Important to realize, that the Marriage Proposal aspect is not common in the African Nations. Whereas, in some Western cultures it is traditional for the man to make a proposal to the woman directly while genuflecting in front of her. Asking for your partner’s hand in marriage is one of the biggest moments of your life.
Special as it is, surely you want to ensure that this proposal is impressive and unforgettable. For one thing, be sure there’s a photographer or videographer that will document the loveliest moment of your life. This way, the footage can also be shown on the wedding day and you will have something precious to look back upon after years of marriage.
‘Will you marry me?’ could well be the most difficult question. But, it’s something you’ll ask in your lifetime. So we advise you to prepare well! Before you go ahead and pop that question, here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind.
What Is A Marriage Proposal?
A marriage proposal is an event where one person in a relationship asks for the other’s hand in marriage. If accepted, it marks the initiation of engagement, a mutual promise of later marriage. It often has a ritual quality. Notably, the ritual often involves the formal asking of the question “Will you marry me?” and the presentation of an engagement ring.
It may include him putting the ring on her finger. Of course not necessarily in the presence of other witnesses. But, for it to be more formal and dignified, the closest friends are always present. For centuries women played a secondary role in the marriage engagement process. The Roman betrothal of two people pledged to marry was adopted by many cultures.
And, it continued for hundreds of years. In medieval Europe well into the eighteenth century, it was common for aristocratic and upper-class parents to arrange a betrothal. Especially, between their children to form alliances between two families. For many years, only the lower classes could choose their own mates.
Learn More: Home Proposal Tips And Ideas: How To Get Your S.O. To Say ‘Yes!’
Even though there were sometimes exceptions in the upper classes. As an example, in Scotland and Ireland, 29 February in a leap year is said to be the one special day. Further, Finland has the same custom, with the addition that a man rejecting such a proposal was expected to buy his suitor enough cloth for a skirt as compensation.
As a monarch, Queen Victoria had to propose to Prince Albert. Marriage Proposals by women have become more common in the English-speaking world in recent years. So jewelry companies have manufactured engagement rings for men. In the United States, about 5% of proposals are made by women. Younger people are less likely to approve of women proposing.
How Is A Marriage Proposal Done?
Although most potential couples discuss their willingness to marry for a significant amount of time, especially before a marriage proposal occurs, they may schedule the occurrence place and time. However, for a man intending to marry, this may come as a surprise to those they wish to have a Marriage Proposal with.
Surprisingly adding more value to their commitments and the genuine love they have for their married counterparts. In other words, making it more fulfilling and realistic to the woman of their dreams. However, a woman may decline a marriage proposal for various personal reasons.
In reality, the woman may not disclose the main reason as to why they declined the marriage proposal but that is left out for the proposal to fill in. Moreover, if a woman accepts the proposal, she will typically assent to the man verbally and wear the ring.
Particularly, showcasing lifetime commitments, acceptance, and possibly a forthcoming wedding known as the engagement duration. With this in mind, the average duration of preceding courtship varies considerably throughout the world.
What Men Think of Women’s Marriage Proposal
While today’s women can propose, most men expect to be the ones proposing marriage. A lot of men would be thrilled to have the pressure of the marriage proposal taken off their hands.
However, some men prefer tradition when it comes to marriage proposals and weddings, even if they are fairly unconventional in other ways. According to a Chicago Tribune article, more women are proposing than ever before. Some are even giving men engagement rings.
In addition, according to a recent survey of 500 men by Glamour Magazine, 33% of men interviewed said that “whoever has the guts” should propose marriage.
And 70% said that if their girlfriend proposed to them they would be psyched. Here is a full Article on 6 Times Women Took Charge Of The Marriage Proposal And Scored – by Latina Moms.
What To Consider Before A Marriage Proposal
Anyone woman considering proposing marriage should make sure her man would be receptive to her leading the marriage proposal process. This can be accomplished by having marriage discussions and getting an idea of how he feels about a woman proposing.
It is also a good idea to make sure that both people are ready for marriage. Women had long been considered too emotional and irrational to be trusted to select a good husband, and that mindset continued to inform how love marriages evolved.
Supposedly men had more to lose by getting married. For one thing, they were considered to be the more rational, level-headed decision-makers. And so, they remained the ones driving the proverbial love train, and the tradition of men being the ones to propose continued.
Some Tips To Help Determine Marriage Readiness
Discussing marriage, family, and life goals can help a couple figure out if they are ready for marriage and have compatible goals. Even if a couple has different ideas about married life, they can still find ways to merge their two different goals into one set of family goals. It is best to get these ideas figured out before marriage, if possible.
- Discuss future life goals.
- Talk about family goals such as the number of children, if both parents will work and the type of lifestyle desired.
- Find out if he likes the idea of a woman proposing marriage to him. If a woman is not comfortable with making the question personal, she can ask what he generally thinks about women proposing marriage to men.
Marriage Proposal Ideas That Are Truly Unique
A truly great marriage proposal can be very hard to think of. Especially if you want to remain original, but you don’t want to overdo it. And also, if you want your partner to say yes (and cry a lot). You also want to make sure your proposal is very unique to your relationship.
All that being said, we put together a lengthy list of best marriage proposal ideas that are actually unique, from artsy to outdoorsy ideas, and elaborate to simple ones too. Keep in mind: Every proposal will be unique if you put all the unique details of your relationship into it.
