How to Propose to a Woman Creatively

Proposing to marry the person you love takes a lot of courage, sincerity, and creativity. But your proposal should also express how much your partner truly means to you. This way, when you ask those fateful words, “Will you marry me?” the only response you hear is a resounding “YES!” Once you hear that sweet word in response, you can begin sending out wedding invitations and planning your wedding. Keep in mind that these creative proposal techniques are only suggestions of how you might propose to your partner. You’ll likely want to add a twist to any of these suggestions to make it a proposal of your own!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Proposing with the Help of Others

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    Propose with the support and help of the family. Especially if she’s fond of her family (or yours!) you can make your proposal a group affair with her favorite people. You could have her aunts and uncles wear shirts that spell out “Will you” and younger cousins in shirts that spell out “marry me?” You might even have the family hold up a “Will you marry me?” sign, while you kneel before it, extending her your ring.
    • Another way you could involve her family is by proposing at a family party or event, like a family Christmas party. Hide your ring inside a present, and be sure to be by her side when she opens it. When she realizes what it is, you can ask her the question you’ve been waiting for.
    • Family games, like a scavenger hunt, can also turn into memorable proposal opportunities. Bring the game planner in on your scheme, and have a special set of proposal clues made for your girlfriend. Await her arrival at the end of the hunt with your engagement ring in hand and someone nearby to snap a couple candid photos.
    • You might turn a family game of charades, sometimes called gestures, into your proposal. Orchestrate it so that you and your partner are on the same team. Then, when it’s your turn to go, get her to ask the question, “Will you marry me?” in gestures. When she finally gets the answer, drop to your knee and hold out the ring.[1] [2]
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    Propose with a flash mob. This will require some time, effort, and potentially some dancing skills on your part. But a marriage proposal through the coordinated song and dance of a group of people will make yours impossible to forget. You’ll have to get together a large group of your friends or hire performers, design your flash mob routine, practice, and then pull it off in public. For more particulars, you should check out how to organize a flash mob.
    • There are many locations you can spring your flash mob proposal on your bride-to-be. You might choose a mundane, everyday location where it’s sure to surprise, like a supermarket, train station, or a downtown area. You could even waylay her with your flash mob proposal on your way to a special dinner date!
    • If you’re not as confident in your ability to perform in public, you might want to put together a digital flash mob proposal. This has the added benefit of limiting outside interruptions and other potential mistakes that could occur during a live flash mob performance. Have a friend or a professional record your flash mob at a private location, add music, and then use it to propose.
    • The budget for your flash mob can be expensive. To keep things affordable, you may want to forego hiring a photographer and instead hire a videographer. This way, all your hard work, your cool choreographed moves, and the lovely message of matrimony at the end can be watched over and over again.[3]
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    Propose with the help of a celebrity. While it might be impossible to get her favorite actor to show up and help you seal the deal, you might be able to get a written message from a celebrity that you can use with your proposal. You should check and see if there are any signings or meet-and-greet opportunities you can take advantage of. At these events, you’ll likely get a chance to explain your proposal plans and get a handwritten message from her favorite star.
    • Authors are well known for signing special messages to fans in their books. If your beloved possible bride has an author she’s particularly keen on, you could look up book signing dates or tour dates for that author. Come prepared with a book for the author to sign, and then at the signing, request the author to modify the message for your purposes. You might ask them to write, “To <Bride’s Name>, soon to be married to a lucky guy!” or something to that effect.
    • Depending on the message written, you might frame it in glass along with a picture of the two of you together. This would be a perfect surprise gift to lead into your proposal. Then, when she sees the message from her idol, have the engagement ring ready so you can pop the big question.[4]
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    Serenade her proposal to her. Unless you’re a one-man-band, you might want some backup when it comes to your wedding proposal serenade. You can choose a romantic song that will sweep her off her feet, or you can write a song of your own. There are many ways you can approach this. You could take center stage yourself and sing karaoke style, or you could allow a performer to sing for you while you prepare to bend knee and propose.
    • Many couples have a romantic song that is special to both. If you have a romantic song, or if you know your girlfriend's favorite romantic song, you can use this in your serenade. Whether you blast it from a sound system of a restaurant or sing along to it while it plays on your phone speakers at an intimate locale, she’ll surely appreciate your thoughtfulness when you finish the song by asking for her hand in marriage.
    • Many popular songs have arrangements for various musical instruments. If you play an instrument, you might accompany the serenade as part of your proposal. Music arranged for your instrument can likely be found at your local music store, or online through a music retailer.[5]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Proposing with a Prop or Message

