Everyone loves a good proposal story, and it’s even better if you manage to get pictures of the actual moment. But for every good proposal story that ends in tears and laughter, there’s a horrendous proposal story that, well, might also end in tears and laughter, just not the good kind.
So if you want to propose but don’t want to end up in a nightmare, here are a few of the common mistakes and how not to make them.
Be Honest With Each Other
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people get this wrong. Before you propose, you need to make sure your significant other actually wants to get married.
One of the most common causes of breakups or even divorce is that couples just have different visions of the future. If you have this conversation relatively early on, then it hurts, but it is possible to move on. You’re just both different people with different dreams.
But if you get married or you end up in a much more serious relationship, your lives end up completely entwined. At that point, realizing that one of you wants to get married and have kids and the other simply doesn’t is heartbreaking.
So have the tough conversations early.
Get the Timing Right
So, it’s been a couple of months, you’re falling for someone, and, even better, they want the same things you do. Time to propose, right?
Well, while there aren’t any rigid rules, you do need to actually know the person before you propose. Also, just because they want to get married at some point, it doesn’t mean they want to marry right then and there.
So, play it safe, wait for twenty-four years, then tie the knot?
Timing anything is tough. Timing a proposal even more so. Depending on how much you want to surprise your significant other, try to have a conversation about timelines. Float the idea without proposing until they seem ready, but don’t string someone along if you have no intentions.
Finding a Ring That Fits
While proposals can look very different for different couples, one thing tends to show up a lot, which is the engagement ring.
Buying an engagement ring isn’t as simple as wandering into a store and grabbing the first ring that you see. You want a ring that they will want to wear every day. And, if you want to surprise them (some people love this, some people hate it, so please know which before proposing), you might not know what size ring to get.
There are a few ways around this. You can get a stand-in ring that is large for the proposal, then buy a ring together and let them choose. Or you can get friends or family members to help you borrow an existing ring and get it measured.
But when it comes to buying the ring itself, you should consider lab diamond engagement rings, which are just as beautiful as anything dug out of the ground, but without the pricetag or potential ethical complications.
