The perfect proposal
There’s a time and place for it. Just like there’s the right way to go about it. We tell you how to perfect the proposal and win your girl over
Ditch the clichés: Yeah, yeah, you would’ve thought that fancy roof-top restaurant would be the ideal site to pop the question. Of course, your plan was to drop the ring into the glass of pink bubby she so loves. You know what, it’s a bad idea. She might just choke on it. Ditch the tried-and-tested, Hollywood-publicised ideas and try something new. Get creative—women dig the surprise element in men. Propose to her while scuba diving or write a message for her on a billboard, if you have deep pockets. Do something grand if she loves generous gestures. Or make it more intimate, and cook her a meal and arrange to have a spa day at home, if she’s a private person. There’s one cliché, though, that never goes wrong—get down on one knee and hold her hand when you’re proposing to her.
Permission to marry: If she is a daddy’s girl, she’d want him to agree to it first. Man up and fix a date with her father. Talk to him about yourself and let him know how much she means to you. He needs to be sure of you; he needs to know if you deserve her. If you can involve him in your plan in some way, you will win both papa and his girl over in an instant. Make sure she doesn’t find it sexist or offensive. And remember: you can never match up to daddy dearest, so don’t try even to. Be yourself and just be a nice guy.
location first: Zero in on a spot that has some nostalgia factor for the both of you. It doesn’t have to be fancy; it could be the place where you met first. Don’t drop hints during the lead up to the proposal. Take help from your friends if need be, in order to coordinate and deck up the location. Ensure you have everything planned out in advance so that you are both there at the right time.
Keep it simple: It’s good to rehearse what you want to say to her. But please don’t speak John Keats or William Shakespeare. Keep your speech short and simple. It’s not a contest; it’s not a presidential speech either, so avoid puns, metaphors and hyperboles. You have to sound earnest and mean what you say. Tell her like it is. Even a simple ‘Will you marry me?’ can do the trick if your eyes convey it all.
Pause, wait: Give her time to react. If she was expecting it, she’d weep tears of joy. If she wasn’t, she’d either do the same, freak out or do both at the same time. Don’t push her for an answer if she looks like she’s taken aback. If you’ve been dating for a while, and talked about your wedding at some point, chances are she’d be ecstatic. Just hold her still if she takes time to recover. Let her say yes before you talk again.
(Posted on: The India times)