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    Propose using an audio-visual presentation you’ve made. Compile photos and/or videos of the two of you together. Then you can use video and photo editing software on your computer to make a photo montage. You can even include a few video clips of you together, but when you’re done you should burn your wedding proposal presentation onto a blank DVD or USB memory stick. You don’t want your future bride stumbling across your hard work and ruining the surprise!
    • You can use captions or text boxes at the bottom of your presentation to show just how much she means to you. At the end of the presentation, you could show the question “Will you marry me?” along the bottom of the screen with a video clip or image of you holding out the ring to the camera. Then you can mimic the gesture in real life, so when she turns from the video, there you are, on bended knee holding out her ring.
    • To add some extra surprise to your proposal, you might use some help from others and have your marriage proposal played somewhere she won't expect. This might be at an awards banquet, before a movie at a theater, or even at a family party.
    • Use some kind of excuse, like a DVD marathon, to set the trap for your proposal. Make sure it's realistic, otherwise she might know you’re up to something! Prepare popcorn, order her favorite meal, or maybe make her a favorite snack. When you’ve both settled in, play the DVD, and get ready to fish her engagement ring out of your pocket.[6]
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    Propose using an aerial banner. An aerial banner is a long streamer attached to the back of an airplane. These are often used as advertising gimmicks, and can be seen at beaches, athletic events, and parks. An aerial advertising company near you can be found through an online search, or perhaps even through contacting the customer services of your local airport.
    • Before contacting an aerial advertising company, you’ll need to think of the message you want on the banner. Something short and sweet, like “Will you marry me?” will save you money, but you may want to use your own words. Remember, messages that are too long might be difficult to read up in the sky!
    • You’ll also need to think of a suitable, wide-open space where you and your partner will be able to see the message. A public park, a local pier that juts out from a waterfront, or a similar location might work well for viewing your banner. If you notice her look up, get ready to bend your knee and pop the question, but you might have to direct her gaze by saying, “What’s that up there?” While she’s looking up and reading the message, get on one knee and extend her ring toward her.
    • A common variation on the banner proposal is skywriting. This is where an airplane uses special smoke that hangs in the air for a period of time to spell out a message. For more information, you should look into how to arrange a marriage proposal in skywriting.[7]
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    Propose with a photo album or scrapbook book. Especially if your beloved is a fan of scrapbooks and mementos, a physical compilation of your good times and the love you have shared can also be used to propose. Gather photos, items that remind you of time spent together, and other supplies to create a proposal scrapbook.
    • At the end of your scrapbook, you might write the message “Will you marry me” along with an arrow pointing toward the side of her which you plan on sitting. When she reaches this page, kneel and hold up your ring so that when her eyes follow the arrow, she sees that it’s pointing to her ring.
    • A digital scrapbook might be a good alternative for the more technologically adept. You can upload your pictures from social media or other places, or scan your physical pictures to use in your digital scrapbook.
    • You might even include the ring as part of the scrapbook. You can use the clear plastic of your scrapbook to form a pouch for your ring on the last page along with your proposal message. This way, when she turns the last page, all you need to do is bend your knee and wait for her eyes to meet yours. Then you can ask, “Will you?” to hear her reply.[8]
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    Propose with a favorite food or drink. A ring can be the perfect ornament to top an elegant desert, to hide in the bottom of a celebratory drink, like champagne, or to hide as a prize in a favorite snack. You might hide your ring in a plastic egg to keep it clean, then place the egg as a prize in a box of her favorite treats.
    • If you are planning on proposing during a fancy dinner, you might want to bring the restaurant in on your plans. This way the wait-staff can help you make your proposal go as smoothly as possible. The chef could place the ring artfully on a desert platter, or your server might distract your partner so you can secretly slip the ring into her glass.
    • Be careful when hiding your ring as a “prize” in a box containing a favorite snack or candy. There’s always a chance that the prize could be missed! Be sure you are on the scene to prevent any mishaps or accidental ring disposals.
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    Propose with a favorite TV show, book, or movie series. Your partner may be especially fond of a TV, movie, or book series that you can employ in your wedding proposal. You could recreate a scene and use your ring and proposal as its climax, you could use a prop from the series to present your ring, or you could propose in a way the characters of the series might.
    • If your girlfriend is a fan of the Dr. Who series, you could hide your ring in a Tardis cookie jar. Since a running joke about the Tardis is “It’s bigger on the inside,” you might attach a note to the ring you’ve placed inside the Tardis that says, “And so is my heart when you’re with me. Will you marry me?”[9]
    • If your girlfriend is and avid reader and you know she is planning on rereading her favorite series, you could buy an extra copy of the book and hollow out the pages and then store the ring inside with a message. This way, when she opens it up to read, she’ll see your proposal. You can earn bonus points by using her old copy for the hollowed out proposal and buying a signed copy to replace the one you destroyed.
    • For a fan of Lord of the Rings, you could arrange a massive theme party in the style of Bilbo’s final birthday celebration. Then, much as Bilbo passed the ring onto Frodo, you can present your beloved with her engagement ring at the end of the party. You might even say something like, “Just as there was only ever one ring, you will always be the only one for me.”[10]
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    Propose with flowers. Flowers are a common romantic gift exchanged between partners, but you can use these creatively to convey the depths of your love. You might send a rose each day for 11 days, and save your proposal for the 12th. She’ll most likely be expecting a final rose to finish of the dozen, but you could present her with a full dozen on the 12th day, along with a ring and your proposal.
    • You might communicate your feelings by spelling out a message with flowers or petals. Be careful when doing so, as some petals and flowers can stain fabric. Light some candles to add a romantic ambiance and make your proposal extra special.
    • Make a mix-and-match message proposal with flowers. Buy 14 of her favorite blooms and attach a piece of paper to the stem of each. On each paper, write a single letter of the 14 letter phrase “Will you marry me” and send them to her one at a time or hide them around the house.
    • Time your deliveries so that she receives a flower every hour on the hour throughout the day. Then, when the 12th hour arises, you can make an appearance with the final flower of the bouquet, your ring, and your proposal to her.[11]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Proposing at a Scenic Location or Event

