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 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.

Should you propose while enjoying a beautiful sunset? Perhaps, but then again, that may not be the perfect proposal for her.

“How should I propose to my girlfriend?” It is one of the most difficult questions most men will ever face, and with good reason, there is a heck of a lot riding on it. If you’re entertaining the possibility of asking your girl to get married, you’re likely facing a whirlwind of emotion. After all, you usually only get one shot at this, and weather she says yes or no, the answer will change the rest of your life like the answer to few other questions.

There are so many possibilities, and it can be a daunting task to figure out which way is the best. A few guys just know how they’ll propose, but for the rest of us, it likely means more than a few sleepless nights. It sure did for me. It is a rare combination of pure excitement, anxiety, and in some cases, sheer terror that is caused by few other events in your life.

We’ve probably all seen those YouTube videos of the poor bastard on the basketball court proposing during an NBA game and getting ruthlessly shot down. The look on his face as his (probably now ex) girlfriend walks off the court, leaving him to face the 15,000 fans on his own, is something no one wants to experience for themselves.

Hopefully, you’ve gone beyond that, and you’re at least pretty darn sure that she is the one for you, and she feels the same about you. If you are not sure yet, check out my post on how do I know if my girlfriend loves me. That will give you some signs to look for and questions to ask, just in case you have some niggling doubts in the back of your ole’ head.

If you’re beyond all the uncertainty, and just want to know how you should propose, here is what you need to know. The single, most important thing to remember is that women love romance. Sure, not all of them are the most romantic creatures on the planet, but even among those that aren’t, it is a rare woman who doesn’t want her proposal to be a romantically charged affair. Several polls and studies have been conducted on the subject. The most famous is probably one of those conducted by Korbel’s Champagne.

Sadly, many guys think that a romantic proposal just means turning to chapter 6 in the romance cookbook and following the romantic proposal recipe. It would be nice if it was that easy, but it just doesn’t work that way. You can always just pile on the typical accoutrements of romance; the dinner with a view, flowers, and sweet love poetry, followed by a huge diamond, but you actually have to dig deeper if you want it to be an out of the park success.

With romance it is the thought that counts, and you have to put some thought into it. A romantic proposal must be one that is specially for her, and she knows it. That’s where the romance comes in. Every woman is different, just as in some ways they are very much alike. That’s not to say she won’t want the traditional romantic gestures, but you have to not only combine them in such a way as to make them uniquely hers, and add in some elements that she will know are just for her.

You should know your girl better than anyone else, and you should know what really makes her heart sing. Use that knowledge to craft your proposal into one that would be just perfect for her, but not quite right for any other woman. That is the kind of romance that will touch her heart.

One thing that you’ll have to address is the location. Where are you going to ask her? Asking her in a spot that is significant to your relationship can be a great way to bring personalized romance to your proposal. Another great way to pick the perfect spot is to take her to a beautiful place she has always wanted to visit, or a favorite place that she has been to before. One caveat here; you do not want to take her to a place she first visited with an old boyfriend, no matter how much she loves it. That is not the kind of memory or emotion you want cropping up when you’re popping the question. Check my post on the Top 30 Romantic Places to Propose to Your Girlfriend for some inspiration.

One thing you do not want to do is propose in a way that will make her uncomfortable. No public venue proposals, for example. In 95% of cases, proposing at concert or sporting event is the wrong way to go. There are exceptions to this of course, but typically that fills your deep seated fantasy, not hers, and one thing to remember is that it is really her proposal. Do it right and she’ll play it over in her mind for the next 50 years; do it wrong and she will too. It is your choice what’s playing in those memories, so make it special.

Here is a post with some more posts with fantastic Ways to Propose to a Girl, in case you’re stuck for ideas and inspiration. These are stories from and about guys who made it something special for their gals

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.

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…

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.

Stowe was one of the romantic locations guys used to propose. Location is only one of the improtant ingredients. Here are some great ideas for you to use.

