Do whatever it is that makes you feel connected to each other, and enjoy that feeling

Nailing that yes

Are you both on the same page about getting married?

How does your partner feel?  Have you already discussed getting married? Are they as keen as you are?

Is everything hunky-dory with the relationship? Are both certain about being together forever?  If there are any types of alarm bells in the relationship, get them sorted first.

Proposing to your partner should never be a test to see if they love you or to see if they will stick around. 

You should know and feel that already.

Only propose if you’re confident you both want the same thing.

If everything feels right and this is the person you want to spend your life with, let’s do this.

What would they like?

Have you taken the time to truly understand what kind of proposal would make your partner happy?

The way you choose to propose is a pivotal moment in your relationship, and it’s important to consider their preferences and desires.

Will they appreciate being the centre of attention, or would they prefer the intimacy of a private proposal?

Would they like you to ask their parent’s permission?

By taking these factors into account, you can create a tailor-made proposal for your partner, One that will almost always guarantee a resounding “yes”.

And leave a memory that will last a lifetime.

Keep it real

A romantic proposal needn’t cost a lot of money or be something loud and brash. Apart from emptying your pocket, they might not appreciate it, and you will have lost the proposal’s sentiment.

What you want to savour is the moment.

Remember, a proposal is about the two of you.  Keep it real to you both; what do you both like? Take some time to consider what they would envisage a proposal to be like.

Your proposal doesn’t need to be flashy to be meaningful.

Where and when to propose

Do you have a favourite spot that you both like, or maybe a place you walk regularly?

Perhaps where you had your first date.

Are there any dates in the year special to your relationship that you could make your proposal? A special birthday or anniversary?

Don’t be influenced into proposing on the likes of Valentine’s Day because that’s seen as a romantic day unless the date is significant for you as a couple. A proposal is about making memories, not following the crowd.

Dates in the calendar like Valentine’s Day make the cost of things much more expensive. So if you are planning a meal out that day, be prepared to pay over the odds.

Many couples dream of being proposed to on a romantic day like Valentine’s Day, but if you’re anything like me, I’d prefer it to be done on a normal day or a day that meant something to us as a couple.

Doing it on a day out with Valentine’s Day would bring an element of surprise to the occasion too.  You don’t want them to get a hint that you might be going to propose by booking a romantic meal on Valentine’s day, for instance, if that’s not something you normally do.

Rings

Are you going to propose with a ring? Or perhaps you aren’t having engagement rings.

Would your partner want to choose their ring? If that is the case, don’t let that stop you from proposing now.

Rings, or whatever you choose to pick as your engagement symbol, can be done at a later date.

What could you use to propose instead of a ring:-

Flowers
Toy ring
Watch

or
An empty ring box

It’s not that important if you have something to hand over right there and then or not. A proposal is about showing your partner that you want to spend the rest of your life with them.

Is it the right time for them?

Make sure nothing is going on in your other half’s life that might make them say no.

Are they under pressure at work?
Are they worrying about a family issue?

You want that resounding yes back from them.

Double Check

If you have made reservations at a restaurant or hotel, double-check that everything is confirmed on the date you want, no slip-ups.

Are you including family?  Make sure that they have your instructions, where to be, and when, for example.

Make sure they try not to spoil the occasion by letting something slip in front of your partner.

What to say

Have a rough idea of what you want to say?

If you suffer from anxiety at things like this, planning what you want to say can help control it.

It might change when you start the conversation, but at least you have a starting point.

What about:-

Why you love them

When you knew they were one

What do you love about them the most.

Or you could be short and sweet and say “will you marry me?”.

If something goes wrong or turns out differently from what you envisioned, that’s okay.

Remember, love is spontaneous.  No top tips or planning can allow for spontaneous moments like these.

This is an occasion you can’t plan word for word. You never know what they will say or how they will react. Just go with the flow.

A celebrant uses your love story, including your proposal, to create your ceremony. So no matter what happens, we will have a story to tell at your wedding ceremony.

What if i get emotional?

That’s okay; it’s a momentous occasion for you both; you’re allowed to get emotional.

We all fantasize about that big moment, but it’s impossible to anticipate what you’re going to feel. You might both feel overwhelmed, so have some hankies to hand.

Trying to keep your emotions in check can make you more nervous and a bit more challenging to get out what you want to say. So, go with the flow.

Sharing your feelings with your partner in a proposal is the fundamental part.

Capturing the proposal

How are you going to capture that momentous moment?

If you’re arranging it at a venue, ask one of the staff if they can secretly be in the background taking photos.

If you’re doing it outdoors, just the two of you, then why not get yourself a little tripod?

That way, at least, you get some photos after the event with the two of you in it.

Or, if you want to spend a little money and capture it professionally, speak to a photographer and get them lined up to be in the vicinity of where you’re going to propose.

If you’re proposing in front of family and/or friends, then ask one of them to take the photos.

Catch your breath

Once you start sharing the news with everyone, you ain’t gonna have much time to yourselves.

So, take a day or two to yourselves to enjoy what just happened before you announce it to friends and family.

Perhaps celebrate with a nice meal or a few days away.

And there we have it, my top tips on how to propose.

Planning for a proposal doesn’t always happen.

Sometimes it a spur-of-the-moment thing, and that’s fine. Sometimes the right moment arises when you least expect it; you can’t say hang on a min till I get all the planning in place, can you?

You’ve just got to go with it at that moment.

December through to February sees the largest number of couples proposing each year.

Once you’ve proposed, the next step is to set a wedding date and of course, look for someone to marry you; here’s me. 

I would love to help you create your wedding ceremony. Check out the information about my ceremonies here.

I would love to hear from you if you’ve found the top tips on planning a proposal useful and how it went. Us celebrants are a bit nosey like that.

Good luck with the proposal and perhaps hear from you soon.