Get engaged, IMG 0993 JPG—astrocoz (Flickr.com)
The modern marriage proposalcan easily be overused or cliche. Sometimes the more simple and not overly elaborate can be the most romantic. First thing to do is search for proposals in Youtube. Look at the most viewed and do not repeat. The mere act of recording the proposal for all to see is the opposite of romantic. Romance is something that is shared between two people. Once you step outside of just the two of you sharing a moment, can you really call it romance anymore?
Think about the type of person your significant other is. Study them for several weeks before proposing. Pay attention to what they say, their likes dislikes, their hopes and fears, etc. Then form a speech. The most important part of a proposal is expressing in the most sincere way why you want to spend the rest of your life with this person, with the hope and expectation to receive a mutual response. Be the person you want to be with and let that come through.
Do not be afraid to discuss your intentions before hand. Nothing is worse than asking this important question and not knowing the answer. It does not need to be a surprise. Sometimes the most romantic proposals are the ones that come unexpectedly. A proposal can happen out of the blue, when the feeling is right. It is important to be prepared for it so that when the time comes you are ready. Do not feel the need to create a time because there is a lot of potential to set yourself up for disaster.
In our culture, the ring has become such an important part of the proposal. But how many proposals have been ruined by getting “the wrong ring?” It is a silly concept when you examine what it really is. You are asking a question, an important one. Why is a piece of jewelry a prerequisite to asking this question? And it has to be bought in secret? Why would you not let the person receiving this piece of jewelry that they are going to wear until the day they die pick it out? Do not be afraid to ask the question when the time is right and not after this elaborate secret affair of buying a ring has been completed. Just do not be afraid to ask your significant other what their expectations are. There is nothing worse than going about accomplishing one of the greatest moments a person has dreamed about and doing it all wrong.