranged just perfectly. I heated some massage oil over a small candle. She got in the bath and I gave her a hot oil massage. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely give a decent massage.

I had the ring box hidden under a towel. Her eyes were closed as she was enjoying the massage. I pulled out the ring, and started to tell her all the reasons why I loved her so completely. When I started to explain why I wanted to make sure she was with me for the rest of my life, she began to suspect what I was getting at. I was already down on one knee, because she was in the tub, and I was next to it giving her a massage. I pulled out the ring, took her hand, and slipped it over her finger. I don’t know if you’re really supposed to slide it over her finger, or let her do that after she says yes. I was pretty confident she would say yes, but still, it might have been a bit presumptuous of me. Thankfully, when I asked “Tiffany, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”, she jumped out of the tub, threw her arms around me, and screamed, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I don’t know what the other guests thought was going on, but I was pretty darn excited that she agreed to marry me that night, I’ll tell you what.”

Jason R.
Washington DC

What I like about Jason’s proposal is the extra mile he went through setting the whole thing up, and putting in elements he knew she’d really appreciate. He did it all on a small to medium sized budget, and you could do pretty close to the same thing for even less if you wanted to. Waiting until the second night to ask her was perfect because if she suspected anything, her suspicions were probably gone by the time he actually asked her. An all around, great proposal!

Click to see the 2nd in the series of Best Romantic Proposals now.

Proposing at Sunset in La Jolla is certainly romantic.

Here is another in the series of romantic ways to propose to your girlfriend. This post is a continuation of last week’s where I shared the first of the three best stories I’ve received recently on romantic proposals. Here is the second.

“We were on a 2-week vacation together in San Diego. I’d been with my girlfriend, Heather for about 3 years, although it seemed like we’d known each other our whole lives. I thought before we left that I might propose to her on our trip. I wanted to, but I’d been really busy at work for months wrapping up an important project, and hadn’t the time to plan anything. She made most of the arrangements for our vacation, and I couldn’t very well have her make the arrangements for the proposal too, could I?

The day before we left I talked with some of the friends we were going to meet there and got some ideas, then spent a few hours on the Internet to fill things out even more. I wanted to propose to her in a very special way, but it’s tough to put something like that together in such a short time frame, but I was determined.

I’d gotten the ring months ago, in anticipation of the time when I’d propose to her. I made sure it was packed about g times, just in case I’d forgotten it somehow. I knew exactly what Heather wanted, because we’d done a bit of browsing in a few different jewelery stores. I ordered it off the Internet to save some money (and help pay for our vacation). It was pretty safe to say that she probably had an inkling that I was going to ask her to get married at some point, because we had talked about it, and looked at rings together.

I was pretty determined to keep it a surprise however, so I hadn’t mentioned anything about marriage or weddings for about 2 months before we left. I found out later that she hadn’t forgotten a thing, and was hoping I’d ask her during our trip. As it turned out, she was still kind of surprised, though.

We got to San Diego on a Saturday. We both had quite a few friends there, since she had gone to college there, and I had a couple of close friends who had. Plus, my brother had been there for 4 years in the Navy. Between the three of them, I’d gone there quite a few times. It was kind of funny that Heather and I actually met through our work in New York, though. It’s about as far away from San Diego as you can get, in more ways than one.

The first couple of days we spent hanging out at the beach and going to open air restaurants. We were generally soaking up the sun and getting the New York winter our of our systems. It felt great, because it seems like it takes a while for that east coast, cold to the bone feeling to go away.

The forth day, she went off to spend the day with her friends, and I spent the day formulating a plan of attack. I was more sure than ever that I wanted to marry her, and that this trip was the perfect time to propose to her. After some checking around I found the perfect place to propose, Scripps Park in La Jolla. I took a drive there and my sources were right on the money, it was perfect.

I had to work fast, but I’m a project manager, so it comes naturally to pull all the aspects of a project together. This one was just more important than most.

