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Stories of simple proposals?

StoopidMonkey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
127
Hi,

I have a couple months left before I start shopping for an e-ring and I'm trying to think of what to do propposal-wise, but this time I want something heartfelt and simple. By "this time" I mean I've been through this once before with an ex when I was in my young 20's. Now that I'm in my 30's and not proposing to somebody who's in the "magical princess wedding" mindset, I feel that a "big event" proposal isn't what I'm looking for. Dressing up like a knight at Medieval Times or having "Will you marry me?" spelled out on a billboard isn't doing it for me. I want to do the asking, in classic fashion with me on one knee and whipping out the ring box as I'm asking, and I'm not looking to make a spectacle of it. That said, I want to make it a little more memorable than doing it in the middle of her living room without any romance to go with it. Having some real-life stories of such simple proposals would be nice to read and help me come up with an idea or two of my own, as well as point out what really stick out in a lady's mind when it comes to these things.

Thanks a lot!
 

Rhea

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
6,408
We both proposed so many not quite what you're looking for.

I (female) made him a photo album and tied his engagement ring in the back of it. We went on a walk in the beautiful gardens behind the library and I gave him the photobook at the end. He skipped straight to the ring part. Men! Always after the shiney at the end.

Later that same evening we were eating on the screened in porch - it was my favorite place in the house. And for him (English) odd to be outside in October without freezing. He just sat the ring box down in front of me. It was sweet.

Since you don't want to be in the living room, do you have a special restaurant? Place you enjoy walking together? Gardens, public or private, close by?
 

damons

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
101
My fiance and I live in Philly. Every summer, we go to Rehoboth Beach, DE for a week vacation. We feel like it's "our place", so I knew I wanted to propose to her there.

I bought the ring in June, and planned a weekend at Rehoboth. She was having a particularly stressful week at work, so I just told her that I was taking her away for a few days to relax. We left on a Friday night after work, and got there around 7:30PM. We checked into our hotel, and walked to the beach. It was a cool night, so there was no one the beach. It was very private. We stood there for a while and watched the water, and I said some things about how much she means to me. Then, I took the ring box out of my pocket, got on one knee, and proposed.

It was very simple. I was wearing cargo pants (to hide the ring) and a sweatshirt, and she was wearing capri pants and a sweater. I think the best part about it is that she had absolutely no idea it was coming until I pulled the ring box out of my pocket. We talked about getting engaged, and I knew she wanted a private proposal, so it was perfect for us. We were both high on life, so we went to a bar on the boardwalk and had a beer. The following night, we went out to our favorite restaurant to celebrate.

I know some people like really over-the-top proposals, and that is fine for them. I know it is going to sound corny, but I think the proposal should involve some heartfelt words about why you love her and why you want to marry her. Less is more.

I hope this helps. Good luck with everything.
 

StoopidMonkey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
127
damons|1317241071|3028127 said:
I know some people like really over-the-top proposals, and that is fine for them. I know it is going to sound corny, but I think the proposal should involve some heartfelt words about why you love her and why you want to marry her. Less is more.

I hope this helps. Good luck with everything.

As Christoph Waltz said in Inglourious Basterds, "That's a-bingo!" :) With my first engagement I let the chocolate syrup writing on the desert tray do the talking and afterward I felt something was missing, romantic as it was. This time around, the prospect of marriage seems so much more serious to me and I want the proposal to be reflective of that. I don't want to lose sight of what I am doing: asking the woman I love to take the huge step of marrying me and spending the rest of our lives together. The over the top theatrical proposals, to me, seem to place spectacle above what is actually going on. I liked your proposal, and if my target wasn't early/mid-spring I'd be walking the beach as well.
 

damons

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
101
I couldn't agree more.

Do you think she knows it's coming?
 

StoopidMonkey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
127
Oh, she knows it's coming eventually. ;-) For a couple months now we've been talking about how "someday" it's going to happen and even browsed at rings in malls just for the hell of it. It's one of those fast moving relationships where we talk about everything and are serious about where we're going from here on out. She just won't know when I buy the ring and when I'll pop the question. I'll keep her thinking it hasn't been on my mind and then *whammo*. :D
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,978
I agree. Proposals should be heartfelt and express why you want to marry her/him. I love simple and romantic.

