I’m fixin’ to pop the question to my adorable honeybutt, and I was wondering if any of you folks had any creative ideas on how to propose marriage? I thought that sending her a telegram with “WILL YOU MARRY ME” as the message would be kind of cute, but…aw, crap! I’ve never done this before! HELP!
“My hovercraft is full of eels.”
Creative marriage proposals are overrated. I can’t imagine anything more romantic than simply telling her how much you love her. Oh yeah, and don’t buy the ring without consulting her; she’s the one who’s going to have to wear it for the rest of her life.
I disagree on both counts Fretful.
First, there’s nothing wrong with a straight out proposal, but it’s always nice to be able to tell the friends and relatives about the proposal story; also, you’ll remember it better. 
Second, consulting your SO on buying the ring seems a little utilitarian to me. Whatever you decide on, she’ll love it I’m sure. I can’t see myself proposing w/out a ring in hand. Do your research first though. There is a LOT to learn about diamonds when the time comes. I took a few weeks just looking around and talking to jewelers before I decided.
“Teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few.”
-Tao Te Ching
Sorry if I sounded a bit snippy earlier, but I still think simple and classic is best. Depends on the girl, of course.
As far as the ring goes, I don’t see anything wrong with being utilitarian. (And I also think going ring-shopping together could be very romantic.) What happens if she doesn’t even want a diamond? I would much rather have something more unique, like a star sapphire or opal – but I doubt that anybody of the male persuasion would be able to figure that out without asking.
My Aunt told me that she and my Uncle picked out her ring together. After they bought it, they drove to Zack’s (soft-serve ice-cream shop). When they pulled into the parking lot, he turned to her and said “So you want this ring, Turkey?”
White Wolf
“Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate.”
A girl I know was proposed to in a way that I thought was soooo romantic.
Her sweetie bought a hardback copy of her favorite book. He cut a small circle through the first few pages in the book that didn’t have text on them, and put the ring in it. He wrote his proposal on the inside. She loved the book when she unwrapped it, and was thrilled with the surprise inside it.
As for the ring, I think it’s best to know what she would really like. If you’re sure she’ll like the ring, then it’s all good. If she doesn’t like the ring you buy, she probably won’t want to say so. I don’t like gold or diamonds, so I sure wouldn’t like the standard engagement ring. A friend I have just bought a thin gold band as the engagement ring so he had one to propose with, then they went ring shopping together.
I used to want some grand proposal like you hear stories about, but the first time I was proposed to, it was after three years of dating and he did it in front of my entire family and his family and I thought it was very brave. However, the relationship crashed and burned.
“There comes a time in a man’s life when he asks himself, ‘Who will float my corpse down the Ganges?’” – Apu
Buy a ring (you can always exchange it later, but the symbolism is important.) Wait until you’re alone together and it’s quiet. Look her in the eye and say, “I love you and I can’t live without you. Will you marry me?” That oughta do it.
And one hopes (intending no offense to the creative proposers, of course) that the fact that the love of her life has asked to share her life forever would be sufficiently memorable without embellishment.
Catrandom
To my knowledge, jewellery stores accept returns of engagement rings. (It’s only humane. What if s/he says “no”?) So you can ask her if she likes the ring. She is required to say, “No, I never want any ring but this” at least twice before admitting “Well, I always did like sapphires better than diamonds”.
The ring thing is highly overrated. Yeah, jewelers will take back “romantic gestures”, but it ain’t free folks. They’re in business, okay?
And women, it’s asking a whole hell of lot to expect a guy to not only know your ring size (I don’t know my *own<i/> ring size) much less romantic overtones.
The intent matters; the veils, flowers, chichi stuff is just marketing hoopla, IMO. This is from someone who has a diamond ring with no meaning. I’d much preferred a chance to choose a plain band w/ an inscription, a small pearl or jade engagement band to the marketing hoopla.
Why don’t you try Christmas shopping, and steer your sweetie into a jewelry store by “impulse”? Ask to see engagement rings. And then watch the love of your life melt.
Or propose first, and the sentiment matters, the trappings don’t! and then go ring shopping together. You’ll be wearing them for a long time. Rings are symbols. Choose them together. Marriage is the definition of “mutual”.
Speak your heart. The rest will follow.
Sentimental in spite of herself,
Veb
Definitely get the ring together. Me, I won’t wear gold and I think diamonds are lame as hell. My engagement ring was an opal (duh) in silver. Go to a vending machine and get a toy ring (she’ll think it is cute) to propose with, and tell her that you want her to help pick out the real ring. Or tie a string onto her finger when you propose (knot tying is very traditional for weddings). Oh, and something my husband did… have a cloth (CLEAN!!! Preferably something pretty) handkerchief on you when you pop the question. If she cries at all, whip it out to catch the tears, then fold it up and save it forever.
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O p a l C a t
www.opalcat.com