Popping the big question is nerve-wrecking for every guy out there. You’re having a hard enough time deciding how to propose a girl for marriage in the most unique and memorable way, without it being cheesy as well.
You want everything to go flawlessly, since you know that this is a day she’ll remember for as long as she lives. After all, you only have one chance to arrange the perfect proposal.
If this is something you’re dealing with right now, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re here to help you figure out how to propose a girl in the most special way possible. Not only that: you’re also about to get some of the most unique proposal ideas to use on this special day.
1. Be certain that she’s the one
Before you even start thinking about how to propose to a girl of your dreams, you have to be certain that she is the one for you.
There mustn’t be any doubts that she is your forever person and the only woman you can ever see yourself growing old next to.
Don’t get married just because you think it’s time to do so. Marry her because you don’t question the love the two of you share.
Oh, and another thing – you shouldn’t have any doubts about your compatibility.
Sadly, sometimes love isn’t enough.
This should be someone you get along well with and someone with whom you have similar interests and worldviews, unless you want to sentence both of you to a lifetime of arguments and fights.
2. Make sure your relationship is on the right track
After you’re sure about your emotions, it’s time to reconsider your relationship. Have you been dating long enough for this step to be logical?
Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s possible to be ready for marriage even after a few months.
However, you have to be aware that this is a huge step and you need to know the other person extremely well to start sharing your life with them.
Another important question regards the place in which your relationship is right now.
I’m not talking about little fights and issues every couple has: I’m asking whether your relationship is healthy enough to be taken to the next level.
Your proposal shouldn’t serve you as a tool to make things better, nor should you expect that marriage will magically make everything right between you two if things haven’t been in order lately.
3. Try subtly finding out whether she wants marriage
When you’re trying to figure out how to propose to a girl, you think of making this proposal a romantic surprise.
It’s what you’ve seen in movies: the girl has no idea that her boyfriend will pop the question and of course, she always says yes.
Nevertheless, in real life, things are a little bit different. It is important for both of you to be ready for this step unless you want her to agree to your proposal just so you aren’t embarrassed.
You want her to say yes because she wants to get married as well. That is why it would be great if you could try subtly finding out whether this is her plan.
First of all, start talking about marriage. Does she see herself as a married woman in the future?
Also, is marriage a part of her short or long term plans? Are there things she wants to get done before even considering it, such as finishing school, getting a steady job, or ensuring she is financially stable?
Have in mind that there are some people who don’t believe in marriage at all. If your future fiance is one of them, your proposal probably won’t go as well as you imagined.
4. Reconsider her personality
The next step is to start thinking about this girl’s personality and her preferences.
There are tons of proposal ideas to be found on Google or seen in movies but you can’t contemplate any of them without first thinking about what would make your girlfriend happy.
For example, if she is a private person and an introvert, proposing to her publicly might embarrass her.
If she is not a typical romantic soul, maybe she won’t be into huge romantic gestures such as flowers, poems, or stuffed animals.
On the other hand, some girls’ dream is to get proposed to on national TV.
You’re her boyfriend and her fiance to be. Therefore, you should be the one who knows her best. Think about all the little things she loves. Think about her hobbies and interests.
Include all of that in your proposal.
5. Pick the perfect time
Another important thing here is the date of the proposal. You’re a guy and you probably don’t give a damn about dates but trust me, women are way different and care about special occasions.
I assure you that this is a date she’ll remember for the rest of her life. She might even celebrate it every year as some kind of an anniversary.
Therefore, the best thing for you to do is to pick a date with a meaning. It could be Valentine’s Day, International Woman’s day, New Years, her birthday, or some other special occasion.
A good idea is to use your anniversary as the date of your marriage proposal.
It can be the anniversary of your first date, first kiss, or the date on which you two became exclusive and turned your relationship into a committed one.
If your anniversary, her birthday, or Valentine’s Day is too far away and you want to propose to her as soon as possible, here is a great idea: Pick a catchy date, something you two will remember for the rest of your lives: for example the 5th of May, 6th of June and so on.