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    Propose at the place you first met. This one won’t need as much preparation simply because this place will be special already to both of you. You can make her think it’s a casual date by pretending you don’t remember the significance of the spot. But when you’ve finally arrived, you may want to start talking about the time you first met as a lead in to your proposal.
    • Some topics you might want to use to set the tone for your proposal include: what you thought about her the first time you saw her, what makes her special to you, and how she still makes you feel. You might also bring up particular moments that you shared where you overcame an obstacle or you spent your time together enjoyably.
    • Set out candles or other romantic touches. If you first met at a park, you might have a blanket laid out close to the exact location you met. Scatter your blanket with some sweet smelling blossoms to up the romantic appeal. She’ll think you’re just being charming, but when you ask her to marry you, she’ll likely think you’re her one and only.[12]
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    Propose in a luxurious hotel. A special occasion will make the extravagance of a hotel stay a little less suspicious to her. You might tell her it’s for her birthday or your own. You could plot to spring this proposal around the time of your anniversary or some other special date that you celebrate together. Call or text her and let her know you’ve arranged a hotel reservation for the two of you.
    • To make it an even bigger surprise, don’t tell her any more than she needs to know. Inform her of the date, time, and room number. Then you can leave the door unlocked so she can walk in. But Before she does, you should arrange the room for maximum romance. This might mean playing soft, sweet music in the background, or even leaving a trail of scattered flower petals to a balcony with a table set for two. Then, when the moment is right, all you have to do is ask.
    • Some hotels might have services in place for wedding proposals. While you are booking your hotel, you should let the person handling your reservation know that you plan to propose to your soon-to-be spouse on this day. The booking agent might be able to suggest a more suitable room, or a special room service course that you and your partner can enjoy.[13]
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    Propose at a religious ceremony. Many religions look at the commitment of marriage as a commitment before the divine. If you and your girlfriend, or either of your parents, are religious, or if you want your proposal to have a sacred, reverential tone, you might propose before, during, or after a religious service. She might be even more pleasantly surprised if, following your proposal, her friends revealed they had been watching all along as part of the congregation.
    • You’ll want to coordinate your plans with the clergy presiding over the service to prevent any disturbances. Marriage is a joyous occasion, and sharing the start of that journey with fellow believers will likely be warmly regarded. You might even be able to play music on the sound system, or have the church band plan a special song leading up to or following your marriage proposal.
    • You might want to involve the presiding minister and ask him or her to offer a blessing for your engagement. This is an easy way of leading into your proposal. First the minister can say some words of encouragement or offer a special message, and then turn the stage over to you for your special question.[14]
    • Be certain this kind of proposal won't embarrass your hopeful bride to be! Public proposals can put pressure on her to say yes, even if she's not entirely certain.
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    Propose using a scavenger hunt game. A scavenger game is sort of a treasure hunting game with map, clues, and other features. You can pretend this game is nothing more than a special date you’ve planned for her or something you read about online that you thought might be fun. This way, she doesn’t suspect that you’re about to propose.
    • You can also include your friends and tell them about your plan. Friends can help you think of clever clues for the hunt, set up those clues so they are ready for your girlfriend to find, and can even help you keep an eye on your partner’s progress through text messages.
    • Avoid making the questions for your scavenger hunt too difficult. You don’t want to be waiting too long at the other end, but you also don’t want your girlfriend getting frustrated along the way! While she’s out finding and solving the clues you’ve left, you can prepare the ending location to be extra romantic.
    • Be careful where you arrange the scavenger hunt, the path should not contain anything hazardous. For example, you arrange for your girlfriend to walk across some rocks on the beach to find the next clue, but she ends up slipping and injuring her foot. Not very romantic!
    • You might end your scavenger hunt at the beach, in a restaurant, a hotel room, at the place you first met, or anywhere you think she’ll appreciate. When she’s finally found you using the map, clues, and the hints you gave her, give her a reward she’ll never forget – a small box with a ring inside.
    • You can put a spin on the normal scavenger hunt by going geocaching instead! Geocaching is where an item is hidden somewhere no one will find without precise location information, like longitude and latitude. Or you might start off with a point and have this turn into a series of clues. Learn how to create and hide a geocache for more details.[15]
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    Propose during half-time game. Even if your wife-to-be isn’t a big sports fan, she’ll know how serious you are about your engagement when you do it in front of a stadium full of people! You’ll have to contact stadium officials to see what the policy is for wedding proposals and how you might organize your proposal to be broadcast on TVs and screens across the entire stadium.
