photo by pixabay.com

By Peter Minkoff

When it comes to popping the question, people around the globe have set some big, borderline ridiculous standards. From jumping from a plane to screening a fake movie, YouTube is filled with crazy stunts and more than elaborate scenarios. It can put a lot of pressure on a person, especially in this day and age in which if it isn’t on some social media platform, it didn’t happen. Well, we’re here to tell you to stop watching those videos and start thinking of you and your partner. This is your story and nobody else’s, therefore, it should be original. By original we don’t mean ‘never done before’ as there is only a finite number of ways one can pop such a question. Stay with us as we guide you through the proposal maze and the exact idea will pop into your head all on its own.

Away with tradition

As far as the ring goes, it’s a tricky territory. For straight couples things are, well, straightforward – the girl wears the ring. However, in a same-sex proposal scenario, who’s to say who the ring wearer should be? Given that this is a fairly new area, you have the luxury of making your own rules. You can ditch the ring thing altogether and give your significant other an inscribed watch. You can purchase two rings and hope your partner says yes and then you can give him a ring to put on your finger. However, if you do decide on any variation of the traditional ring, before you buy one ask yourself the following: does my boyfriend wear jewelry? Does he even like rings? If so, what kind? A diamond, a simple band, white gold, platinum? If you want things to go just perfectly you need the perfect ring, something that speaks to your partner’s personality, something that shows him that the person he’s supposed to say ‘yes’ to knows him inside and out.

Follow your wisdom

photo by pixabay.com

You are a person in this relationship, and if you love someone enough to want to spend the rest of your life with them, you must know them pretty darn well. So, when it comes to the battle of public vs. private proposal, you have to take into account the nature of your partner as well as the nature of your relationship. If you’re a low-key couple, a big public proposal would simply clash with your couple style, and it’s an even worse idea if your partner is an introvert and a genuinely private person. Therefore, before you start making crazy plans, sit and think about what they would want.

A private affair

Private proposals are always more special and genuine as opposed to staged and public ones. You get to share this moment with the only person you want around in that moment, so think in terms of a dinner in your very own home for instance. You can order their favorite meal from their favorite restaurant, buy red wine online to match the food, create the perfect playlist and pop the question when your song starts playing. If you want to capture the moment, you can always hide your camera somewhere in the room and have it record the entire thing. This, of course, is just one suggestion and you can take it in an entirely new direction. You can take a trip to a romantic city and pop the question in a secluded street with no people. You can sit on a bench where you two shared the first kiss. The world of proposals is your oyster as there are so many great ‘firsts’, all you have to do is trace your steps and think of the most significant private spot.

A public profession of love

photo by instagram.com/yummertime

Some people simply like to go big, and they have partners who live for grand romantic gestures. If this is more up your alley, then you have an entire world of ideas. You can involve all your friends, hire a professional photographer, the whole shebang. However, in the spirit of keeping things classy and original, avoid staged photos – if there is a photographer, let them catch authentic moments, don’t go recreating them or anything. Another thing to scratch off the list are movie montages – very corny. Essentially, all you ever hated in a rom-com – don’t do it in real life. If it’s going to be a public place it should, again, be a significant one – the restaurant where you had your first date. You can do it at the movies, just as the credits role and you can have the whole arena of spectators cheering you on. The point is, even if you’re going big, make it feel spontaneous and unique, don’t overdo and over-stage things as this makes the entire thing choreographed and lacking genuine emotion.