Help for proposal - beach/island/holiday ideas

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Need help – I have the ring, we are going on holidays to Fiji in 2 weeks so that’s where it will happen. I have not thought too much about the actual proposal, but want it to be something simple and not too much of a speech – think I will get all emotional.

To set the scene, we are staying in a beach cabin (ie, on the beach) in a small resort on one of the outer islands, luxury, no tv, radio or phones, great restaurant on the island from all reports. Great beach etc

I have some ideas:

OPTION 1: Simple, beach proposal – perhaps sunrise or sunset. This could be either before or after dinner one evening

OPTION 2: Proposal with dinner (ie get waiter to bring ring or something similar). The island staff will arrange private dinners on the beach./under palm trees with private waiter – so that’s an option. There is also a silver service/5 star restaurant on site

OPTION 3: My favourite option I think. I always buy my girlf lots of little presents gifts – have done for years, little bits of jewellery etc. I was thinking of getting 5-6 little gifts and giving one to her each day we are on holidays – each wrapped up with a little note or card. Obviously one of these gifts would be the ring ??? Could consolidate this with a beach proposal (ie could give her the ring gift on the beach one day/evening?

OPTION 4: Anything someone can suggest for a simple, beach style engagement? Keep in mind we will be on holidays so waon''t know anyone to help with anythign (other than staff of the island resort itself)

 

[doctork]

When does the sun set there? If it sets early enough, I think a proposal on the beach as the sun is setting would be great. I believe you have to do it early enough in the night so that you can celebrate afterwards. If you do it after dinner then you can''t goto dinner to celebrate.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Date: 6/27/2008 9:57:57 AM
Author: doctork
When does the sun set there? If it sets early enough, I think a proposal on the beach as the sun is setting would be great. I believe you have to do it early enough in the night so that you can celebrate afterwards. If you do it after dinner then you can''t goto dinner to celebrate.

Good point Doc.......... although perhaps a few dinner drinks would help with the nerves for an after dinner proposal!

I am thinking a late afternoon proposal/sun set type of thing......

I am also wondering, should I propose on day 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or 8...........

I don''t want to to be too late in the week, because it would be good to a) get it out of the way early so I''m not a ball of nerves for the whole week; and b) have it early in the week so we can sorta selebrate for the rest of the week.......

Although I don''t want it to be TOO early as I would like us to unwind for a day or two before hand so that we are properly in holiday mode......

 

[Ellen]

Why not make it on the second (full) day you''re there. You will have regrouped, and you could maybe have a couple mid-late afternoon cocktails/glasses of wine first at your place (maybe on a deck if it has one), which would help the nerves, then propose, and she''d still have some daylight left to look at her new ring.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Date: 6/30/2008 8:25:47 AM
Author: Ellen
Why not make it on the second (full) day you''re there. You will have regrouped, and you could maybe have a couple mid-late afternoon cocktails/glasses of wine first at your place (maybe on a deck if it has one), which would help the nerves, then propose, and she''d still have some daylight left to look at her new ring.

Thanks Ellen, this is the tack that I think I will take.....

Where we are staying is quite a secluded island and we will be in one of those cabins you see in the movies, with a deck and then you step right onto the sand! I was thinking something along the lines of what you suggested - a relaxing drink or two...then perhaps suggest a little walk up the beach etc.....

Also, there is a 5 star, silver service restaurant as part of the resort, so I think I''ll book a table there for that night, that way, she can wear her new ring, get all dressed up in something nice and we can go to dinner and celebrate....

The other idea is that the resort staff will (for a fee) set up a private 2 person dinner on the beach outside your cabin - basically I think they come along with an umbrella, table, charis and you get your own private waiter for the evening - this might be a good idea also, but I''ll have to play it by ear to see if this will work out......

I think what I would like to do is perhaps have a drink and get ready for dinner, then suggest a walk up the beach on our way to dinner ....that way my other half can be all nicely dressed and feel special (rather than being all covered in sand and salt from a day on the beach). Just have to figure out what we do with shoes on the way to dinner.......don''t want to be trying to hold shoes, get ring out etc.......

Sounds silly but I know she loves to have a shower and get ready for a night out (even if its just dinner) and part of our ritual over the years has been that I sit and have a drink or play guitar whilst she gets ready, we chat, have a glass of wine etc......I know she likes this ''ritual'' and think I would like to incorporate it into the evening......but woudl like to propose BEFORE dinner - so have to try and slot it in somewhere.....

My idea is perhaps to book dinner for around 7 - tell her that dinner is booked at 6 so she is ready early (if that is possible), then we will be ready just before sun set, suggest a walk before dinner.....hey presto, engagement!!!!!!

I find this forum so helpful - even for me just to type up ideas and help form them in my head....... even iof no one responds its still helpful to get ideas out there onto the screen!

DJQ

 

[katamari]

These ideas are so great. Your GF is one lucky lady.

