12 (awesome and adorable) ways to pop the question

Your proposal is always going to be special. After all, it’s not every day you get down on one knee and pop a life-altering question.

However, if you’re looking at making it extra special and, perhaps, increasing your chances of receiving a gushing ‘yes’, our 12 suggestions below suit all budgets, and they’re guaranteed to take your proposal to a whole other level.

It doesn’t have to be expensive, either. All you need is a little foresight, creativity and planning!

1) Bake a cake (or buy one) and add the words, “Will You Marry Me?” on the top. It’s a super sweet, super romantic gesture – and you’ll have something to gobble down while you drink your celebratory champagne!

2) Buy some air time on a radio station or, the more affordable option, a podcast that your partner regularly listens to. The radio station option can be costly but it won’t be as exorbitant as you might image. In the case of many podcasts, it may even be free.

3) Write a poem that ends with the question ‘will you marry me?’ and hide it into a book that your partner is currently reading. Ensure she’ll be reading the book when you’re around so you can perform the final step, presenting her with the ring.
4) If your lady is a Scrabble fiend, organise it so that you get the letters for Marry Me ( you can use the M twice) in your first batch, then put down Marry in your first go, then Me in your second.

5) Write the words Marry Me? at the bottom of a mug and pop the question as soon as she takes her last sip and sees the message. Of course, you can’t just do this with a pen and a mug, you’ll need to either personalise a mug via an online service, buy a ready-made proposal mug or buy some sort of permanent  porcelain pen you can mark one of your daily mugs with – without it disappearing into the beverage itself.

6) Propose in the spot where you first met or where you had your first date. This is a simple, hopefully affordable, but thoroughly romantic way to surprise your partner and, if you can’t get to that same spot, go somewhere else that is super special to you both, a place that holds a particular significance to you both.

7) Of course, you can always pop the question during a romantic getaway. It doesn’t have to be under the Eiffel Tower or on a beach in paradise. Anywhere serene and private and romantic will do. Of course, popping the question in Paris never hurts.

8) Hire a sky writer to post your proposal in the sky! Be sure you get your partner outdoors (and looking up) when the big moment arrives and, when her name appears, pop the question in person.

9) Create a treasure hunt. This is one of our favourite suggestions. Leave clues for your partner to find throughout the day and ensure the last clue leads them to a ring. To make it even more romantic, lead them to a series of places you used to go to together. Pepper the list with some places that are special to you both. A lovely way to end your treasure hunt is to make the last place on the list is where first met or somewhere that is particularly special to you both.

10) Buy enough glow-in-the-dark stars to spell out the words “Will you marry me?” on your ceiling. Then, one evening, ensure she turns out the light and the moment she’s in bed, slip your arms around her, tell her how much you love her and then tell her to look up.

11) While hanging up a sign that says “Marry Me, (Insert name here)” over a bridge located on their daily route to work is a little more romantic, it’s also probably illegal. So, if you are going down this route, be sure to get the appropriate permits, if they even exist.

12) Make a video of your proposal and buy some air time at the local independent theatre where rates are probably more reasonable than at a theatre chain. That way, you can take her out for a romantic night at the flicks – but she’ll be the star of the show when your proposal pops up between ads or before the film starts.

The trick with proposing is personalising it. It doesn’t have to be expensive or lavish, it just has to be something she’ll love. If she’s the kind of gal who would love a surprise proposal in front of her family and friends, giver her that. Get the crowd to shout, “Will you marry me, <insert name here> as she walks through the door. If, however, she’s a private person who would want your special moment to be shared soly by the two of you, keep it private.

Whichever path you choose, ensure it’s lovely and romantic and so special that you’ll be telling your grandkids about it decades from now.

Don’t forget to watch – Our 10 favourite YouTube proposals