My dh proposed in the park on a snowy day reminiscent of our very first date. We went for a walk (I was unsuspecting of what was about to transpire) in the park and we stopped at a beautiful tree covered with snow and he got down on one knee and said something to the effect that he could not imagine his life without me in it and he did not spend another moment apart and would I make him the happiest man in the world and become his wife. Something like that- corny but romantic, true and heartfelt. And a total surprise. All in all the perfect proposal for us. :love:

Best wishes on your upcoming proposal!! Hope it goes just the way you want it to!
 

ladypirate

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
4,553
We bought a home together about a year before we got married--he had had the ring for about 6 months at that point and I knew it was coming but didn't know when. The day we closed on the house, we went over to have some champagne and celebrate by taking down the horrible tacky chandelier in the dining room. It was awful--I think it may have been plastic or possibly painted aluminum and it had all sorts of weird tchotchkes hanging from it. We opened a bottle of champagne and started dismantling it. I had thought maybe he might proposed at the house but at this point I figured it wasn't going to happen because we'd already opened the champagne and were just taking this thing down. At some point I said something along the lines of "I can't believe they kept all this crap!" DH was standing behind me and said "Actually, you may want to keep this one." I turned around thinking he was joking around and there he was holding the ring. He then got down on one knee and asked if I'd marry him. It was very laid back and perfect for us and now every time we're in the dining room (sans chandelier!), it makes me think of that day.
 

vc10um

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Messages
6,006
Awww, LP, I'd never heard your proposal story!!! This just made me love your DH just a little bit more. :love:

My DH proposed to me on the 2-year anniversary of our first date on a bench next to where we shared our first kiss (on that same first date...what can I say? I knew he was special from the beginning!)...it was perfect and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
 

smokey99

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
124
Interesting...we have very similar stories. I was once engaged and the relationship ended. Im now also in a faster moving relationship and we both love each other to death and know exactly what we want. We've also talked about the "one day" scenario and have looked at ring styles online and in the mall to just have some fun but she is totally not fixated on the ring and the size or value or specifics...just that it comes from me :bigsmile:
She knows it will come some day but she doesnt know when or how. Do you have any timeframe for when youd like to pop the question? I was thinking maybe December/January/February (for me).
 

StoopidMonkey

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
127
It is funny how fast things go the second time around! ;-) We were together for about 7 months before we found ourselvesl playfully wandering into maul jewelry stores just to check 'em out. I can't even remember when we started talking about "some day" since we both were dating with the intention of getting married if we knew we were good for each other. I was originally going to do this early next year but Good Old Gold is having a significant sale on Princess of Hearts diamonds this month so I decided to move up the plans a bit. I'm thinking late December, right before all the Christmas get-togethers. I'm heading up to their store to make the purchase this week, as a matter of fact.
 

DianeFerraro

Rough_Rock
Trade
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
3
December is the most romantic time of year to propose! If you both share any traditions related to the holidays, try to include one in your proposal. A proposal at your place of worship after a candlelight service, just after everyone has left the building, would be beautiful and intimate. You could also host a small New Year's Eve party at your place and invite your dearest friends and close family members. Before midnight, and before the end of 2011, ask your guests to join you in a toast and share all of the wonderful things you love about your significant other, then surprise her with the proposal.

FYI, because you asked us to share our simple proposal stories: my husband proposed to me in a very simple way: at Point Dume in Malibu on a drizzly night (I love the rain - probably because we don't get much of it in Los Angeles). As he proposed the rain stopped for just a few moments. A full moon was hiding behind a few clouds and it was just breathtaking. Although I help customers plan some incredible surprise marriage proposals, this sweet proposal was from his heart and I'll never forget it.

Congratulations and I wish you all the happiness in the world!
 

Ravenne

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2011
Messages
97
Not my proposal, but a friend's:

They went to Opryland Hotel to see the Christmas lights and he waited until they were sort of alone on the path before giving a somewhat awkward intro into his speech and getting down on one knee. Perfect for them. Simple, but still incredibly romantic.

The best part was that he's really tall and she's really short, so that when he knelt down, they were at eye level and the few people around them didn't even notice he was on his knee at first. LOL
 

Sun-Shine

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 1, 2011
Messages
94
Also a friends proposal, but it was private and romantic so I thought I'd share it. It was Dec 1st 2009, he took her for a late dinner and then to a separate dessert place for coffee and cake, by the time they left there it was getting close to midnight. He ordered 2 to-go hot chocolates and drove down to a park in the city that over looks the river and the city does up in christmas lights. (He has scoped out the place he wanted where the trees in lights come to an arch all covered in lights with a view of the city/river) They were walking along the deserted path and he told her all the things he loved and valued about her and their relationship. She had tears in her eyes, but still no idea he was going to propose. When he got to the spot he chose they were just standing there looking at the city watching the snow fall, and he said "all those things I just said are the reason I want to spend the rest of my life with you" then got down on one knee and proposed. In my opinion it is a spectacular story. She knew he put work into it, and she was completely surprised.
 
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