I hired a 2 piece band (okay, so it was only a couple with guitars, but they were very good) to play at the spot where I planned to ask her, which had the most spectacular view of La Jolla Cove and the beach, with the waves breaking over the rocks.

I told her we were going for a picnic there, which I actually prepared and packed in a proper picnic basket. We went to the park, but we had to park on the street about 2 blocks away and walk in, because there is really not much parking at the park itself.

Once we got there, we went for a romantic walk over looking the ocean. As the sun started to drop toward the horizon, I suggested we have our picnic dinner, which I’d packed. We got to the spot and I spread everything out. We started to eat, and the band came over and began to play some relaxing guitar melodies. Heather was kind of surprised, but she thought that they were just one of those bands that goes around and plays for money at the park.

They began to play her favorite song, Angel by Sarah McLachlan. The woman was an excellent singer, actually. I took a bouquet of roses from the picnic basket and gave the roses to her, one at a time. With each flower I told her a reason why I loved her so much, and why she was to woman for me. As the song was finishing, I got on my knee (I had to actually get up, rather than down, as we were already sitting), pulled out the ring, and gave it to her as I asked her to marry me.

She was overcome, and started crying, but she did manage to say yes through all the tears. It was very romantic. The sun was setting, and the orange / red was painting the sky and the few clouds on the horizon. The band was playing, and she was holding the roses. Her ring was sparkling in the sunset.

We’ve been married for 8 years now, and I don’t regret a single one.”

Alan P – New York, NY

What I like about Alan’s proposal is that it was simple, yet very romantic and tied all the elements together nicely. It proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to give her the romantic proposal she wants. The one rose at a time, while giving her a different reason he loves her was a very nice touch. Music is a very powerful, emotional experience, and having the band playing her favorite song was great. Now, whenever she hears that song, it will remind her of her marriage proposal.

You can find romantic ways to propose to your girlfriend, you just have to think about who she is, and what she likes.

When asked what they’re looking for in a proposal, many men give the same answer “Romantic ways to propose to my girlfriend.” Obviously, many men don’t have that strong, romantic streak that let them find those on their own. Many guys just aren’t wired that way. And even guys that are romantic could use a little inspiration or some fresh ideas once in a while.

What is romance, anyway? Is it like the Edwin Meese porn definition from the ’70′s; I’ll know it when I see it? Well in a way that’s true. You also have to take your girlfriend’s personality into account. When some women would consider hugely romantic, will barely move the meter for others.

Here are some dictionary definitions of romance:

“of, pertaining to, or of the nature of romance; characteristic or suggestive of the world of romance: a romantic adventure “

or maybe this one:

“fanciful; impractical; unrealistic: romantic ideas “
or
“imbued with or dominated by idealism, a desire for adventure, chivalry, etc “

None of those romance definitions really embody the spirit of when it is to be romantic for your gal. I like these better:
“characterized by a preoccupation with love or by the idealizing of love or one’s beloved “ although that could also apply to a celebrity stalker, I suppose. That being the case, these two are the ones that define romance best when it comes to proposals:
“displaying or expressing love or strong affection “
“ardent; passionate; fervent “

So, how can you be ardent, passionate, or fervent when displaying or expressing love or strong affection for your girlfriend as you propose to her? Thought you’d never ask………..

The following romantic ways to propose were left by various people. I’ve chosen the three that best fit what a romantic proposal should be. They are great examples of romance, and sure worked great for the guys that used them. See if you can find one that you think would be the perfect fit for proposing to your girlfriend. I’ve posted the first today, and the other two will be in my next post.

“I’d been dating my now wife Sherry for over 2 years when I proposed to her. I knew she was the perfect woman for me, and we’d talked about marriage a bit in the abstract, but never as it pertained to us, really. I was sure she had the same feelings for me that I did for her, though, so I decided it was time to ask her the big question.