6. Think about the place
Now that you’ve chosen a date, it’s time to think about the perfect place for the proposal.
You’re trying to figure out how to propose to a girl in the most unique way so you clearly don’t want to do it in your car or while you’re drinking coffee.
Basically, picking the place is similar to picking the perfect time and date. It should have a deeper meaning.
One option is to choose a universally romantic setting. If you’re not on a budget, you could take her to visit her favorite city, or maybe propose to her on the top of the Eiffel Tower or in front of the pyramids in Egypt.
You could plan a romantic getaway for just the two of you and ask her to marry you there.
Bear in mind that there is something special about height and air.
So, proposing on the rooftop of the highest tower in your city or while you’re sightseeing in an air balloon would definitely add a special touch to the whole thing.
However, if you don’t have the chance to do something like this, taking your girlfriend to the beach at sunset, to a botanical garden, or just taking her out for a fancy candlelight dinner will be more than enough.
Another option is to forget about what other people consider to be romantic and remember something from your relationship.
Where did you first kiss? What was your first vacation or romantic getaway? Where did you have your first romantic dinner? Where did you tell her you loved her for the first time?
Focus on the places which have special meaning for you two as a couple.
For her, it might be most romantic to propose to her in some alley where you first kissed because it will show her that you remember all the details about your relationship.
However, if you choose this option, don’t forget to decorate the location and make it as romantic as possible.
7. Choose the perfect ring
The next thing you have to do is choose the perfect ring. You don’t have to spend a fortune on it but this is not the time for you to be cheap either.
After all, the ring will provide a lifelong memory for this girl. Besides, if you can’t afford a decent ring, she’ll probably wonder if you’re financially stable enough for a life together.
However, the most important thing here is once again your girlfriend’s personality and taste. As a man you probably have no clue about her style but now that has to change.
Observe what she wears with more care. Pay special attention to her jewelry because not all girls like wearing huge stones.
If she is traditional, it’s best to go with a classic engagement ring. However, if she experiments with her styles, make sure you pick an unusual ring.
Remember that you can also decorate the ring box.
Of course, you can always consult with her friends or female family members about this. Trust me, every girl has talked to her best friend about her dream engagement ring.
Also, don’t forget about the ring size. Try measuring her finger while she is asleep or borrow one of her rings so the jeweler can determine the ring size you need.
8. Practice the proposal
I won’t lie to you: figuring out how to propose to the girl of your dreams is anything but easy. As much as you are certain of her response, when that moment comes, you’ll always have doubts about it.
Besides, this is a big moment in both of your lives so you want everything to be as perfect as possible. You’ve planned it in detail for a very long time so you’re scared about something going wrong.
Let me tell you that it’s perfectly natural to be nervous. However, the last thing you want is for your anxiety or clumsiness to ruin this big event.
Therefore, the best way to avoid a situation in which you freeze or get tongue tied is to practice the marriage proposal.
Make a proposal planner and write down every step you want to make. If necessary, write down everything you want to tell her and learn your speech by heart.
9 Creative Marriage Proposal Ideas
1. Write the proposal message
If you’re not a good speaker and you have a hard time verbalizing your emotions, the best idea for you is to use a banner or a T-shirt to help you pop the big question.
This way, you can be certain that you won’t make a mistake or be too afraid to say the golden words.
Don’t write a long essay. Just write down “I love you. Will you marry me?”
Of course, you’ll decorate your banner or T-shirt. You can use photos of the two of you or some love quotes.
You could put this banner somewhere public, for example in the main square of your town. Or you could post it in front of her house, so she’ll see it when she goes out.
On the other hand, if you want to keep things private, you could just show up wearing the T-shirt or banner while the two of you are alone.
2. Scavenger hunt
If you’re wondering about how to propose to the girl of your dreams, another amazing and unique way to do it is to arrange a scavenger hunt for the engagement ring. Just hide the ring and make her find you and it.