These next few marriage proposal ideas can get be perfect for couples with a ton of history, great stories, and lots of memories. When you spend a lot of time planning a proposal, you want to make sure to remember every detail of the big day.
Surely, you could set up a tripod and hope the self-timer on your phone catches the moment, but if you want the best pictures possible, a surprise photoshoot proposal is a way to go — like Javier and Michael’s proposal.
Marriage Proposal Inspirational Motivations
So you’ve found the one you want to share your life with, but have you thought about how to propose? This life-changing moment can bring with it a lot of pressure, especially since you’ll want your proposal to feel like it was designed just for the two of you.
A great place to start formulating your ideas is by finding inspiration. That’s why we’ve compiled some of the best proposal ideas around. From breathtakingly iconic to simple and sweet, use the filters below to select a style you prefer.
The notion is that being non-committal in a relationship is cute for a woman and manly for a man. That asking what a man’s intentions are, is moving too fast and likely to scare him away. So you must be willing to invest your time, money, and emotions and even playhouse without ‘stressing’ someone out with questions about the end goal of the relationship.
1. Choose a Favorite Place
whether it’s a fountain, hotel rooftop, monument, or national park—that has personal significance to the two of you.
Once you’re there, ask someone nearby to take a picture of you together, and instead of posing, drop down on one knee.
2. Have a Romantic Entertainment
Have a choir, brass band or drum line show up for a surprise performance of your fiance-to-be’s favorite love song in a park or public location for your proposal.
For a really personal touch, ask the performers if they can incorporate your fiance’s name into the lyrics.
3. Go on the Stage
Get in touch with the stage manager of your favorite production and propose after the cast’s curtain call.
Call ahead and see if you can have a special note or ad placement added to the playbill, so you have a keepsake of the proposal.
4. Love is Full of Surprises
Arrange a surprise proposal with a street caricaturist. Have the caricaturist sketch a picture of you two with word bubbles that say, “Will you marry me?” and “Yes!” Ask the divers at an aquarium to put on a proposal show inside their biggest fish tank.
Give them a (waterproof) sign that says, “Will you marry me?” to hold up against the glass, and then position yourselves for what will, at first, seem like feeding time.
5. Treasure Hunt
Send your unsuspecting fiance-to-be on a treasure hunt that ends with your proposal. Start with a clue at home (a handwritten note or text message) that leads to a tour of your favorite spots all over town.
Go out for a night of dancing and ask the DJ or bandleader to pass you the mic so you can dedicate a song and propose it on the dance floor. Equally important, hire a skywriter to spell out your proposal for everyone around to see.
6. Go digital
Take out a full-page ad in a newspaper, and then pick the perfect spot to have a relaxing morning of catching up on current events. Another twist on this idea is to call into a radio station and then make sure your fiance-to-be is listening when your proposal is on the air.
And also, plan a romantic destination getaway for two. When you’re on the plane, use the loudspeaker system (of course, run your plan by the flight attendants first) and propose at 35,000 feet.
7. Life on the Beach
Go to the beach and build a sandcastle together (at a safe distance from the ocean!). When your partner isn’t looking, put the ring on the highest tower.
In addition, after a long day of sightseeing, have a drink in the hotel bar. When it’s time to go, have roses, candles, and champagne all set up in your hotel room—everything for a perfect surprise proposal.
Not Every Proposal Results From A Lifetime Love
But not all proposals come from a place of love. I know someone who proposed to his girlfriend a few hours before her flight to another country for work because he hoped that the prospect of marrying him would make her stay.
I know someone who did it as a way to compete with his ex-girlfriend when she got engaged. We need to rethink the pomp and drama surrounding proposals if by getting engaged we are truly pursuing a long-lasting relationship.
In order to understand why men propose to women, it’s important to get a sense of how marriage itself evolved. Or, to quote The Princess Bride, “Mawwage. That bwessed event, that dweem wivin a dweem!” Marriage began, back in the Stone Age. In particular, as a means of building alliances, as well as organizing disparate groups of people, the land they worked, and the goods they produced.
Equally important, “Marriage spoke to the needs of the larger group. It converted strangers into relatives and extended cooperative relations beyond the immediate family or small band by creating far-flung networks of in-laws,” explains author Stephanie Coontz in Marriage, a History.
How To Honeymoon Using Bankrate Rewards
Summing Up:
In conclusion, to every woman out there, a marriage proposal means everything in their life. Not only does it show the fulfillment purposes the man has over their lives, but it also amplifies the love a woman has and the marriage security cover the woman has towards their men.
In reality, think of a few places that are meaningful to your relationship and send your partner (and two to three friends or family members) to visit these places. Throw in a salon appointment (hair and nails), and perhaps even a stop at a boutique to pick out a new outfit.
Along the way, have notes or cards (or even a voice recording of yourself) describing what each place or stop signifies. At the end of the scavenger hunt, propose with a romantic view in the background and have all the friends and family members involved in planning the day there to celebrate after.
Resourceful References:
- How they Asked – Marriage Proposal – Ideas that are actually unique.
- The Knot – 58 Most Romantic Ways to Propose.
- The New Times Publications LTD. – Should Marriage Proposals be a Surprise?
- Engagement Rings – Woman Marriage Proposals.
- The List – Why men historically propose to women.
- Bride Story – 18 Romantic and Unique Wedding Proposal ideas for every Couple
- Bankrate: How to honeymoon using rewards
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