Need Womens'' Opinion on Which Idea is Romantic and Cheesy?

[SkiRush]

First , sorry for the almost double post. I narrowed it down and thought I should post a revised post. Here it is...

Hello ladies, I would like to get your opinions about 4 ideas, with respect to which is more romantic. I didn''t want to do anything restaurant related because she mentioned to me months ago that "it better have nothing to do with food". So, to be a guy who listens, I didn''t want to do it in at a restaurant. Again, I''m planning on doing this a couple of days after Christmas, so I am concerned about it being to cold outside.

1). A carriage ride that makes a stop a gazebo in Chicago that is all it up with white Christmas lights. We would stop at the gazebo to take pictures, at which time I would ask the big question.

2). Go to a Chicago Bulls game. They play the Pacers on the 29th. I was planning on contacting the Events Planner there and seeing what we could set up before hand. So, cheesy or romantic?

3). A proposal during ice skating at Millenium Park in Chicago. I liked this idea until I read a post on here about the glove factor...her needing to wear gloves, but wanting to keep staring at her ring.

4). A proposal at the Art Institute. Has anyone heard stories about proposals there? I just love the architecture of the building and, of course the artwork inside. Do you think that they might be able to help me set something up?


So, which idea is romantic and which are cheesy?


Thanks,
SR

 

[lucyandroger]

Hi SkiRush,

Congrats on your upcoming engagement.

I hope you don''t mind me offering a little advice. I think that your ideas are bodering on cheesy because they are generic proposal ideas. My suggestion is to start brainstorming about ideas that would be specifically special to your GF. Does she have hobbies you could incorporate, love attending the ballet, is she a hiker, loves books, etc. Or has she mentioned always wanting to go somewhere or do something?

Just try to think of your GF''s personality and something that would really touch her as opposed to the generic movie scene proposal.

Good luck!

 

[TooPatient]

I wouldn''t call your ideas cheesy. Depending on the details, they could be unique & special.

lucyandroger made a great point about them being very generic.

To make it a special day for the two of you, you should try to make it something that is unique & special in your relationship.

Is there somewhere you''ve both wanted to go but never been? (doesn''t have to be away from home -- a museum or winery or park etc)

Do you have a shared hobby that you do together?

Was there somewhere you went early in your relationship and had a great time?

Is there somewhere you go regularly? (park, museum, skatin, dancing, etc)


Also, does she want something private or public? Something in between?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I like #1 and #4. Both would be romantic. Not sure I''d involve anyone at the art institute, though. Unless she really likes a LOT of attention and loves the Bulls, I wouldn''t consider that one...not romantic at all, to me. Ice skating would present problems with gloves, so ditch that one.

 

[iheartbora]

I like #1... it''ll be fantastic if you set up a camera stand to take a timer-picture, so when you pop the question, it will capture "the moment"! You probably have to test out the lighting in advance though.

 

[pinkteddy]

I like #4, it''s romantic!

 

[havernell]

I responded to another thread of yours- not sure which is the most current, but wanted to respond again.

I kind of agree with Lucy- you seem to be too worried about making the proposal "perfect" like in the movies and losing sight of the fact that the question of "will you marry me" is the most important thing to your girlfriend.

Could you just take her on a walk around the city and then propose spontaneously somewhere along the way? I bet Chicago will be all decorated for the holidays and just spending some quality time together walking around would be romantic in and of itself. Duck into a coffee shop for some hot chocolate along the way, go look at the lake, stroll around the park (maybe go ice skating during your walk but propose afterwords). I personally would prefer a nice low-key afternoon/evening together with a private proposal along the way. Perhaps at the Art Institute if that''s something you think could be worked into your walk, or perhaps just at some little neat spot you find along the way (is the pier open during the winter?)

If you do want to do the skating proposal, I don''t think the gloves are a huge problem- chances are she''ll not be interested in continuing to skate after the proposal anyway, so I think you be getting off the ice pretty fast. Plus, the carriage ride would also be outside too (where gloves would be needed), so that''s not any better on that account... The basketball game is pretty cheesy in my opinion, and only worth doing if she''s specifically commented to you in the past that she''d love a proposal at a sporting event. Like I said above, the Art Institute could be worked in, so that idea might be worth exploring some more (esp if you and your girlfriend have enjoyed going there in the past).

Again, good luck to you- just don''t "over plan" the proposal and lose sight of the fact that she''ll be most excited about you asking her to marry you, not about having some over-done proposal set-up.

 

[SkiRush]

You''re right, I do risk over planning but I am trying to determine the best proposal possible. Just saying...there is a lot of pressure on a guy. From getting the right ring to picking the "perfect" proposal that she would be proud telling her friends about. You know that''s one of the top questions that her friends will ask, "how did he propose?"

I appreciate the comments. I decided against the basketball game. It''s not something that really means anything to us. We are not die hard bball fans, and such.

I decided to either do it at the Art Institute or during a walk. I liked that gazebo/pavilion that I posted a question about before. Now that I know where it is, I think I can work that location into a walk somehow. I think the gazebo is really pretty and it would be memorable. At the same time, I like the idea of the Art Institute because it''s also a special place and beautiful...and she would not be wearing gloves.

The only problem with the Art Instit. is making sure it''s romantic. I know previous posters said they thought it was, but I just wanted to make sure it wouldn''t be lame. I know she likes the Art Instit, we went there on a trip to Chicago, but arrived there about an hour before they closed.


ski

 

[FrekeChild]

I just think you need to make this more about you and her, and less about impressing her friends. I would have been happy to wake up to him with a ring, or any other variety of mundane things.

And it wouldn''t be what we were doing when he proposed that make people excited, it would be the excitement in me telling the story--no matter how mundane--that translates into people being excited for the newly engaged. And if it''s the story that people want to talk about, and you feel competitive to live up or "beat" these friends...well maybe they aren''t that good of friends.

As it was, he proposed in front of the Bellagio after an amazing meal at Sensi just as the fountains were going off. But that isn''t the amazing part. The amazing part was this man in front of me telling me that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me.

So, what is YOU? What is YOUR relationship?

 

[Aulie]

SkiRush, I completely agree with what everyone else is saying. You need to put more thought into what is special to the both of you. Think about the special moments you've shared, and what it was about them that made them so special to you two. What is it that you both treasure about each other and the time you spend together?

Make the moment about the two of you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. We could all tell you which idea we think is the most romantic, but each person is going to have a different preference. The only person who's opinion matters is your significant other's. So think about her and what her preferences are!

 

[reader]

Art Institute sounds great, as she only got to stay for an hour. Points for being considerate enough to do a longer return trip.

To me, that would win points as it would be paying attention to our relationship and the things we like.