    • You could arrange for a quick, heartfelt proposal before, during, or after the half-time break. After making the arrangements, all you need to do is prepare a short speech, gather a lot of courage, and pop the question, “Will you marry me?”
    • Have your friends sit together on the other side of the stadium, and then when the moment is right, send them a signal, like a text message. Then your friends can lift up signs that spell out “Will you marry me?” When she notices the sign and wonders who is proposing, you take a knee and hopefully her hand in marriage, too.[16]
    • Consider this kind of proposal carefully before putting it into action. Proposals in front of large crowds can be overwhelming. She might prefer a more intimate proposal
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    Propose on live television. There are a number of TV shows out there that will use any excuse to add drama to the show. The most accessible kind of TV show for average people to join is most likely a game show. Game shows frequently use ordinary people to compete in challenges to win money and prizes. Of course, you won’t really be joining the show for the prize money. You’ve got a bigger prize in mind – her hand in marriage!
    • You might want to discuss your proposal plans with the staff of the show beforehand. These people can help ensure you get you get the perfect chance to pop the question even if things go differently than planned. Win or lose the game, you’ll still hopefully get the girl!
    • Certain game shows choose candidates at random from the audience. Even if you can’t get the gameshow staff to help you out with your proposal, they’ll be hard-pressed to stop you if you’re already in the audience. Simply plan your moment, and show her and the rest of the world you’re ready to love her forever.[17]
    • Live TV doesn't always go as planned. Be sure that this is the right way of proposing to your bride-to-be before you decide to pop the question on a live broadcast. Your girlfriend might say no, and then you both may go down in infamy.
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    Propose during breakfast in bed. Some gals like a more laid back and intimate approach. You can spring your question on her following her favorite breakfast while staying at an opulent bed-and-breakfast. If a bed-and-breakfast isn’t your style, do the same while in the comfort of your own home. Wake up early and leave bed as quietly as possible, add a few romantic touches, like rose petals on her breakfast tray, and when the moment is right, bend your knee and ask for her hand in marriage.
    • Time your breakfast preparations to coincide with the time she normally wakes up. You don’t want all your delicious food to get cold, or to awake her too soon and spoil her rest.
    • You could also commemorate a day that’s already special by adding your proposal to it. This way, she’ll think that you’re celebrating something else, like your anniversary, when you arrive with her tray and food. When you spring the question, she’ll be extra surprised.
    • Take some time to tell her how special she is and why you love her more than anyone else. Keep eye contact with her as you slowly kneel down on the floor beside the bed, open that small special box and ask her your question: “Will you marry me?”[18]
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    Propose while announcing a holiday you have paid for as a surprise. Take her somewhere that has sentimental value, or plan your trip for a romantic place she’s always wanted to visit. When you surprise her with her holiday, present her with her ticket, but not the real one. Have a fake ticket with the words "Will you marry me" typed on it, or use your best handwriting and write out your message on an old ticket from a trip you went on together before.
    • Buy refundable tickets. Even if you’ve taken every precaution, there’s always a small chance you could be rejected. As much as you might not want to think about this, it would be even more bitter to lose your lover and have to foot the bill for a non-refundable trip for two.
    • Come up with an excuse for your trip, like celebrating a recent accomplishment such as graduation or a promotion, and then surprise her with the engagement ring at an opportune moment. You might have a flight attendant bring your girlfriend a glass of champagne with the ring inside, or you might arrange to have the captain announce your engagement to passengers on board.[19] [20]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I'd like to propose in a hotel that is in a romantic country, do you know of any?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Rome has lots of beautiful places to visit and thus is super romantic. Here are a number of places you could pop the question, be sure to google them all and pick the one you think your boy/girlfriend would most like: Temple of Roma and Amor, Aventine Hill and the Giardino degli Aranci, Appian Way, The Tiber River at sunset, Villa Farnesina. Other romantic places include Paris (plenty of hotels), safari lodges in South Africa, private resorts on small island countries, Banff in Canada and Queenstown, New Zealand. There are many romantic places in the world though, do an online image search for "romantic hotels" to find your favorites!
  • Question
    How do I make a winter themed proposal?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Maybe go ice-skating or, if you and your possible bride are celebrating Christmas, hide the ring as an ornament in the tree and pretend to accidentally knock it out of the tree. Even try putting the ring in her hot apple cider or if you live in a place where there is snow, put the ring in a fake snowball and have a friend drop it into your hand.
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Warnings

