Top Ten Romantic Proposals

Okay, you’re going to pop the question, and you think a quick trip to the Red Lion at the end of the street, with your mates watching, is not the best idea.

So what should you do? Here are ten ideas for the way that you can ask that all important question, will you marry me.

Now, if you’re not a romantic, you’re going to struggle with this whole concept. You might ask, what’s wrong with asking while watching an episode of East Enders, or waiting for the traffic lights whilst in the car going to work? Because, quite simply, you have to try harder than that. Hopefully, in your time on this mortal coil, you’re not going to be asking the question too many times, and this will be one of the key milestones in your life. So, on this occasion, a little effort is needed.

Okay, lets start with one of the most popular ways to pop the question. Basically, it’s all a variation of the central theme of either asking the question, getting someone else to, or signalling the question with some neat device.

First up is the expensive restaurant, tête-à-tête. Okay, it doesn’t have to be expensive, it could just be ‘significant’ (as it was the first restaurant you ever went to on your first date) and you can do a lot to make it that bit more special. Consider having a violinist in the background; although keep a sense of decorum here, as some old chap screeching away through a grade one self-taught violin lesson is not going to endear you to your future partner, or the other diners. And maybe get the waiter to deliver the ring and a proclamation of your love on a card. That seem a bit cheesy, but if you’re worried you’re going to fluff your lines at that special moment, having your partner read the proposal, might help.

So, that’s the basic theory behind a good proposal. A great venue, a nice mood and the romantic delivery of the key question.

Once that’s appreciated, you can build various nuances.

How about ‘dressing’ the route, say when you’re bringing your loved one back from somewhere. You might start with a couple of notices along the road that x loves x, until you arrive at your place with a big sign asking the question. You can then reveal your t-shirt which says the same thing.

A big one is the holiday. Take your intended to their favourite spot in the world and then pop the question.

How about during a flight, snuggled up on the back row of a Jumbo, watching the movie, lights down and the food run finished; use this special moment to ask the key question. It would certainly bring a new meaning to the mile high club.

And for a subtle variation, buy a hot-air balloon flight for you and your partner. And while you’re in the clouds, ooh and aahing at the quarter mile drop to oblivion, ask them if they want to spend the rest of their lives with you.

Just one general point though, don’t use the venue, or the activity, to scare them into submission. The tactic of marry me or we’ll plummet to our deaths might get an initial positive answer, but they’ll change their minds once safety has been reached.

But how about this one. Hire some street artists and put on a little performance for your intended. Say a five minute show which culminates in you asking the question.

Again, a note of caution here. Don’t plan anything that will cause your partner major embarrassment. A clever joke is one thing, ridicule is likely to put off marriage for a good many years.

Perhaps you could plan a party, getting all your friends and family around. And as with the idea above, hire a magician to pull a dove with a marriage proposal out of a hat.

If your intended reads the local newspaper, or has a favourite magazine, then you might consider buying an advertisement which shouts your question from the pages.

And how about a treasure hunt, much like the annual Easter Egg hunt. You can hide clues all over the place, until the final message is encountered as the excitement builds up.

And finally, of course, is the sudden down on one leg and pop the question. On one hand this had its advantages; if your intended bursts out laughing, then it can all be carried off as a big joke and no harm done. The disadvantage is that the down on one knee manoeurve can be fraught with physical dangers. It has been known for suitors to slip over, or pull their backs, so just be careful when you do the flashing Knight bit.

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