If you’re about to propose to your girlfriend, coming up with a proposal that’ll just knock her socks off and leave her in tears, barely able to utter a “yes” is the goal. It is however, easier said than done. In one recent survey, about three fourths of women were not completely satisfied with the way their husbands proposed to them. With that in mind, here are some great marriage proposal ideas that men really used when popping the question. Needless to say, their girlfriends were among the 25% that were satisfied!

Julie B – Los Angeles, CA
“When my husband proposed to me, it was after one of our frequent walks on the beach. Not only was it romantic, but since we often did this, I really didn’t suspect a thing. Not only that, but it was two days before Christmas, so when he pulled a large box from the trunk of his car, I just though it was an early Christmas present, something he’d done on previous Christmases.

I opened the box, only to find that it was full of those messy, shredded packing materials. It contained a smaller box. After about 3 of these, I was starting to really wonder what the heck he was up to, and frankly I was curious with just a hint of annoyance. After I opened the last one, there was a really cute, stuffed, teddy bear holding a really small box.

Now I was excited! I opened the small box with my trembling fingers, thinking he had given me a nice piece of jewelry for Christmas. When I opened the small box, there was a ring box inside that contained the nicest diamond engagement ring I had ever seen. When I opened the ring box, he got down on one knee and proposed to me. I was overwhelmed, and of course I said “yes”!”

Sammy A. – Omaha, NB
“I work in a large insurance office, where every cubicle is pretty much like all the rest. My (Now) fiancée, was in the habit of sending me a nice bouquet of flowers every Friday at lunch time. One Friday, no flowers came, and I was kind of surprised, but I figured something must have gone wrong with the delivery truck or something. I was really busy, so after lunch I soon put the whole no flowers thing behind me and got back to work. The day went by pretty fast, and soon it was over. After work, I walked back to my car with a couple of coworkers to begin the long awaited weekend.

I was shocked to find that my entire car was filled to the brim with red rose petals! It was unbelievable. As I started cleaning out all the roses, I found a small box tied to my seat. Inside was a ring and the most beautiful proposal letter I have ever read. Just then, my boyfriend drove around the corner, jumped out of the car, got down on his knee, and proposed to me in front of my shocked coworkers. Did I say yes? Of course I did, and we’re getting married in June. Yes, he did help me clean out the rest of the rose petals from my car.”

Michelle R. – Denver, CO
“My (now) husband Mike has never been the overly romantic type. That’s fine with me, I don’t think too many guys are. One thing we share is a love of the Broncos. My dad has had season tickets since the 70′s, and our family always went to the games when I was growing up, so I have a lot of great memories attached to the team. I know most guys would kill to have a wife that loves football as much as I do, but I guess he’s just lucky. I actually met him in college at CSU at a football game. We have Broncos season tickets, and he’s had them for years, long before he met me.

Well, we were going to a game in December against the Dolphins. It was cold, as you’d expect in Denver in December, but the game was amazing. It seesawed back and forth, with Miami taking the lead at the beginning. In the 2nd quarter, Miami’s Sammy Morris ran in for an 11 yard touchdown to give the Dolphins the lead, 14 – 7. I was pretty mad about it. After Mile High calmed down a bit and we had the ball back, I looked in our game program to find out who this Morris guy was.

I still don’t know how he did it, but right there, laminated to the Sammy Morris program page, was a really touching note that ended “My Darling Michelle, will you marry me?” I mean, Morris wasn’t even a Dolphins starter. I guess Mike knew not to put my proposal on a Bronco’s player’s page because I pretty much knew all of them by heart and wouldn’t have a reason to look there. That’s another reason I love him, he’s always thinking ahead.

At the end of the game, the Broncos had a hard fought 20-17 win, and I had a new fiancée! Who could  have asked for anything more?”