  • Be careful your future spouse doesn't eat the ring by mistake.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Rose petals can permanently stain fabric and carpeting, especially darker hued flowers. Be careful if you plan to use these in your proposal.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Keep in mind that public proposals may put a lot of pressure on your partner to say yes, which could be uncomfortable. so only use this method if you're very sure that she would immediately say yes when you propose.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • There’s always the chance that your marriage proposal could be met with a “No.”
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need

  • Engagement ring
  • Suitable proposal spot
  • Speech (optional)

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References

  1. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas-actually-unique/
  2. ↑ https://www.theknot.com/content/romantic-ways-to-propose
  3. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas/flash-mob/
  4. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas-actually-unique/
  5. ↑ http://www.janvierjewelers.com/creative-romantic-proposal-ideas-rock-her-world
  6. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas-actually-unique/
  7. ↑ http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/06/17/the-mans-guide-to-the-perfect-marriage-proposal/
  8. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas-actually-unique/
  9. ↑ http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/adorably-unusual-ways-to-propose-to-someone#.umpK83qpBW
  1. ↑ http://howheasked.com/marriage-proposal-ideas-actually-unique/
  2. ↑ http://www.pughsdiamonds.com/images/proposals.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/06/17/the-mans-guide-to-the-perfect-marriage-proposal/
  4. ↑ http://www.janvierjewelers.com/creative-romantic-proposal-ideas-rock-her-world
  5. ↑ http://www.diamondbuyingschool.com/creative-and-romantic-proposal-ideas
  6. ↑ http://www.janvierjewelers.com/creative-romantic-proposal-ideas-rock-her-world
  7. ↑ http://www.theplunge.com/gettingengaged/how-to-propose/
  8. ↑ http://www.pughsdiamonds.com/images/proposals.pdf
  9. ↑ http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/06/17/the-mans-guide-to-the-perfect-marriage-proposal/
  10. ↑ http://www.theplunge.com/gettingengaged/how-to-propose/
  11. ↑ http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/06/17/the-mans-guide-to-the-perfect-marriage-proposal/
  12. ↑ http://www.theplunge.com/gettingengaged/how-to-propose/

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wikiHow Staff
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Co-authors: 33
Updated: January 7, 2023
Views: 238,023
Categories: Featured Articles | Marriage Proposals
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