Buying the ring alone isn’t enough to just pop the question. Proposing to someone is one of the most complex things to do. Wherever you go, there is no “right answer” to making a perfect proposal. It’s challenging to say the words right and to have just the right element of surprise.
Depending on who you’re proposing to, a “perfect” proposal can vary. So here are a few ways to pop the question depending on the person you want to marry:
1. At the place you first met
For long-time lovers, taking people to the place you first met gives the person you are proposing the impression that you had the “love at first sight.” Sometimes, it can be a reminiscent memory that couples like to look back on, but other times, it’s just showing them that you admire that memory of them from before or love them as much as you did before. That gives it the “sweeping off your feet” vibe.
2. Use an animal
For those proposing to an animal lover or those who met through their pets or whatever animal accident or inside joke, you may have, using a pet to propose is one of the best ways to propose to them. You could train your pet (if possible) to “fetch” a ring box or tie the ring on the animal’s leash.
3. Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a great way to propose to someone for the Halloween lover. You could arrange a pumpkin carving contest where everyone reveals their “designs” in the end and ask the people who “joined” the contest to carve out a word for the phrase “Will you marry me?” If you opt for a more private option, decorating your house with multiple pumpkins and “asking” for their help with one of the pumpkins is the way to go.
4. Use Christmas lights
For your Christmas-loving partner, Christmas lights are a beautiful way to propose. You could spell out “Marry me?” in a dimmed room and flick open the lights when you propose, or you could make a big gesture and place the question on your rooftop. Regardless of what you choose to do, the use of Christmas lights will give it that night the *sparkle* you’re looking for.
5. Refrigerator magnets
When proposing to the lover who is always in the kitchen, arranging the words on the refrigerator using magnets would be a cute way for you to propose! It will be the surprise of their life when they enter the kitchen.
6. Reenact their favorite movie proposal scene
You may want to reenact the movie proposal scene that they love the most for the movie lover. Setting up the stargazing moment from “A Walk to Remember” or the cardboard flipping scheme of “Love Actually” would flutter your partner’s heart.
7. Write it in a book.
For the book lover, buying your partner a “limited edition” piece of their favorite book or getting them a romance book such as one on a couple’s journey against Alzheimer’s disease would be a great surprise. Just write the question on the first page of the book or on the book’s last page.
8. Marry Me Mug
For the coffee lovers out there, those who perhaps met on a coffee date or the classic rom-com “spilling of coffee” incident, this would be a great way for you to propose. This is done by simply giving a mug of coffee with the words, “Marry me?” in the bottom of the cup, which they will see when they finish the drink.
9. In the newspaper
When proposing to someone who just loves reading the newspaper, or for those who love solving the daily crossword puzzle, this is a great way to pop the question. If you have the extra cash, taking up a blank ad in the newspaper may be the way for you. If not, placing the ring box or ring inside or under the morning paper may be the way to go!
10. Ask their kids
For your partner with children, asking their children in advance for their blessing is a hard thing to do, but asking them as well to help you in your proposal would give your groom/bride-to-be the impression that their children support the proposal. You could ask them to pass the ring or ask the child to play a “game” with the mom wherein the child holds out two closed hands and asks the mom to guess where an “item” is.
11. Ask them at the end of a race.
For the athletic partner who loves participating in races or triathlons, meeting up with them at the finish line and popping questions would be an excellent “accomplishment” they get at the end of the race. Just make sure that they’re not too tired by the end, though!
12. Take them to a “Reading.”
For the partner who loves going to seances or a tarot card reading, you may want to try asking her local shop to come up with a surprise card with the words, “Will you marry me?” or a “proposal” card before popping the big question.
13. Custom labels
For the foodie, adding a label or note on their favorite food item when ordering take-out is a great way to pop the question. You may even want to keep it hidden in their food – just make sure that your partner chews when they eat!