I didn’t want to do the same old thing when I proposed that many of my friends did when they asked their girlfriends to get married. You know, the restaurant, bottle of good wine, table in the corner thing. I had bigger plans in mind for mine. I wanted to really sweep her off her feet. After all I was only going to do this one time in my life, and I wanted it to reflect how much I loved her and what she meant to me.

She really loves flowers (deep down, what girl doesn’t, I suppose?) so I wanted to use them somehow. She’s a big time family girl. Her family is really important to her, and she is really close to them. Thankfully, I love her family too. I knew that she’d really appreciate it if they were involved in the whole thing.

Here’s what I ended up doing for my proposal. I set up a family get together, with her mom and dad, both sets of grandparents, her sister and her family, three of her cousins and their families, her aunt and uncle, and her two brothers. We always got together with her immediate family, so I could do this without arousing suspicion, which is important, because I really wanted to surprise her in a big way. I guess I kind of went overboard, but me asking her to marry me was the last thing she expected that day, so it worked out great.

I set up our get together in a local park with a really nice rose and flower garden. We were surrounded by roses on three sides. It was really beautiful, and smelled fantastic. There were a few too many bees, but it just fed into the “Birds and the Bees” theme of the day.

I have a really nice portable stereo with an iPOD hook up that sounds fantastic, so I put a bunch of her favorite music on my iPOD and played it throughout the day. She even commented about how many of her favorite songs were playing, but never put two and two together that it meant something else was going on.

For dinner, I had her favorite food catered in. I would have just had a nice barbecue, but I wanted to do something extra special for her that day. She loves Bouillabaisse, so I had a restaurant that makes great Bouillabaisse bring us a huge pot of it for everyone. It was kind of casual, but special at the same time.

We had a really great day there with her family. After dinner, I stood up and got everybody’s attention. I had Sherry come over in front of a fantastic rose bush, where I was standing. I took her hand, looked into her eyes, and told her how important she was to me, why I loved her, and why she was the only woman for me. I got down on my knee, pulled the ring from my pocket, and slipped it on her finger.

She was shaking like a leaf, and tears were welling up in her eyes. She said yes, and gave me a great kiss and huge hug. I pulled out a bouquet of roses from the bush, where I’d hidden it before, and gave it to her. The whole family was cheering and crying. It was a pretty amazing experience. “

Jeff J. – Spokane, WA

What I like about Jeff’s proposal is the way he really surprised her with the proposal, and that he incorporated so many things that she liked and were important to her in it. He had her family there, played her favorite music, and even brought in her favorite food. Having it in a park surrounded by flowers was the perfect setting. Even better was that it wasn’t super expensive. He probably spent quite a bit less than if he would have taken her out to a really nice restaurant for dinner and a bottle of wine.

It shows that if you try, and think about what is important to your girlfriend, you can propose to her in an extremely romantic way without having to spend huge amounts of money or leaving town. Best of all, she will be really happy.

There are so many ways to propose to a girl. Talking a romantic walk on the beach is an old standby, but there are thousands more. With some though, you'll find the perfect way to propose to your girlfriend.

If you’re worried about how to propose to your girlfriend, loosen up a bit. There are millions of ways to propose to a girl, and I’ve posted dozens of them here in previous posts to give you some inspiration. Just in case none of those proposals were exactly what you were looking for, here are some more proposal stories that just might give you exactly what you’ve been looking for. Note that these are ways to propose to a girl that really worked, as told by the girls themselves. Listen and learn.

“We were in my boyfriend’s home town for a long weekend. It’s one of those small towns in the south where everyone knows each other and it has just so much charm. Anyway, we were walking down by the river, talking about where the world was going, our careers (we both just graduated from college last year), and our future.