Cathy C -
Boston, MA
“My husband is so romantic. He proposed to me during a ski trip at Stowe a few years ago. We were out for a stroll after a fantastic day of skiing. There was a light snow falling, the air was cold and crisp, and I was feeling just a little tipsy from a combination of the altitude, the day’s skiing, and the 2 glasses of wine I’d had with dinner. His strong arms were around me, and I felt so warm and safe. We were walking along Main Street in Stowe and stopped to look in the window of Ferro, one of my favorite jewelery stores.  We had discussed  marriage a few times in the past, and even talked about what kind of ring I liked. They close pretty early, so we were just gazing through the window, and I saw a ring a lot like the one I wanted for an engagement ring.

I mentioned it to him, but I don’t remember exactly what I said, because at that moment, he pulled a box from his pocket. He opened it up, and there was a ring that looked almost like the one we were looking at, but if anything, it was even more beautiful! There were were, standing under the awning, with snow falling all around us, and he was down on his knee, slipping a ring on my finger. I was completely overcome. I’d been hoping for this moment for months, but was completely unprepared for it. It was the best day of my life except the day we actually got married, and the day our daughter was born.

It turned out he’d been planning this for quite a while, He bought the ring at that store and even talked to them about putting a similar ring in the display case so he could be sure we would see it when we looked in”

Those are just a few of the great marriage proposal ideas I’ve received here. I relayed some others in my post on cool ways to propose. If you have some great stories that you think would give other guys an idea that would save their butt, please leave it the comments section.

There are countless ways to propose to a girl. Here are some great ones that just might just kick start the ole' noggin' and get you thinkin'

If you’ve been thinking about proposing to your girlfriend, you probably never realized there are so many ways to propose to a girl. Now that you’re in the hot seat, you’ll want to get some proposal ideas so you can see what way will be the best fit for your girlfriend. There are romantic ways to propose, fun ways, and unique ways. The key is to choose a proposal that properly fits with your gal’s personality and what she likes.

Korbells, the champagne producer, does a wedding survey. One of their recent surveys discovered that almost 80% of women weren’t especially satisfied with their marriage proposals. Here are some proposal ideas to help make sure your woman is in that top 20%.

There are some things you should do to make your proposal is all it can be, and I’m not talking about anything to do with the U.S. Army, although I am a strong supporter of the armed forces and those who people who sacrifice to serve our country. The first thing is planning. Too few people actually take the time to plan out all the details of their proposals, beyond making dinner reservations and ordering flowers. While you may think taking these essential steps qualifies as planning, you’ll want to go a bit farther on something so important.

Think about everything you know she really likes, and all the things she’s mentioned about her likes and dislikes during your relationship. What does she talk about wanting to do in the future? How would she spend her time if she didn’t have to work, and could do whatever she wanted for the rest of her life? Is she very social, or a woman who is happier alone or with only a few close friends? The important to think about when planning your proposal is to make sure it is for her, and fits her personality perfectly.

Plan every detail, and have a back up plan in the event things change. You may not stick to the plan exactly, but if you have one, and some contingency plans, you’ll be much more confident, and your chances of success will be much higher. If you have to deviate form your plan, so be it, but at least this way you’ll be much more sure all the details are covered, rather than fumbling around later, with your girlfriend wondering what the heck is up.

The next thing is to practice your proposal speech. Speech doesn’t mean you have to deliver the Gettysburg Address or anything, but if you plan to say more than “Will you marry me?” you should at least run through it a few times. You’re going to be nervous, and nerves have a funny way of messing things up. A few run throughs before the show will really help you minimize your chances of a colossal screw up. The confidence gained from practicing it will help your nerves and help make the whole thing go more smoothly. Trust me, proposal can never go too smoothly.

What the heck are you going to plan and practice, anyway? Here are some of the ways you can propose, so you have something you can plan and practice.

There are many romantic ways to propose, and many of these are old standbys. You’ll rarely go wrong with a well planned and  implemented romantic proposal. Most women really appreciate romance, especially when it comes to their proposal. In light of the aforementioned survey results, going the romantic route would seem a safe bet.

