How to Propose: 7 Tips to Help You Pop the Big Question

Having trouble planning your marriage proposal? Just follow these amazing tips on how to propose and you’ll have the experience of a lifetime!

Every year, millions of couples get engaged, and the proposer typically spends a lot of time getting the big event just right.

In fact, on average, they spend 4.4 months planning the proposal, and seven percent spend 12 months or more in the planning stage.

Are you getting ready to pop the question to your loved one? Do you want to make sure you ask in a way that they’ll think of fondly for years to come?

If you’re not sure how to propose to your partner, here are some tips that can help.

Knowing They’re “The One”

If you haven’t started planning your proposal yet, what’s holding you back? Is it because you’re not 100 percent sure your loved one is “the one”?

Before you make a huge decision and ask them to marry you, it’s important to be certain that they’re someone you want to marry and live with forever.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to be positive your loved one is the person you want to marry:

Your life seems better and brighter when they’re around
Your friends and family get along well with them
They’re motivated and not afraid to do their own thing
They support you
But they’re also not afraid to call you out
You trust them
They trust you
You have a similar sense of humor
You have good chemistry
You feel you can be yourself around them

If you can check all of these boxes, there’s a good chance you’ve got a person worth marrying by your side.

How to Propose: Planning the Event

You’re convinced that your partner is the love of your life, the one with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. That being said, planning the perfect proposal can still be a daunting task.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin setting everything up for the big day:

1. Make Sure Marriage Is on Their Mind

Before you move forward with your proposal plan and start shopping for a ring, it’s a good idea to make sure you and your partner are on the same page.

In a perfect world, they’ll be thinking about marriage at the same time as you. That’s not always how it works, though.

Have a conversation (or several conversations) and get a sense of whether they’re also thinking about marrying you.

2. Get the Ring

If you know that your partner is also interested in marriage, it’s time to start thinking about the ring.

Depending on your partner and how forward-thinking they are, they may already have some ideas about the kind of ring they’d like to wear.

Start paying attention to the jewelry they wear on a regular basis and do a little sleuthing to see if they have any wedding-themed Pinterest boards.

You don’t have to get them an exact replica of something they’ve pinned online, but you can use those images for inspiration.

3. Talk to Their Family/Friends

It’s a good idea to talk to their family and/or friends about the proposal, too.

Depending on their relationship with their family, you may or may not want to ask for their permission to propose. However, it’s still nice to let them know what you’re planning.

They can also give you some insight into what your partner will like best when it comes to various aspects of the proposal, from the ring to the setting.

4. Find the Right Moment

Timing is everything when it comes to a proposal. Pop the question at a time that makes sense for you and your partner.

Asking them with a surprise party when they come home from a stressful day at work might not be the best approach. Instead, pick a time when they’ll be happy, at ease, and in a position to remember and savor the moment.

5. Choose the Right Location

Choose the right place for the proposal, too.

It doesn’t have to be on a beach in the Bahamas, but it helps to choose somewhere special that has some meaning to both of you. It could even be somewhere as simple as the backyard when you’ve spent a lot of beautiful summer nights.

Don’t overthink it, but be sure to put some thought into where you’ll ask them to be yours forever.

6. Write Something Down

It helps to have something written down before you go into the proposal.

Even if you’ve rehearsed what you want to say a million times in the mirror, there’s still a possibility that you’ll forget, especially when you’re looking at the love of your life and asking them to spend forever with you.

To avoid finding yourself speechless, go ahead and job a little something down. Having it there in your pocket can give you confidence and peace of mind, even if you don’t end up using it.

7. Make It Surprising

Often, when one partner is getting ready to propose, the other person knows. They might not know when or where the proposal is going to happen, but they usually have an idea that something is going down soon.

There’s nothing wrong with this. However, you should still do your best to keep at least some elements of the proposal a surprise.

Don’t let them catch you shopping for men’s wedding bands online or Googling “romantic proposal destinations.” Leave something to the imagination.