Monday, April 20, 2009

Wedding Series II: The Proposal


The thing that most women want memorable and the thing that most men wanna do it perfect and right. How crucial do you think this element of the beginning of marriage is?

Timing is everything.
A lot of guys like to propose engagement on certain "Occasions." We call them Occasions because they are noteworthy dates that will remain noteworthy whether they become a part of your proposal or not.

First, there are dates of personal significance -- dates that carry a meaning only you and your partner would truly understand. It could be the first date, it could be the first time you guys watched a movie? Even the first time you kissed. Another great choice is the anniversary of your relationship. You should also consider dates that reflect personal accomplishment. Graduation day could be one? The day u got a promotion?

The second kind of Occasions are holidays -- three of which are a given. First and foremost is Valentine's Day. We probably don't have to tell you why so many guys gravitate towards it. After all, the whole point is to celebrate those we adore! Christmas is another popular option. Christmas is all about giving. And what better gift can you give than a shiny, new ring and the promise of your love? New Year's is also an ideal time. There is hope in a new year -- it's a fresh start, a beginning. Sort of like a metaphor for marriage. It's kind of heartwarming, actually. Still, there are things you should ask yourself before proposing engagement on any of these holidays. New Year's, for one, is a time to let loose and party. Maybe that's appropriate. But maybe it isn't. It depends. Every girl's got her own tastes.

So timing is really really crucial as well as how romantic and memorable can the guy get. The major benefit of proposing on an Occasion is that significance is already built into it. Of course guys can also choose a non-occasion to propose. One good thing that non-occasion gives us is flexibility and creativity. We can inject our own meaning to just any other day!

If your proposal is a recipe, it would include these 5 things:

1. Money
So how much should you splurge? That depends on what you hope to accomplish. The first trick of the money's-no-object crowd is the big budget production -- a proposal taken straight from a Hollywood movie. Like billboard asvertisement? This type of proposal will certainly give your girlfriend something to remember. However, it's heavy on drama, and that's not for everyone. There are other, more intimate ways of going all-out. Think elegant and classy.Take your girlfriend to the finest of fine restaurants. Order a good steak. Drink champagne. Hire a limo. Buy a bouquet so big she needs a second limo just to bring it home. The sky -- or your paycheck -- is the limit. It's important to note, though, that you can't just throw money in the air and hope it takes the shape of a memorable proposal. Besides, there's no need to clear out your bank account -- especially if you're about to spend your life savings on a ring. So if you're tight on money, don't sweat. Prioritize. Focus on the other ingredients. Maybe do the fancy dinner without the limo. Or here's an idea: Forget the fancy dinner. Cook her something at home. Women love that!

2. Atmosphere
Realtors say location is everything. Every great love story starts with a setting. So where do you think she'd like to be when she gets engaged? What kind of place would set the right mood? Romantic proposals and fancy dinners seem to go hand-in-hand, so lots of guys propose in restaurants. Equally romantic -- yet potentially less expensive -- locations might include the park, simple resturant and esplanade even. Once again, though, it's a matter of taste. If you want the atmosphere to reflect something personal, how about taking her to the place you went on your first date? It could be anywhere!! Maybe at some ulu hawker centre or some place you guys call lao di fang? It's hard to get more personal than that. But no matter the setting, just remember you may need to get there while keeping your plans hush-hush. So if keeping a secret is crucial to the proposal, don't put yourself in a situation where you just know she will figure it out.

3. Romance
So I need to say anymore? But just in case for blokes who really don't know: It's incredibly important! The night you propose ought to be one of the most romantic nights of your girlfriend's life. After all, this is the night she's been waiting for. Make her feel like a princess. Sweep her off her feet! Of course, like other ingredients, romance is a matter of personal taste. For some, romance is fine wine, roses, and a violinist playing tableside. For others, it's simply the element of surprise. One girl's diamond is another's lump of coal. When in doubt, it's probably best to lean towards tradition. It's hard to go wrong with fine wine and roses or chocolates -- that's why they're synonymous with romance and love. Our advice is to put a premium on intimacy. Be willing to act suave, even if it's something you're not used to. Do your best to filter out real-world distractions. And above all else, make it feel like you're the only two people on earth. I feel that that's the basic premise of marriage in the first place.