What are some ways you can bring romance to your proposal? A wonderful view sure never hurts, so look at proposing in a place with a panoramic mountain, water, or city view. Adding in a sunset sure doesn’t hurt the view or romance component either.

Another way to include romance is to be sure there are some flowers and candles around. Make sure you are in an intimate setting. You can be at a restaurant, but be sure you’re at a private booth or a cozy table for two in the corner. Here is where the planning comes into play, because you have to actively pursue such details and make sure they happen according to your plan.

Here are some classic, romantic ways to propose.

Walk on the beach proposal – You can do this either at sunset or by moonlight. Both are very romantic, but if you want to do a moonlight proposal, you’ll need to look at the weather report, and a moon phase chart. After all, it will be hard to get a romantic, moonlit walk on the beach if the moon isn’t full, or if it’s obscured by clouds.

Romantic restaurant proposal - This is probably the most popular proposal scenario of all. Chose a restaurant that either has some romantic significance for you, or one that has a great reputation in the city where you’ll be proposing. If it has nice views, arrange a table that takes advantage of the view. If you can go on a night that isn’t busy, so much the better. You’ll have more privacy, and a smaller chance of obnoxious dinner guests interrupting your evening.

Go there a few times beforehand so that when you’re proposing it will be more of a surprise. If you haven’t ever been there before she’ll suspect something is afoot, unless you customarily dine out at nice restaurants. Remember, many women say that surprise is one of the keys to a successful proposal.

Romantic Bath Proposal - This works best if your girlfriend has had an especially difficult day, and would really appreciate a nice, hot bath. If she has a job where this is a regular occurrence, finding such a day will be so much easier for you. Get her bath ready and put in some nice, scented oil. Make things a bit more romantic with some soft, romantic music, flowers, and candles. You can even scatter some rose petals around the bathtub. Sure, she may think you’re getting her in the mood for something else, but that will only make it easier for you to surprise her.

As she is relaxing in the bath, give her a nice massage to make her even more relaxed. As she settles into an extreme state of relaxation, get down on one knee next to the tub, take her hand, slip the ring on her finger, and propose to her.

Romantic Adventure Proposals – These are not so classic, but are romantic just the same. If your girlfriend is the adventurous type, you can propose to her while doing something exciting, but you can make it romantic at the same time. Hiking or mountain biking is great, because you can go to a place with a spectacular view. Plan a picnic for when you arrive at the scenic view spot. Enjoy the view, and while she is paying attention to the view, surprise her with your proposal.

To take it a step further, you can go beforehand and prepare a proposal message for her that she can see as she views the landscape. You can also set it up so that your proposal is visible through binoculars as she is enjoying the scenery. As she looks through the binoculars, she’ll discover your proposal, and as she turns around to look at you in disbelief, you’ll be on one knee with the engagement ring for her.

I wrote in another post about proposing while white water rafting, and that is another great adventure proposal idea. You can also propose while scuba diving. As you surface with your bag full of whatever the heck you found down there (she’ll soon forget whatever it was anyway) turn to her, pull the ring out of the bag (making sure it is secured, so it doesn’t fall into the watery deep) and propose to her.

If your proposal is going to be more than “Will you marry me?” (and it should be) You can find some more ideas in one of my my posts on what to say when you propose to your girlfriend.

There are countless ways to propose marriage to your special girl. Maybe romance isn’t your thing, but it probably is hers. However, if you are sure she would rather have a proposal with a bit more zest, or intrigue, you can check out some of these others:

The day at the museum proposal – If your girlfriend is an Art or museum aficionado, you can arrange your proposal to happen during a trip to her favorite museum. Even better is to take her to a new one she has always to visit. She’ll be excited to visit a new museum, so she won’t suspect you’re about to propose to her. The great thing about museums is that there are so many different kinds, and chances are, if your girlfriend is really into visiting them, you’ll be able to find her one she hasn’t been to before, but has always wanted to. If it is in another town, you can make it a proposal trip.

