There is no shortage of ways to pop the question to your beloved. For many, the traditional route would be to propose over a nice dinner at her favorite restaurant or ask her to marry you while on a day trip to a scenic location. Some may even go for the most inexpensive yet intimate move: popping the question with a secondhand engagement ring while they're getting cozy in their PJs in bed.
While there is nothing wrong with these classic approaches, if you really want to go all out and propose to your sweetheart in a grand way, here are a few ideas:
For couples who love to travel together, you can’t go wrong with combining an incredible vacation with a wedding proposal. If this sounds appealing but also stressful ("how am I supposed to plan a vacation and a proposal?!") consider booking a cruise. On a cruise, the itinerary will be planned for you. Just pick a beautiful destination and let the cruise planners do the rest.
If you want something other than a typical beach location, consider cruising to Alaska. You'll have plenty to see, including snow-capped mountains, wildlife and glaciers, plus all of the expected onboard amenities. Alaskan cruises generally sail out of ports in Seattle and Vancouver and can include stops in Denali National Park and other scenic destinations. As a bonus, Alaskan cruise prices can be quite reasonable. Alaska cruise vacations are ideal for a romantic proposal—you can either pop the question on the boat or during one of the side excursions.
If your sweetie is a major foodie and you both enjoy trying out new recipes, consider tying that into the proposal. For example, you could hire a professional chef who will not only prepare your love's favorite meal but will also find a creative way to incorporate the big question. For instance, you could arrange to have the chef place the ring on a beautiful plate and present it as one of the courses. If you live in a big city such as New York you may be able to find a professional proposal planning company that offers personal chef proposals. Or, you can also call local restaurants and culinary schools to see who is available to hire.
Another grand proposal idea involves a ride on a ski lift. This can be done either during the winter at your favorite ski lodge or even during the warm months, as many ski companies run their ski lifts during the spring and summer to let people enjoy the breathtaking ride high in the sky. The only catch is that you’ll have to visit the slopes prior to the event to either write out your proposal in the snow or spell it out on flat parts of the mountain with sticks or even a canvas banner that you can go back and collect later. For added intrigue during the ride, you can also write different phrases that are meaningful to both of you, such as the date of your first meeting, favorite quotes and nicknames.
If your love enjoys live music and appreciates anything from an evening at the symphony to a night at a rock concert, you can plan an incredible proposal that gets her right on stage. For example, you could call ahead and coordinate with the venue to see if they could briefly stop the show for you to propose or even ask the musician to make an announcement and call you both up on stage.
When it comes to incredible and grand proposals, you definitely have all sorts of options that go well beyond the basic scenarios. From a romantic cruise to a musical proposal, you will both definitely remember this amazing day.
Image credit: Stephen Leonardi/Unsplash