We had talked about marriage before, and I thought he might ask me to marry him at some point, but I sure wasn’t thinking he was going to that day. The river walk is so scenic and tranquil. It’s such a change of pace from Atlanta, where we live. I really feel peaceful and relaxed there, and I guess Michael knows that. We walked for a while, then he led me off the river trail through some woods. We emerged into a beautiful rose garden. I didn’t even know there was such a nice rose garden in his town.

All of a sudden he was talking about how much he loved me, and why I was the perfect girl for him. He always says nice, sweet things to me, but I was kind of in shock as he got down on one knee and looked  into my eyes. He pulled a ring box from his pocket and opened it. It was all kind of happening in slow motion, but really fast at the same time. It was almost like it was happening to someone else, as he proposed to me, right there in the garden.

I managed to spit out a yes, and he stood up and gave me the most passionate kiss. It was so romantic, there amid all the roses. That was 4 years ago, and I haven’t regretted it a day since.”

Holly J – Atlanta, GA

“My boyfriend Jon and I were just out for a trip to Costco in Astoria, OR. Astoria is a great little town in Oregon, right at the mouth of the Columbia River. It has even gotten some write ups in big magazines so more people know about it now. We go into town about once a month, because they have a Costco and some other stores where we can stock up.

Well, one thing they have is this tower in a park on the top of Coxcomb Hill hill they call the Astor column. It is just that, a column that has a spiral staircase inside that leads to the top. It’s pretty old, and has murals painted all over it about Oregon’s history and stuff. The view from the top is so amazing. You can see forever, it seems like. It’s over 100 feet high.

We climbed the stairs to the top, and got out onto the observation deck. It was so gorgeous and sunny. There is a great view of the bridge and you can see all the way out to the Pacific Ocean. It’s so romantic! We got up there and we were just enjoying the view, or so I thought. The next thing I knew, he was taking my hand, and kneeling down. He said how much he loved me and that he loved all the little things about me. I thought Oh my god, he is asking me to marry him! I  had been waiting for this for so long. Of course I said yes. All the people at the top of the column were smiling and clapping. It was so cool.

I barely even remember the climb down all those stairs to the bottom of the column. Now I know what people means when they say they’re floating on a cloud.”

Michelle P. – Astoria, OR

“My boyfriend Charles and I had been going out for about 6 years before he proposed to me. I was beginning to think it was never going to happen, but when he finally proposed, it was definitely worth the wait. We were on vacation in Miami, when he did it. I found out later that he planned our whole vacation around the proposal, but at the time it was such a surprise and seemed like a spur of the moment thing, except for the ring.

First, we slept in and had a delightful late breakfast at a place called the Puerto Sagua in Miami Beach. It was really fun, the food was fantastic, and it set the pace for the whole day. We went for a nice stroll on the beach and dipped our toes in the sand and sea. After freezing our behinds off all winter in Minneapolis, it was so nice to be warm for a change.

After our stroll on the beach, we went on a boat with some friends on Biscayne Bay. We ate on their boat while enjoying the salt air and ocean views. The six of us split a couple of bottles of very nice wine. I thought C was acting a bit strange, but chalked that up to the travel and being on out on a boat. Little did I know then that he something else on his mind.

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Baleen in Coconut Grove. If I knew how much it cost before we went there, I would have probably protested, but he was paying for it, and I didn’t know how much it was until later. It was so romantic, though! We were right on the water. Not only that, but it was the best food I’ve ever eaten. I love seafood, and being pretty well landlocked, we don’t get much from the ocean. I know they fly it in, but somehow it’s not the same as getting it right next to the water.

We were enjoying the view out to the water, there were these little tiki torches all around, and it made for great ambiance. I was kind of lost in a reverie after the excellent dinner, when C started talking about our future, and where were going together. All of a sudden he started talking about how special I was to him, and how he couldn’t bear the though of not spending our lives together.

I couldn’t believe it! He was proposing to me, after 6 years. By then, he was down on his knee on the floor, and was handing me the most fantastic diamond ring I had ever seen. It looked huge, and the way it was reflecting the light was mesmerizing. I couldn’t say yes fast enough. The whole day had been so romantic, and the evening topped the whole thing off.

