We’re pretty sure that getting engaged is up there along with the life-changing events you’ve encountered in life so far. Whether the person you’re planning on spending your life with is a childhood sweetheart or a romance which appeared like a bolt from the blue – asking someone to spend the rest of their lives with you is a pretty big deal and should be treated as such! Make sure your proposal is as heartfelt and thoughtful as it could possibly be with our seven steps to getting it right…

1.)    Make it a surprise

We’re sure that in order to come this far you’ll probably have discussed getting married (perhaps you’ve even discussed kids?!) but there’s nothing romantic about a wedding proposal which has pretty much been diarised in for a specific time and date. Find a place for that special moment that you know your other half won’t be expecting – the reaction will undoubtedly be so much more impactful plus we all need a story for the grandkids, right?

2.)    Be prepared

Saying ‘will you marry me’ can be a bit of a dry mouth moment, and you don’t want to be left completely tounge-tied when the big moment arrives. It may feel silly, but try practicing the words out loud, that way you’ll come off confident and romantic when it comes to the real deal.

3.)    Do ask her parents

So this one is a little old fashioned we grant you, but if you get the opportunity to ask her mum or dad for their blessing – do it! There’s still something lovely and romantic about going through the respectful motions before getting down on one knee, which leads us to our next point…

4.)    Get down on one knee!

If you’re a man proposing to your girlfriend, getting down on one knee is still as charming as it was back in the 1950’s. Most ladies will have grown up watching romantic proposals in films and getting down on one knee (even if she does later demand you ‘get up!’) adds both a seriousness and romantic element to the proposal. Ladies, if you’re proposing to your man this Leap Year – don’t feel you have to drop to one knee, especially if you’re in a tottering pair of heels, or if there’s a chance he may be to busy concentrating on your cleavage at that angle. He would probably prefer a proposal over dinner or whilst stood at a memorable place.

5.)    Have a ring!

You’ll probably already know if your future wife wants to pick her own engagement ring, but be clever and try window shopping so you recognise the style (colour, size, uh hem, price range) of the rings she loves. Proposing without a ring is a no, no if you’re a man asking a woman, even if the gesture is later returned and replaced with the absolutely perfect spherical object! Girls, if your man isn’t a wearer of rings, how about a watch, cufflinks, or a piece or art – something that will last a lifetime!

6.)    Be creative!

Yes, we’ve given you some tips here, but ultimately you know the person you want to marry inside out and you’ll have a lot of personal moments, places and jokes that you can bring into the equation. Choose a personal spot for your engagement, a romantic holiday destination, the place you first met, or if you’re the adventurous type you could ask while skydiving, skiing or even scuba diving (although we need a whole other blog post to sort out the logistic of that one!) Incorporate your personality, favourite things, foods and anything else you can think of into the proposal. Make it memorable rather than a cookie cutter romance.

7.)    Tell her / him WHY you want to marry them

Don’t just utter those 4 little words, tell her why she’s the one for you, what marriage means to you, and what your hopes for the future are. If you can’t picture life before or after he/she was/is in it then make sure you get that across. It’s soppy, it’s romantic – and if there was ever a time to say it – it’s when you’re proposing!

Good luck, love TLD x