Make a map of all of the places that mean something to you two as a couple.
Post clues on each one of these places to lead her to the final goal, where you’ll hide the ring and wait for her to find you on one knee holding it.
3. Ring in the cake
I’m sure you and your girlfriend have a favorite restaurant. So why not ask the staff to put a ring in her favorite cake, which will come as the dessert after your candlelight dinner?
You can pick a restaurant or a cake shop she’s wanted to go to but that you’ve never had the time to take her to or the place where you two had your first date.
4. Radio or TV station
You are this woman’s boyfriend and future fiance so you probably know her habits.
Does she listen to the same radio station in the car every time she goes to work? Does she have a favorite TV show or a podcast she enjoys listening to?
Well, you should use this information to your advantage. Do your best to contact the host of one of these shows and ask them to say the golden words on your behalf.
This way, you’ll avoid the tension because someone else is practically doing the job for you. All you have to do here is make sure you’re with her during the show.
5. Photo album
Here is a romantic way to propose: make a photo album of the two of you. You can start with photos of you as kids (ask her family or childhood best friends to help you out) and continue with your life journeys.
The next step is photos of you two as a couple. Sort them by date and put them in chronological order.
You can put photos of your favorite places, cities you’ve visited, or special gifts you’ve bought for each other.
Incorporate everything with romantic quotes, love poems, or lyrics from songs that describe your relationship or are connected to it in some way.
You can even print out screenshots of your texts and put them in the album as well. Make sure to mark each one of your anniversaries and important dates you’ve spent together.
Finally, leave one blank page with the headline “proposal”. Ask her to look at the album while you’re there and when she comes to this page, go down on one knee and take out the ring.
After she says yes, take out a camera and make a photoshoot of that special moment to put on the blank page.
You can turn this into a tradition even after the romantic proposal and continue making a photo album of your love for the rest of your life.
6. Write it in flowers
I’m sure you’ve seen it in fancy hotels. People go on their honeymoon and the hotel writes down their initials or the date of their wedding in red rose petals.
Well, there’s an idea for you as well. Instead, you can write “Will you marry me?” in flowers.
Put it on her bed or in front of her house. Of course, it doesn’t have to necessarily be red roses. Instead, pick the flowers she loves the most.
On the other hand, if you plan to pop the big question while on a trip, just ask the hotel management to arrange a romantic dinner and write the question in flowers .
7. Include your family and friends
If your fiance-to-be is an old soul, nothing will make her happier than knowing that you’ve asked her parents’ permission to marry her.
You might think of this as old fashioned and outdated but trust me, for most girls, it’s a sign of respect.
Besides, your future inlaws will appreciate this nice gesture more than you might think. After all, these people are about to become your family so it is important to have a good relationship with them.
Don’t worry, she is still the one making the decision to marry you. This is just something formal and symbolic.
You can revolve the entire romantic proposal around this. Gather her family and closest friends and ask her to marry you in front of them.
8. Concert or a sports match
When you’re dating a girl who is into big gestures, proposing to her in front of hundreds or even thousands of people could be her dream come true.
What better and more romantic way to do it then at a concert of her favorite band or singer, or even at a football or basketball match?
If it’s possible, try getting in touch with the management and the organizers of the event.
You can ask them to write a proposal message:”I love you. Will you marry me?” on the big screen or to turn the kiss camera towards you in a given moment, when you’ll kneel down and take out the ring.
And remember, some celebrities will be more than happy to interrupt their performance to ask your girl to marry you.
9. On the plane
If you’re figuring out how to propose to a girl who is into travelling, the most romantic place to do it is on the plane, while you’re above the clouds.
Ask the pilot or the stewardess to provide you with a fancy meal or to ask her to marry you on the speaker, so the entire plane can hear it.
Just be careful with these things: if you’re dating a shy girl, this gesture could turn into her biggest nightmare.