He really surprised me, what with all the day’s activity and everything. I was having so much fun, and felt so in love and close to him that day. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.”

- Maholia S, Minneapolis, MN

Use the way these guys proposed to their girls as inspiration, or just pick a few ideas from them. You’ll notice the proposals had some things in common.

1) Their girls were surprised by them. – Women note that surprise is a big element to a successful proposal. Even if you’ve discussed marriage with her, make sure that when you actually propose, you do it in such a way that she’s not expecting at the time.

2) They were filled with romance. It’s true, most women love romance, especially in their proposals.

3) Every proposal is different. There is no “One perfect proposal” for every girl. Your girlfriend is unique and so should her proposal be.

Discover more about how to propose to a girl, check out my previous post on ways to propose marriage.

Although pink diamond engagement rings have been bestowed upon women for centuries, the pink stone has recently been gaining in popularity. England’s Queen Elizabeth 2nd received a huge, pink diamond for her wedding over 50 years ago, but more recently such celebs as Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Victoria Beckam, Nicole Kidman, Vivica Fox, and Salma Hayek have all either received pink diamond engagement rings, or enjoyed wearing other pink diamond jewelery.

Why is the pink diamond so prized as an engagement ring stone? First of all, pink diamonds are among the most rare diamonds. A natural, pink diamond costs 10 – 30 times more than a white diamond of similar quality. They come from only a few mines in the world, and are mined in much smaller quantities than traditional clear or light yellow diamonds. Their rarity alone makes them attractive as a symbol of rare love. Then there is the color; pink. Pink is not only a color that many women love, it has implications regarding love and romance. A rare, pink stone would be perfect as a symbol of everlasting love, such as an engagement ring.

Where do pink diamonds come from? The primary source of pink diamonds is the Rio Tinto Group’s Argyle Diamond mine in northern Australia. Over 90% of the world’s pink diamonds are sourced from this mine.

If you’re looking for a pink diamond for your girlfriend’s ring though, chances are it will come from a different source, because while the Argyle supplies the world with much if it’s pink diamonds, most of them are not high quality gemstones. This is not a hard and fast rule however, as there have been some spectacular pink diamonds taken from the Argyle, including a 3.14 carat round pink diamond sold at Christies Auctions in New York for over $1.5 million in 1989. Today that stone would be worth much more. Indeed, while most of the stones from the Argyle mine are not superior quality, their pink diamonds that are gem quality are the best in the world.

The reason the few pink diamonds from the Argyle that are classified as high quality gemstones have such stratospheric values is because of their intense, pink hues. Most pink diamonds tend to be a bit more subdued in color. The pink diamonds from mines in Brazil, Africa, and India come from geological formations called kimberlite plates, while those from the Argyle are a different type of geological feature, called lamproite. It is thought that this difference accounts for the Argyle’s more intense pink stones.

How can you find your girlfriend a pink diamond engagement ring? The Natural Color Diamond Association (NCDIA) is an industry association that, appropriately enough, deals with naturally colored diamonds. There are approximately 55 jewelers that are NCDIA members worldwide. Most of these are in the U.S., although there are also jewelers in Australia, Canada, the Middle East, and the U.K. You can also check your local jeweler for pink diamonds. Most of the pink diamond engagement rings you would have custom made, although you can find rings with the stones already made if you look.

If you’re looking for a way to get a ring that is extra special, a pink diamond engagement ring has a lot going for it. It really says something, and your you know her friends won’t have a ring anything like it!

If you want to build your girlfriend her very own ring, and save up to 70% while doing it, check out this really cool engagement ring configurator. It’s just like the kind you’ll find at the car company’s sites, where you can build your own car, but with engagement rings. You can choose the diamond and the setting you want from among thousands. There are great filter options, so you can narrow it down to what you really want, and not have to wade through every different selection in their catalog.
Check it here:
Build Your Own Ring

Asking the right questions before you get married, and honest answers to them, are the key to a successful marriage.

