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By Marilyn Sutherland — Written on Sep 28, 2020
Are you wondering how to propose to your sweetheart in the most special and creative way?
You might think that you're not creative enough to come up with a memorable proposal. But being creative doesn’t mean some off-the-chart proposal that will be written up in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Creative is something that everyone can be when proposing. Why? Because you can think of something special that your partner would love that's personal to them, which would make your proposal an event they will never forget.
How can you make your proposal personal?
You can create a unique experience, based on what you know and even something only you know inside of your unique love relationship.
Include their favorite flowers, play, sing, or dance to a special song, dine at their favorite restaurant, or cook (or order in) their favorite dish.
You can use a meaningful theme for the ring (like Disney, if they're a fan) or a special stone instead of a diamond. You can have it be very private or involve friends and family, be elegant or casual, based on what they like.
The point is to make the proposal special and heartful. A memorable proposal can become a strong foundation for your future.
To get your creative juices going in creating your proposal, here are 4 ways to do it.
1. Make it part of celebrating a holiday, birthday, or special occasion.
You can never go wrong with this option.
Bring the ring out at the right moment, or you can hide it and let them find it in a glass of Champagne or inside a box of macaroons or cupcakes. Don't bury it in food where they could bite into it and break a tooth or swallow it!
A proposal on a special day can still be a surprise, because they're not expecting it exactly the way you did it, so they're not disappointed coming home empty-handed from a romantic evening.
Valentine’s Day, birthdays, holidays, and romantic vacations are a perfect time for a proposal, especially if they're hoping for a one and you're ready to commit.
Don’t propose because you think or know that they're expecting it. A proposal is your offering of love forever, so don't do it to just to please your partner.
2. Make it personal.
Think about what your partner enjoys doing and build your proposal around that.
Consider proposing when you're doing something fun that they enjoy — like bike riding, skiing, at their favorite movie marathon with friends, a concert, or during a scenic picnic.
If you do it before a romantic dinner, everything is sweeter, because you can extend the special moment into the evening and share your dreams. Romance and the element of surprise keeps the suspense building.
3. Make it unusual.
Creative for creative's sake doesn’t make it truly personal, so be sure that whatever you're creating will touch your partner's heart and make them feel special.
Two friends of mine — a couple — were on a cruise, and during a photoshoot, they were standing on the deck looking at the sunset. Suddenly, he dropped down on one knee and proposed.
This was wonderful for four reasons:
- He proposed and she said, "yes."
- She had no idea it was happening.
- She didn’t want a diamond, so he designed a gorgeous ring with her favorite stone — a big tanzanite.
- He planned it during a photoshoot, so they had professional photos.
Another couple was at Disney World, where they were sitting on the beach of one of the hotels that had a view of the castle where they were waiting for the fireworks to start.
He pulled out a small wooden box, each side with a Disney scene that he had hand-painted. When she opened it, it was a ring box with no ring. He got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage.
They would later fill the box with a diamond they purchased on a Disney Cruise in a setting they designed together.
Several women have also proposed. In one case, it was logistical. She was thinking of moving back home because she was homesick and wanted to stay only if he was committed and serious — and he was!
Sometimes, if a guy is shy or not sure she'll say "yes," he might be grateful and relieved that she asked. It’s also possible that he'll be upset because he was planning to do it and didn’t get a chance.
But when the woman proposes and makes her commitment clear, but he doesn't say "yes" or give a good reason to not accept, it is probably time to move on.
4. Make your proposal memorable.
The creative proposals are definitely memorable, but the best proposals are the ones made with love and commitment, rather than cleverness.
When I asked my friends to share their ideas for a creative proposal, several shared that their husband’s proposal was not creative, but was from the heart and was "sweet."
In the end, the women spoke about how their husbands expressed their love, often in a way that they normally wouldn’t, so their declaration of love was precious to them.
My husband's proposal is a perfect example. We both lived in different cities and spoke every night for one to three hours. We met every few weeks, sometimes staying at each other’s house, but also different cities for mini-vacations.
After six months of dating, I had flown in for another weekend to visit him where he was working. We stopped at a deli to order sandwiches.
He said to one the clerks, "Will you help my fiancée?"
I looked at him and said, "Fiancée?!"
He looked at me like he didn’t understand what I was saying. He didn’t realize he had said the word. He said it unconsciously.
I joked with him, "Wow, the clerk knew before I did."
But when I thought about it, that was so sweet. When he called me his fiancée, that word told me he loved me and was already thinking of me as his partner for life.
I wasn’t expecting a proposal, and it wasn’t a proposal. Even better, it was a declaration of love now and for the future. We've been married for over 20 years now!
Whatever type of proposal you want, I hope it's sweet, romantic, and fun.
But more importantly, I hope that you're with a healthy, happy, confident partner who has intentionally created their life. I hope they have integrity, are clear about their values, share them with you, and lives them in their daily life.
I hope they have a successful and fulfilling career, are responsible, and loves and appreciates you for who you are. Whoever they are, I hope they are a great communicator, and someone with whom you feel safe to be exactly who you are.
If the proposal was not clever or romantic at all, but if it was created from the heart, that is the best proposal of all!
The perfect proposal doesn’t equal a perfect marriage, so be sure you're ready to commit, no matter which side of the proposal you are on. Commitment is critical to an enduring relationship.
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Marilyn Sutherland is a relationship empowerment coach at Your Journey to Lasting Love. If you’re inspired about being yourself and being more aware of how you show up with men, whether you are single or in a committed relationship, reach out to her to request a Breakthrough Discovery Session.