You can arrange this with the museum director if you want to take things a step farther. That is great, because it will let you be a bit more creative than just asking her on the steps, although there is nothing wrong with that, either.

The huge party proposal – This works great if she is extremely social. Be aware that many women who love social gatherings and partying would still rather have their proposal be an intimate, romantic affair (maybe not the best word choice here) If you want the social / party proposal, have a huge party somewhere; at the beach, or at a large home works very well. Have all her friends and family who she would typically inviter to a large party.

Make it about some specific occasion such as Independence Day or the end of summer, but not about a milestone on someone else’s life, like a graduation. Making the party about a date or event can throw her off the trail, so she doesn’t suspect what you’re about to do.

When you propose to her, get everyone’s attention first. When everyone gathers around, and all eyes are upon you, make a short speech about how much she means to you and why she is the woman for you. When you’ve completed your speech, turn to her, get down on one knee, and propose as you take her hand and slip the ring over her finger. If you do this during an Independence Day celebration, time it so that the fireworks show starts just as you finish your proposal.

These are some great ways to propose, but if you didn’t find anything here you think would suit her, check out some other posts about Ways to Propose to a Girl.

If you have any proposal stories you’d like to share, please leave them in the comments section.

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!

There are so many things you can say when you propose to your girlfriend, but there are certain things you should say. Remember all women are different, so no two proposals will be alike.

What do I say to propose to my girlfriend is one of life’s big questions. Face it, just about nothing can change your life more than the answer to that one question, except for perhaps a visit to your local army recruiter. Asking it correctly is tough, because you most likely have no previous experience to guide you. That is one of the reasons that guys ask this as one of the most common questions when they want to find out the best way to propose.

Here is a sobering thing to reflect on for a minute. Your marriage proposal is going to be a defining moment in the rest of your life and your family’s life. Think about that for a second. Do you realize that if you marry your girl, have kids, and grow old together, the way you proposed to her could become family lore? It’s true. The story of how you proposed to her could become passed down through the generations of your family, one day becoming sort of larger than life. Not to put you under any more pressure than you were feeling already, but that is the truth. What you say, and how you say it, could not only make your girlfriend extremely happy, but could live on longer than the two of you.

There are some things you should know before you decide just what to say, though. In most cases you are going to know these, so it won’t be a problem. Every proposal should be personalized and about her specifically. While that may seem one of those self evident truths, you’d be amazed how many men don’t realize that, and just give their girlfriends generic “Will you marry me?” type proposals. That’s not to say that those 4 magic words should not be included in your proposal. On the contrary, the majority of women agree that you ask that exact question when you propose, but that is only the icing on the proverbial cake.

You can start with the question, “Will you marry me?”, and work backwards. Add to it certain elements that personalize the proposal so that is unique to the two of you and your relationship so far. Talk about the first time you met her. Add in the reasons you love her so much. Include the big things she knows about, and the little things that make her so special to you that she may not be aware of. Make sure you covey to her your commitment to her, and your life together, for the long term.

The fact is that you know her better than anyone else. You know what she loves, what she likes, and what drives her nuts. Bring those things she loves together in your proposal, so that it is perfect for her, and her alone. Incorporate all the elements above. By now your proposal will probably be getting a bit lengthy. You want to cut it down to between 30 and 45 seconds.

Go through and edit it down so that all the essentials are there, and it comes in at the proper length. Remember her personality though. Some women may have dreamed of a long proposal since they were little girls. If that’s your girlfriend, you can stretch it out to a minute or even more. On the other hand, some women would prefer a shorter proposal, and for them, you should make it clear, concise, and direct. Remember to include the essential elements though. Tell her she’s the only woman for you, tell her why, and tell her that you’re in it for forever, no matter what may happen be in your life together. You obviously don’t have to use these exact words, but convey the meaning to her in words that suit her and her personality.