You may think you are ready to propose to your girlfriend, or maybe you’ve proposed already, but there are some questions to ask before you get married. The answers to these questions will go a long way toward determining your happiness together in your new life. Get together with your girlfriend and discuss your future together so you can be assured of having a long and happy one. An hour or so now will pay huge dividends in your relationship later.

Just because you love each other, and you are the proverbial soul mates, doesn’t mean that you can just propose, then go off and get married and everything will be happier ever after, just like in the storybook. No, it is more complicated than that. You have to figure out some of life’s little conundrums first, and answering these questions together before you get married, rather than finding out the answers later, is a great way to help pave the road to  a long and happy married life together.

Note that these questions are not a substitute for pre-marriage counseling, but if you aren’t prepared to get that, or don’t believe in such things, they can be a good way to stop potential problems before they turn into real issues later in your marriage. Some of these appear to be nitpicking, but better a little bit of that now, than a lifetime of it later.

Question 1)
Are we going to have kids, and if so, how many? This is a big one. Failing to agree on this can spell doom for a marriage early on. If one of you want s a big family, and the other genuinely wants no children, that spells trouble ahead.

Question 2)
What religion(s) are we going to practice and how are we going to practice it? This is a core values question and you’ll need to be on the same page here in order to live a long and happy life together. Do you have the religious or spiritual belief system, or are they closely aligned? If you don’t already know, find out now.

Question 3)
How will we structure our professional lives? This is actually a whole series of questions, such as:
Are we going to both work, and if so how much? Who’s career will dominate if one of us should get on an upwardly mobile track? In many cases one of the partners in a marriage will find themselves with career requirements that don’t mesh with the other’s? How will you handle such an occurrence? How much are you prepared to have your spouse work? If one of you is regularly traveling on business or at the office late on a regular basis, will that lead to problems in the marriage?

Question 4)
If we have children, how will we change our lives? Myriad things enter into this question, such as will one parent quit working, and if so for how long? Will we relocate to an area for better schools or neighborhood? Where? Would we like to put our children into a private school? If so, what kind?

Question 5)
How will we handle the holidays? Whose parents will we visit, and for which holidays? You may think this is trivial, but don’t. Many arguments have been started or resentments built by such seemingly benign things as whose parents are we going to for Thanksgiving this year? It only gets worse because so many people have divorced parents, potentially doubling the number of possible destination choices every holiday. It really gets more important to have an answer to this question before you have children.

Question 6)
Are we comfortable with the way things are sexually? Are both of you fairly equal in your sex drives? Does one of you want sex way more than the other. If so, is the other partner comfortable with this? Have you discussed in depth (no pun intended) what the other likes during sex, and are you comfortable with it? A couples intimacy and sexual issues can become stumbling blocks to long term happiness, so it is best to work on these things now. Remember that if and when you have children your sex life will likely experience a bit of a decrease. That’s not a sure thing, but millions of parents will likely concur.

Question 7)
How will we deal with our finances?  How will we divide our budget? What percentage of our income will we put aside for retirement, housing, transportation, and other important things? How much should we spend on entertainment? How much do we want to spend in each of those areas? Are we in general agreement on this? Will we keep separate bank and checking accounts? Will we have a joint account? If we have both joint and separate accounts, how will we allocate resources between them?

Financial matters are extremely important,and money issues are one of the leading causes of divorce in the United States. Examine each other’s spending patterns, because if one or both of you tend to spend large portions of your income on certain things, the other may not be comfortable with it after you are married. This is a generalization, but guys tend to spend more on tools and outdoor recreation, such as motorcycles, hunting, fishing, and attending sporting events, while women tend to spend more on shopping trips and personal care. Be sure you are comfortable with the other’s level of spending in these areas, and how they fit into your long term financial plans.

