There are few occasions in life where you remember exactly where you were and who you were with and even the date. One of those life-changing moments that you will look back on in years to come and cherish like no other is your marriage proposal.

When you find ‘the one’, you almost always know right away and it doesn’t matter when the big moment comes, you know it will.

From your first date, all of the special moments of your relationship to this point are eclipsed when you finally get around to completing the romantic gesture of asking the love of your life to take your hand in marriage.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Proposing

The problem that many people face, however, is that one person’s idea of a dream proposal can sometimes be their partner’s idea of the worst nightmare! From looking at various proposal ideas online to consulting with best friends and family members to making sure that you have the perfect engagement ring piece of jewelry to put on a finger, there is so much to try to wade through when planning a wedding proposal.

With all of this in mind, we have put together a list of some of the key do’s and don’ts that you should adhere to if you want to come up with the perfect proposal plan. You don’t need the help of a professional proposal planner to get it right. Just follow these simple rules and we can guarantee that you will execute popping the question in a way that your loved one will remember with joy for the rest of their life!

DO

Try To Come Up With Something Original

The last thing you want to do is go online, find a proposal idea that you like, and then just copycat it. Your partner will be able to tell that you haven’t put any original or personal thought into it, and that is a surefire way to let them know that they aren’t as special to you as they want to be!

Personalize Your Proposal

Don’t just go with the proposal ideas that are trendy at the moment. Instead, make the moment as personal and meaningful to you and your partner as you possibly can. Make sure that if you pick a restaurant, it’s your favorite restaurant rather than one that has been in the headlines recently, etc. Make sure that everything you include in the proposal means something to the two of you.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Proposing

Propose For Your Partner, Not TO Them

Keep in mind that you are organizing this proposal for your partner, not just setting up a performance to show them! Take into consideration what they like, where they like to go, and the kind of words they will want to hear, and then go from there.

Don’t Be Afraid of Looking Silly

Even if you have to execute a cheesy idea because you know it will melt your significant other’s heart, do it with joy. Your future life together will be warts and all so be confident that you are showing your future spouse just how far you will go to please them.

Have A Backup Plan

Even the best-made plans can go wrong from time to time! Make sure that you have a backup plan in case your original proposal idea doesn't look like it is going to come off in the way that you had hoped. Keep your head in the game and always be open to changing plans last minute!

DON’T

Propose Without A Ring

There are some misguided people out there who choose to start a marriage proposal before they have even got a ring! We get that there might be times when things aren’t perfect - such as getting the wrong ring size that you need to return to the jewelers to be resized - but don’t even consider popping the question unless you have the jewelry in your hand. The image isn’t complete without the bling.

Tell Too Many People

Keeping the secret of proposing can be super hard, especially if you have friends and in-laws that you are close to and from whom you may want help and inspiration. The best course of action is to tell a trusted few, and then leave it as a surprise proposal for everybody else, because once the cat gets out of the bag, it is hard to ensure that the word doesn’t get around to your partner before you get the chance to pop the question!

Do’s And Don’ts Of Proposing

Do Something Out Of Character

Don’t fall into the world of being influenced by social media and plan a proposal that is completely out of character for both you and/or your partner. Why would you want to propose at a sports game if sports isn’t something that the two of you share a passion? It just doesn't make sense! Why would you want to organize a flash mob public proposal if your partner is one of the most introverted people you know? That makes even less sense!

You might want to make the moment grand and romantic, but the main thing to keep in mind is that you want the proposal to be something that your partner will love and cherish as a memory for the rest of their life. If all you end up doing is embarrassing them, then that isn’t the best way to begin an engagement!

Propose Without The Ring Box

It might not be something that you have spent much time thinking about, but you absolutely must include the ring box as part of the proposal! Every marriage-minded woman’s dream is to be presented with a stunning velvet box that opens to reveal a sparkling diamond, just like a fairytale.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Proposing

What they don’t dream of, on the other hand, is biting down on a chocolate dessert only to break their tooth on the ring that you have placed inside the pudding! Don’t hide the ring in food, don't try to come up with any reveal that could be taken as a prank or joke, just stick to the classic, down on one knee, box reveal. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

So many people think more about how their proposal will look on Instagram that they tend to lose sight of the meaning of the occasion. Honestly, a picture of your fiance’s hand proudly displaying the ring is probably the best post for social media. Eyes on the prize!

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