Proposal review please!

[rtjones]

Hello,

Let me first say that I really love this site. I''ve been coming here for quite a bit now but this is my first time posting. So here is my situation...

My girlfriend and I have talked about marriage for a while now and I really want to make this happen. She still has 2 more years of undergraduate schooling whereas I have graduated already (she is 20 and I''m 22). She will be transferring schools to come join me back near our family/my job to finish up her degree. I''m a little hesitant to ask her parents for permission to propose because I''m concerned they would prefer if I wait until she is done with school, but her and I know it will happen sooner or later so we would like to do it sooner since we have hyped it up quite a bit. Not to mention there was a moment last week while we were backpacking when she swore she thought I was about to propose and I probably would have if I had a ring... but I held myself together and here I am.

I was initially planning on taking her to greece and proposing there but she mentioned it one day about how she imagined it that way and now I (maybe we) feel that I''ve got to do something else to maintain the element of surprise.

I took her backpacking for her first time last week in the Appalachians and she loved it. We are now planning on going to Yellowstone late July instead of going to Greece and I plan on asking her there. And here are my ideas...so far...

-try to get somebody to go to our campsite before us and use rocks to spell out "will you marry me?"

-replace her sleeping bag with a blanket or banner that says will you marry me on it

-or talk her up while we are walking around a beautiful scenery and then tell her I''ve got a surprise and pull a bottle of champagne out of my bag and after pouring drinks playing it off like I forgot that I was suppose to propose before pulling out the champagne and then do the deed

So this is where I''m at. I would love to go above and beyond her expectations so any critique is more than appreciated from all.

Thanks!
Rich


(Sorry for being so lengthy)

 

[Rockout]

Date: 3/29/2010 6:43:33 AM
Author:rtjones
Hello,

I''m a little hesitant to ask her parents for permission to propose because I''m concerned they would prefer if I wait until she is done with school, but her and I know it will happen sooner or later so we would like to do it sooner since we have hyped it up quite a bit. Not to mention there was a moment last week while we were backpacking when she swore she thought I was about to propose and I probably would have if I had a ring... but I held myself together and here I am.

Hi Rich,

It sounds like you are both very much in love with each other which is very sweet. As a parent of a University student who is in a serious relationship with someone, my concern as a parent would be a shift of one''s priorities off of school and onto wedding plans, etc.... You said so yourself that you sense the timing may be premature and that could stress the whole situation, including SO''s relations with her parents and I am sure that is the last thing you want.

You have very sweet ideas for a proposal - any of them will show her how much you care for her. You may want to think about the timing a bit more to see if fits with everyone''s expectations and plans, including hers.

 

[LadyJane83]

These are all very good ideas. I like the one with the rocks best. But remember, it doesn''t necessarily have to be planned out- you could do it spontaneously... there may be a "special" moment between the two of you while you are on a hike that would feel right. I think Yellowstone will be an excellent location...very beautiful and romantic.

I''m against asking a woman''s family for "permission," mainly because adult women are no longer considered property, lol .. . BUT getting your girlfriend''s parents "blessing" is important.

I don''t mean to be preachy, but you guys are very young... I would think long and hard about what type of impact going against her parents'' wishes will have on your relationship with both your gf and her parents. Perhaps it would make the parents happy if you have a long engagement and get married after she graduates?

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

I have to seriously suggest waiting on the wedding. My husband and I were in the same place you were. We met when I first started college and knew early on we were going to get married. Unless you want to do a court house wedding, I cannot emphisize enough how much I suggest you wait. What my husband did, which I loved, was propose and then we did a 2 year proposal, so I finished school before planinng the wedding. It was sweet and solved the problem.

For my wedding which was nice for about 100 people, it would have killed my grades and I would have had a subpar wedding. Even doing it when I was not in school nearly killed me. If you search my name, you will see all my posts and mine was relatively hassle free.

As for the proposal, I would wait for Greece. I can say it does not have to be a total suprise to be really special. The reason she mentioned Greece is because she thinks it is SO romantic.