Speaking of long term financial plans, what are they? How soon would you like to retire, and what are you doing to make that happen? Would either of you like to own your own business some day (providing you don’t already). That is a huge commitment for both of you from both a financial and time perspective, so that is a decision both of you should make together. Keep in mind that if one of you is very entrepreneurial and wants very much to start a business, and the other is risk averse, this could lead to large problems later in the relationship.

Discuss the other’s credit score, and know how many credit cards  and their balances the other has before you get married. Each of you should get a copy of your credit report and go over it to ensure it is accurate. In some cases up to 25% of the negative information on a credit report is inaccurate. You do not have to pay for this. You are entitled by law to receive one free copy of your credit report annually from each of the three credit reporting agencies; Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.  Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your life.

After you get married each of your financial information will affect you as a couple. If one of you has a poor credit score, it can be financially devastating for both of you. It can make it more difficult and expensive for you for major purchases such as a car or a home. In addition, your credit card’s interest rates will be higher if your credit score is low.

Do either of you gamble? If so, how much and what kind of gambling? This is something you can not look at too seriously. If one partner gambles, and the other does not, it can wreck a marriage if the gambling gets out of control. There are so many avenues available for gambling on today’s society that it opens the possibility of gambling causing martial problems to a greater extent than in the past. If both of you gamble, it could still wreck your finances, but may not have the same effect on your marrige.

Question
Who does the housework? In the Beaver Cleaver era, that was a no brainer. Ward went to work, and June stayed home and took care of all the household chores they couldn’t get the kids to take care of. If you hadn’t noticed, times have changed. It’s likely that both partners work. If you are both putting in 40 – 60 hours a week climbing th corporate ladder or slaving away at some dead end job, neither of you is going to be too inclined to do the dishes before collapsing on the couch in front of the TV to enjoy a glass of Chardonnay (weather it came from a box or bottle). It is best to figure this out sooner, rather than later, after it becomes a point of contention. If you think this is bad in the beginning, wait until you have a couple of children.

Question 9)
Are we comfortable with each other’s views on health? If one of you is serious about health and fitness and the other isn’t, are you both comfortable with this? Are you fine with the time you each want to spend pursuing health and fitness related activities?  What about your position on overall health? If one of you eats a healthy diet and the other eats without much regard for, or even seeming disdain for their health, will this be okay? If one of you cooks, and the other chooses not to eat the meal for health reasons, will that be acceptable? If you eat it even though you would rather not do so, this can cause resentment or health problems down the road.

Question 10)
Hey, we’re almost done! Look at both partner’s friends, and the kind of friends you keep and make. Are both couples comfortable with them? If one partner is more comfortable meeting people and is very outgoing, and the other is more introverted will that create problems? If one partner meets and befriends people the other thinks of as less desirable, will this create friction in the relationship? How about your social calendar? Is it as full or as empty as you’d like? If one of you wants to go out all the time, and the other is more comfortable staying home, this could spell trouble.

These are all questions to ask before you get married, rather than have their answers cause you relationship problems later. As with so many things in life, a bit of work up front can pave the way for success in the future. Good luck!

You can never have to many ways to propose. Whatever you choose, make sure your proposal is tailored just for her. If you're stuck, here are some more proposal ideas.

Finding new and unique ways to propose marriage isn’t all that easy. After all, most of the traditional ways to propose have been tried a few million times before, and many others have been seen and talked about more than a few times. Want to propose on the scoreboard in Fenway, while falling from a plane, or diving on the Great Barrier Reef? Sorry, somebody has already beat you to it.

How about spelling your proposal in candles on the beach, in flower petals on the bed, riding up to her in a suit of armor, or having your proposal announced over the PA system at Candlestick Park? The fact is that no matter what you are thinking of to propose to your sweetie has probably already been done by some other guy, somewhere, at some point in history.

