How Should I Propose to My Girlfriend? Answers to The Most Important Question
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