If you do propose early (and I like this idea, to use the vacation as an opportunity to celebrate), your subsequent gifts could be wedding related. She will probably be very excited about this. It could be bridal books/mags, something blue, bridal jewelry, etc.

I personally would want a private proposal and a picturesque tropical location seems like a dream opportunity.

Best luck!

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Thanks Katamari,

I have thought of all sorts of ideas for this important question - sunrise walk, over dinner, at the bar afterwards, sailing out to a private beach with a picnic.....

Seems that I always come back to the idea of just the two of us on the beach, all dressed up (nowhere to go) etc....seems the right way for me to be honest (my other half is very private, and would feel uncomfortable if it was in a restaurant or in front of other people etc - so this seems like a great option for us!

DJQ

 

[cisco]

Hi DJQ

I''m not sure if you''ve already departed to the sunny shores of Fiji, but on the off-chance that you have not yet left, as a last note of reassurance, I would say that I think that your choices sounds perfect and mid-to-early in the hol is the perfect time as you will both have (hopefully) wound down from work, but leaving you plenty of time together for the proposal to sink in.

I too am in a similar position and am in the process of "fine tuning" my many thoughts as it is all about the finishing touches. I have arranged for a private dinner on the beach around sunset and the current plan is to propose on the beach at sunset and then suggest a celebratory drink - although I will actually lead my new F to the private gazebo for the dinner as suprise no.2.

The beach proposal should provide you with an opportunity to do the proposal in a secluded place and then the dinner afterwards will allow you both to relax and soak up the event and also to take some great post-proposal pics for memories! This would retain the privacy of the occasion, whilst having the bonus of having someone on hand to keep your champagne glasses topped up.

My current brainteaser is, as with one of your concerns, the issue of co-ordinating pre-dinner "dressing-up" and I have actually bought a new dress for my GF as another suprise. I dont want to make the evening too regimented as it may trigger her to think something is up. As you say, it would be nice to get dressed up early with the lure of early dinner or drinks and then the evening is ours, although i would still somehow like to introduce the new dress...perhaps a brief interlude after the champagne (pre-dinner, post-proposal) may be an option. Any thoughts from the many helpful psers are very welcome.

Best of luck with the proposal, I''m sure it''ll be amazing and do let us know how it went.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Hello cisco,

Thanks for your comments – its great to hear your ideas as well and hope that everything comes together (which I am sure it will).

Your ideas of a special dinner etc afterwards are exactly what I was thinking….

I think that the new dress you have bought is a brilliant idea – as is a series of ‘surprises’….I would perhaps consider giving the dress as the first surprise early in the evening…..

Perhaps you could make an excuse to head to reception/restaurant under the guise of arranging dinner…..(although we both know you have dinner already booked….

Come back and say “the restaurant is really busy tonight – they suggested we go for an early dinner at 6.30……so I booked a table – hope that’s OK…”. Then pop out the surprise dress….. (what a good boyfriend you are) - this will set the mood for the evening – new dress, dinner booked in etc……

My plan has evolved quite significantly since my last post and I wanted to share how mine is going…..let me know what you think….

MY IDEA

As everyone knows, we are off to Fiji – a romantic, couples only resort on one of the outer island with the works (beachfront bure (cabin) – literally 10 yards from the waves), 5 star restaurant, health spa etc etc…..

She was looking through my computer the other day and said ‘whats this?’ - I was worried she had found images/idealscope etc of the ring and quickly hurried her away from the computer…. She wondered why I was so protective of my work laptop so I said (stupidly) I had bought her a gift for our trip away and I did not want her to spoil it…….. idiot!!!

Anyway, I have come up with a ploy to overcome this issue – I have made a small box, all tied up nicely with a bow – when we arrive at the resort, I will sit this on the dresser and tell her she cannot open it until I say (I will make sure it is wrapped very securely)…..

Anyway, back to the idea

My girlfriend has already requested some time in the spa to have her nails done and a massage…..we have booked her in on the second day of our trip…..

Whilst she is in the spa this gives me a couple of hours to arrange other bits for the night – book dinner (either private dinner on the beach or dinner in restaurant) etc.

She returns from spa all relaxed, nails all done nicely (for hand shots).

Late afternoon, I tell her dinner is at, say 6pm…… we get ready as per our usual ritual with a glass of wine…..(I would not buy my other half a dress, although I know many men that would do this, I simply cannot – my other half is very particular about clothes, and I would not want to get her something that she is not 110% comfortable in!) . However, I know she is taking her favourite dress, so at this stage I will tell her that we are going to the 5 star, silver service restaurant on site, so she should wear her best dress…..

Walk on beach before dinner….. proposal….

To dinner (wherever it is I will arrange for a bottle of champagne to be ready, etc)

After dinner I will let her open the ‘gift’ which has been sitting on the dresser for the past 2 days – inside is a letter which says all the things that I could not remember to say in my short proposal