How to Make a Wedding Proposal Unique
14 Mar 2023
Photo by KEREM KSLR
You’re getting ready to pop the question. You’re nervous, clammy, and frazzled. What if your love says “no”? Stop scaring yourself witless! In this post, I’m going to show you how to make a marriage proposal unique.
Wedding proposals should bear the imprint of the love you share with your partner. They should reflect your shared sense of humor, interests, and the flavor of your relationship.
So, this “how to” is intended to stoke your creativity and reign in your stress. Take a deep, cleansing breath and read on.
Timing and Clear Communication
Love is a funny thing. Our perceptions can be clouded by lust, familiarity, obligation, and so many other factors. So, it’s important to establish that you’re choosing the right moment to approach your intended spouse. According to The Knot’s 2021 Jewelry & Engagement Study, most proposals are planned well in advance, with the requesting party usually purchasing a ring 2 months before the planned proposal.
Give yourself plenty of time to validate your decision to ask for your love’s consent to marry. Discuss your relationship extensively and don’t try to hide the fact that marriage is on your mind.
Your prospective future spouse may not feel the same about marriage as you do. Give them an opportunity to let you know that before you go all in and start looking around online to shop wedding decor.
Clear communication in a relationship spares shattered feelings. Make your marriage proposal unique with openness and unity of purpose, long before springing for the ring. You’re setting the tone for a potential lifelong union with open communication.
Location. Location. Location.
Where did you meet this marvelous creature you’re hoping to wed? Where did you have your first date? Is there a place you laugh together about? A dive bar?
Review the sites in your mutual history that have weight. As I said above, you might choose a site of romantic significance, a place you shared something funny, or even a place that’s so ridiculous your love will never see the proposal coming!
Your super secret dive bar, that themed restaurant you both loved and hated, or the amusement park from that one day you’ll never forget – any of these might be the perfect place to propose. Everything depends on your shared history. Couples have inside jokes, so don’t rule out locations associated with them. The crazy location you choose might be the most romantic of all. And it will be completely unique!
But if your sweetheart’s a sucker for romance, then you know what to do. Pour it on thick. Hire a string quartet. Touch your love in all the soft places only you know about by acknowledging their romantic nature. Whatever you do, make it about the two of you and the intimacy of your endlessly unique bond.
Destination Proposal
Opportunities for unique proposals abound, especially around shared vacations, family events, and seasonal holidays. So, look for moments that offer such opportunities and that aren’t, perhaps, glaringly obvious wedding proposal favorites.
Destination Proposals are becoming increasingly common. But if you’re going somewhere anyway, why not slot a proposal into the agenda? Even a trip to the city for a film festival provides an opportunity. The moment should be just special enough to pop the question but not so special that it’ll seem obvious you’re going to pop it.
And if you’re traveling somewhere delightful for a summer vacation, know your destination well enough to find a picturesque spot for your big moment. On a beachy getaway, it’s a toes-in-the-sand dinner. In Rome, it’s high on a hill, overlooking the Eternal City. Your imagination will never let you down when applied to life’s unique wedding proposal opportunities.
The Ring Thing
Remember that part about the proposal-making party buying the ring 2 months before the proposal? Don’t do it. Here’s why.
Your intended spouse has preferences about the engagement ring. That’s why. A ringless proposal is nothing new under the sun but your proposal should include a loving “ring-shopping together” section. Say something like, “I can’t wait to shop for the ring that will remind you of our love every time you look at it.”
Another option is to dispense with an engagement ring altogether and the wedding band with it. Some couples are now choosing this option. But the symbolism of wedding and engagement rings is deeply romantic! If you’re going to be traditional and do the “ring thing”, then include your partner in making the selection. That ring is intended to be worn for life, so it’s important that the decision be shared. This is another facet of your proposal that sets the tone for your future marriage. Shared decision-making makes stronger marriages!
Add a Surprise!
Wherever you propose, adding a surprise makes the occasion even more special. A surprise proposal party shares the joy of the moment. You may have opted for a beloved dive bar, a drive-thru window, or a 5-star restaurant to propose to your love but a sudden onset fiesta takes the excitement of the moment and adds celebration.
If the venue you’re making your proposal at can’t accommodate you, plan your surprise party en route home, on foot, or by vehicle. Suggest a post-dinner coffee and dessert at a new place you heard about. Then, open the door to a surprise your love will never forget. A surprise proposal party is even more unique when you choose an unusual location or theme. Botanical garden? Local taco truck? Bowling alley? Your choice reflects the texture of your shared love and who you are to each other.
Your Love is Unique
No two loves are alike. And within the uniqueness of your relationship are two unique people. Proposing to the most important person in your life demands preparation and forethought to honor the one-of-a-kind love you share. Spontaneity is woefully overrated, especially when it comes to making a wedding proposal unique!
Planning a unique wedding proposal is an act of love. Because you love your intended spouse, you’re going to make your proposal one for the books by thinking outside the box. And already, you know the answer is “yes.”
Tess DiNapoli
Tess DiNapoli is an artist, freelance writer, and content strategist. She has a passion for yoga and often writes about health and wellness, but also enjoys covering the fashion industry and world of fitness.
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