This can help you decide what to say when you propose to your girlfriend. All women are different, and so their proposals should be too. Just remember the 4 words, and don’t forget the ring. For more ideas on exactly what to say when you propose, see my other posts on the subject.

You can give the perfect romantic proposal on a beach, but there are so many other ways.

What are some romantic ways to propose? Does it even matter? According to recent surveys, the fact is that most women were not satisfied with their proposals, and one of the main reasons is that they were no romantic enough. Guys, the majority of women love romance, even if they are not romantics in the truest sense of the word.

One of the places that romance matters to them the most is in their marriage proposals. You know what that means. You need romantic ways to propose. Forget about the football game proposals, or proposing in front of their family and friends. Most women would much prefer you to propose to them in a quiet, intimate setting, with the romance factor set to “high”.

How can you do that? Here are some romantic ways to propose that will be sure to have her overcome with emotion and sobbing with joy. A romantic proposal must include the elements of romance she’s looking for.

Here are some of the best, most romantic proposals you can use to completely win her heart, although you should really have won it before you pop the question.

Romantic Way to Propose 1 -

Have a candlelit dinner in a nice restaurant, with a spectacular view. An intimate table is vital here. Arrange to have red rose petals sprinkled on the table before you arrive. Do not do any of the weird stuff, like having the ring baked inside of her desert, or any similar shenanigans. You could have the server bring you the ring on a silver serving platter, though. That can be a nice touch.

Romantic Way to Propose 2 -

At sea, watching the sunset. Charter a boat for an intimate cruise, and have the staff serve you an intimate dinner on the at sunset , either up top, aft of the flying bridge, or on the stern dining area. The smell of the ocean, and the sunset combine for a tremendously romantic experience.

What can go wrong with this proposal: Well, anytime you’re at sea, the weather can tun ugly, no matter the quality of the weather report you received before you left the harbor. Another possible trouble spot is seasickness. Even if the weather is great, there can be enough roll to the sea that you or your gal may develop a spot of queasiness in the ole’ bowels. That would quash the romance in a hurry. As with anything mechanical, the yacht could break down, although that is rare.

In the past, chartering a yacht for the evening was quite expensive, and it’s still not a cheap date. As with many other things however, the soft economy has served to dramatically lower the price of evening yacht excursions.

Romantic Way to Propose 3 -

A walk on a secluded beach at sunset is almost always a sure winner with the romantic in her. To make it even more romantic, set up a bit beforehand. Put a message in a bottle at a certain spot. Don’t use any old pop or beer bottle, either. Find a nice, ornamental bottle. Put your proposal inside the bottle, and cork it. Important: Do Not put the ring in the bottle. The last thing you need is for some beach wanderer to walk off with your $5,000 or $10,000 engagement ring. Keep the ring safely in your pocket. Depending on the effect you’re looking for, you can scatter some rose petals around too. If you’re trying to make it look like you just happened upon the bottle, forget the roses.

As you’re walking down the beach you can get the the perfect spot and “find” the bottle. If you’re not using the bottle idea, you can hide a mat, some champagne, and some nice glasses in the sand. Whatever you decide, make sure you check the weather report first. Unless you’re in southern Cal, it does rain and get cold at the beach, you know.

You want to have the romantic elements. Sincerity is important. In addition, make sure you include personal elements, such as why she means so much to you, the first time you met, the first time you kissed, etc.

Ask the right question. No matter what else you say during your proposal, make sure you say those magical words “Will you marry me?” Two thirds of women polled in a recent survey on marriage and proposals indicated those words were very important in a good, romantic proposal. Something else that’s important is to make sure and surprise her with your proposal, so keep a lid on it, please. You’ll have the romantic proposal she’s been dreaming of since she was a little girl.

Remember, like a first impression, you typically only get one chance o propose to your girlfriend, so make it perfect!