The Best Proposal Tips - From A Jeweller That Has Seen It All
So the time has come… you’re ready to propose! This is an incredibly exciting time, and you want to make it as special as possible for your significant other. After all, you will remember these special moments for years to come, so the pressure is on!
After speaking with many men and women ready to take this next step, it can be somewhat daunting to plan such a momentous occasion. We’re seeing more and more elaborate proposals every day (thank you Instagram) with multiple photographers, videographers and even drone footage at the ready to capture the big moment.
A recent customer asked us for guidance on how to propose to his girlfriend, so here is a breakdown of our top tips based on our many interactions over the years.
Make it personal!
Your engagement should be unique to you and your partner. This can manifest in many different ways depending on your budget/lifestyle/preference, so here are some suggestions.
If you’re staying local to your home, perhaps you and your partner’s favourite restaurant or bar would be a great choice. These venues can offer a beautifully intimate setting with plenty of space to bend the knee. An added benefit is that you can both return to this place whenever you like, making this a very special place for you as a couple.
Maybe you would prefer to travel further away from home? If so, does your partner have a favourite holiday destination? Or have they mentioned somewhere they would like to visit that you could tie a proposal into? The key here is to know your partner and what they would enjoy - this could be a Bahamas beach proposal or on a skyscraper city escape.
An extra tip: If you are planning to propose abroad, please read this separate blog post on Getting Through Airport Security with an Engagement Ring.
Capturing the moment
This is entirely down to preference! We recommend knowing whether your partner would prefer to have the moment captured by a photographer/videographer ahead of your proposal date. If you would prefer not to ask, consider your partner’s personality and how they normally respond to cameras.
If you choose to hire a proposal photographer, we recommend working with them to choose an appropriate location to capture the moment perfectly. We have heard of photographers hiding behind sand dunes, bushes and park benches, or even pretending to be another customer at a restaurant in order to capture the perfect moment. Another great alternative here is to ask your partner’s best friend to capture the moment!
If you decide not to use a photographer, make sure your phone is fully charged! You could even elicit the help of a passerby to capture the post-engagement excitement.
Ultimately, it’s important to recognise that unless your partner lives their life chronically offline, we all live in an Instagram oriented world and they will want a pretty picture accompanying your engagement announcement. Do what you can to make this moment special!
Be discreet!
This is a clever trick that we have picked up on over the years. It can be tempting to tell all of your partner’s family and friends ahead of the proposal date because you are so excited to share the news. Whilst we find the sentiment of this very romantic, we recommend not telling everyone they know ahead of time.
Once you have proposed, your fiancee will eventually want to contact their friends and family (thank goodness for the invention of FaceTime). Let them enjoy the surprise on their friends’ faces when they share the news!
An age-old tradition?
Tradition dictates that you should ask your partner’s father for their permission before proposing. Some view this as outdated and/or inappropriate, and so prefer to skip this step entirely - if this is your preference, skip to tip #5.
If you would like to honour tradition but with a more modern twist, we recommend asking both parents for their blessing. This can be a beautiful way to involve your future in-laws and create some excitement in the lead up to your proposal.
Post-proposal celebration
After you have popped the big question, it is important to consider what will happen afterwards. We recommend having something special organised to celebrate, whether this be a party with friends and family or dinner at your restaurant of choice.
Plan!
The most important tip that we can impart is to simply have a plan.
Even if it doesn’t work out exactly as you expected, make sure you have an idea of what you would like to say and how you would like to say it. You might prefer to write a hand-written speech to avoid nerves getting in the way on the day. Or maybe you practice a few short lines before popping the big question. Either way, it is important to decide what you would like to say ahead of time.
Your fiancee will also want to know the behind-the-scenes of how and why you chose the location, who you spoke to beforehand, and all of the little details in between. A little effort goes a long way!
Don’t forget about you
It can be easy to get lost in designing the dream proposal for your future fiancee, but it is so important to remember that this is your moment too. Make a plan that incorporates your wants and wishes as well. After all, you will be telling this story for years to come, and you control the narrative.