That doesn’t mean that you should give up on doing something original. The important thing is that no matter what you decide is the best proposal, what really matters is that it is the best one for your girlfriend. Every person is different, and what is important is that you create the perfect proposal that fits her better than anything else would.

You know her better than anyone else, except maybe some of her family members. Think about what she likes. What really makes her shine? Is she a romantic. Most women are, and even if she doesn’t talk about romance or while away her days watching romantic movies, there is a better than even chance she has a strong romantic streak buried in there somewhere.

Some women have been thinking about their perfect proposal since they were little girls. Chances are that your girlfriend has thought about hers more than once. It’s up top you to find out what it is. You don’t have to copy it exactly, but it wouldn’t hurt, either. In any case, it will give you an idea of how she would really like to be proposed to. If you are going to ask around to her family or friends for clues, watch out. Surprise is important in a proposal and if you start asking too many people, news of your impending proposal could easily leak back to her, potentially spoiling the surprise.

If you are still stuck for proposal ideas, here are a few more to think about.

Propose to her in a beautiful flower nursery, the kind where there are shelves of flowers in a greenhouse. You’ll have to set this up beforehand, but you will have to make preparations with many proposals. Have the nursery spell out your proposal in flowers on one of the shelves. Have it on a full shelf, in a contrasting color so it is easy to read. Just have them put her name, then “Will you marry me?” and then your name. You can get down on one knee and read your entire proposal when she sees the flower proposal.

Don’t think flowers will be a big hit with her? How about this one? Have your proposal cut into crops, like a crop circle. You’ll have to get her into a plane or on a tall hill adjacent to the circle, where she can see it. Farmers have done this before, but you’ll obviously have to pay them for their crops. It is definitely proposing in a big way.

Not into the whole farm motif, or live in the city? Are you the creative type? Do a video proposal, but not just any video proposal. It has to be creative enough to go viral on YouTube. Once it goes viral, she’ll see it (or you’ll arrange to have her see it). It will definitely be a surprise. The only downside to this kind of proposal is that you probably won’t be there when she sees it. She’ll probably get a phone call or get it sent to her, when it’s got about 100,000 views on YouTube.

Another tech related proposal idea is to start a website or blog with your proposal. People have been very successful using this idea. You can easily use WordPress to craft a high quality proposal blog or site with a minimum of technical aptitude. Remember though, that your proposal should be all about her and should take her personality into account in a big way. If a blog or website proposal isn’t going to be the sort of thing she’s be excited about, move on to another idea.

Propose to her on her birthday. The advantage of a birthday proposal is that she’ll expect you to take her out somewhere, so it will be easy to surprise her with a proposal. If you are a couple that rarely goes to a nice restaurant, she will think something is up if you all of a sudden want to take her to a nice restaurant or on a romantic getaway. If you do it under the guise of a birthday trip or dinner date, it will be so much easier to surprise her with your proposal.

Propose at Disneyland in California or Disney World in Orlando, Florida. There are so many places to ask her to marry you at either of these theme parks, but you can take it a step farther. You can get some of the Disney characters to help you in your proposal. To enlist their help, you’ll have to contact Disney first. You can contact their wedding guest services at (714) 520-7005 or guest relations at (714) 781-7290 (Disneyland) or (407) 824-5130 (Disney World) for more information.

Take out an ad in her favorite magazine. You can make it look just like a real ad, with a photo of yourself down on one knee presenting her a ring. Make it whatever theme will go best with her personality. This can get a bit expensive, depending on the magazine and your taste for the extravagant. A nice, quarter or ½ page ad works nicely, but there’s nothing wrong with a full page one, either. You could easily spend many thousands of dollars for such an ad, but you could just as easily do that for a trip to Paris too, but this way you won’t have to pack, and you’ll have the ad forever.

There are so many ways to propose marriage to your girl. You’re limited only by your imagination, wallet, and time. Find a way, and get down one one knee…but don’t forget the ring!