4. Surprise
Some couples shop for rings together. But for lots of guys, the element of surprise is the best part about popping the question. Keeping a secret is a tall order, though. So if that's what you want to do here, listen up: DON'T DROP HINTS. Seriously, most girls are less dense than they seem. If you know a girl well enough to marry her, she can probably read you like a book as well. Whatever you do, DON'T DROP HINTS. Also, don't let too many people in on the secret. Maintain a very small Circle of Trust. One person you'll definitely want to tell is her father. In fact, if he's part of her life, you'll want to ask his permission. However, be selective with the info you give him, and try to hold off on asking until your proposal's a day or two away. The typical dad keeps a good secret -- but why take chances? As for her mother, unless you have a specific reason to let her in on the secret, it's best to zip your lips. This way, mother and daughter can share in this surprising and joyous occasion together. This is camera worthy. Lastly, find yourself a "mole." By that, we mean someone close to your girlfriend -- a sister or best bud -- to serve as your personal assistant. This person will have to do the dirty work, like getting your girlfriend's ring size or coordinating important time-and-place stuff. So whoever it is, make sure it's someone who thinks your girlfriend deserves a magical moment nearly as much as you do.

5. A little dash of me
Like snowflakes, no two proposals are exactly alike. Every guy -- even one who isn't interested in an award-winning, jaw-dropping, front-cover-of-a-magazine proposal -- wants a proposal that says "me." So personalise, add a drop of yourself in it. Like if u are really good at singing or playing the guitar, u can always do it!

Here are some creative ideas I come across:

1. hang a sign up on your car saying: 'will you marry me?' if you have close friends or relatives who work as truck drivers, fire men or any other job that involves unique vehicles, don’t hesitate to enquire about borrowing the vehicles. Imagine her surprise when she sees a large firetruck heading towards her with a large sign. You can sit beside the driver, or hold on to one of the ladders, and when you stop by her, you could jump off the truck, get down on one knee and pull out the engagement ring.

2. if you are both fond of any extreme sport (and even if not….) you can express your idea of a creative marriage proposal by asking her the question while skiing, sailing, scuba diving or any other sport that you find suitable for your creative marriage proposal. You can hold out a sign prepared in advance (good for under water marriage proposals) or just simply ask the question.

3. these creative marriage proposals are perfect for the dramatic couple, who like to have it BIG: include in your creative idea for the marriage proposal the conductor of an orchestra, and then while the two of you are sitting in the audience of a large, fancy hall, the orchestra would stop its playing and the conductor could read your marriage proposals out loud. This idea and many more, including a unique production, can be an excellent idea for a creative marriage proposal. It could be a muscial or a play, where the lead reads it out at the end of the play. How cool is that? but of course, the girl has to be the like attention kind. If not, TIMING IS WRONG!

4. turn your house into the most romantic place in the world: spread lighted candles all over the house, prepare a bottle of good wine or other drink you both enjoy drinking, play soft music and of course make sure she has no plans for that evening. When she walks into the house and sees the efforts you have put into turning your home into a magical place she is sure to be surprised and excited. This is the perfect moment to kneel down on one knee, tell her how much you love her and present her with the beautiful diamond ring you have bought.

5. Marriage proposal with mystery: lead her to a large sign saying 'Will you marry me?' with clues and hints – as playing the signs game. The clues can be sent to her by text message to her mobile phone, hiding notes in various places, emailing her or just calling her on the phone and telling her she should arrive to a specific point at a specific time. This general idea allows you much room to improvise and create a unique game that will match her character and style.

Of course, i cannot name every single type of proposals here. Every one is unique to its own. But i just cannot emphasis enough, if the guy is the blokiest bloke ever. Please do a very memorable proposal for your girlfriend. Cos this is probably something (i hope not the only thing) the girl will hang on to for as long as ever.

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