I did it. Canadian here.
I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I’d have stopped her if she tried.
It’s a disgusting custom that has no place in a modern world.
When I proposed officially to my now ex-wife, I got down on one knee. I say “officially” because we’d been together for a few years at that point, and had already made the decision in the abstract to get married. But she didn’t know when or where I was going to do it.
ETA: I’m currently 52, this was about 14 years or so ago, southern Indiana.
My niece got engaged at Disney World. Her husband-to-be got down on one knee with Cinderella’s castle and fireworks in the background. My sister took the photos. I can’t remember now if my niece knew beforehand. My sister’s family are big Disney fans and they go there often so it’s possible she didn’t. But it obviously took some planning to find that perfect spot and time.
^^
That’s the most American thing I’ve ever read on this board.
But in a good way, actually. 
Heh. They also went there for their honeymoon. 
Well that’s just overkill. 
When I proposed to my Chinese wife in Tokyo, it was just the two of us. I got down on one knee, took off the Tibetan buddhist ring that I wore on my ring finger, and put it on her ring finger. We went shopping for an engagement ring the next day, since I knew she wanted to pick the ring. Actually, we ended up getting custom rings made by her cousin a few months later in Hong Kong.
Married about 30 years, divorce in progress. 
I’m sure she must have her good qualities, but I can’t imagine holding onto anything for 30 years, let alone a proposal.
Actually, it can because there are a lot of people who dislike traditional approaches.
My nephew and his fiancée did that, with friends and family there. Apparently quite the occasion.
For many people, getting down on one knee isn’t the right way to do it. But for me it was. That was 24 years ago.
It would be every bit of a mistake to not do it with someone who wants that gesture and if you want to, as it would be for the reverse.
I hadn’t heard about this. My simultaneous condolences and congratulations.
At least that’s how I felt about mine. A strange brew of feelings.
That’s weird. After we agreed to get married, and shopped for rings, i asked my fiance if he was planning to take a knee to ask me to marry him. He pointed out that I’d already agreed to marry him, and that would be pointless. I couldn’t argue his logic.
And until this thread, i haven’t thought about it since the wedding. Probably not much before the wedding, either, although i don’t remember.
Best wishes that this turns out well for both of you.
That’s what I did; shocked the shit outta her (she did say yes & we’re still together three years later). It was big enough & unique enough that it got picked up as a local news story; the reporter had to do some work to track us down; phone calls to three or four people who each got him a little closer until he got lucky enough to make my phone ring - This was in an area with no to, at best, very limited cell service (so I usually keep my phone in airplane mode there so as not to drain the battery by boosting power to look for service); we were somewhere where we could steal some wifi to let family know at that time; otherwise I wouldn’t have realized he called for a couple more days.
Separately, I’ve videoed a number of proposals in the balloon. In most cases the guy will let us know in advance & we can work with him (video, coordinate timing to make sure we don’t burn/make loud noise during the magic moment, etc.) but sometimes even we are surprised.
Or unique enough that it’s a $tandard $ervice they offer…for a $tandard fee but then again, most people only do this once (or twice) in their life; not everyone is super creative.
Upthread, someone described a relative’s proposal at Walt Disney World. Presumably that place was special to the couple in question. And I expect that there are couples for which a sports team is special as well, so that the recipient of the proposal would appreciate it being made at the stadium.
This, I think, is the only “uniquely American” aspect of this custom: the relatively high proportion of couples who still want or enjoy a “formal proposal” even though the mutual decision to marry has already been made and discussed.
What’s disgusting about it?
I mean, I guess I could see how somebody might be disgusted by the symbolic exaggerated self-abasement of the traditional posture. (Literal genuflection? Really?) Or might be disgusted at the idea that a woman expects a man to assume such a self-abasing posture when proposing marriage. Or might be disgusted at the “theatrical spectacle” aspect of this very personal life decision if it’s performed in public…
…Actually, I have no real idea. @LSLGuy, why did you call this practice “disgusting”?