Switching up tradition and asking your boyfriend to marry you? Or do you have a male best friend who is popping the question to his partner soon? Or maybe you're a woman proposing to your girlfriend! Whatever the scenario, there are lots of guides out there about what you do when asking for someone's hand in marriage! What there is less of, what you do, or what you should avoid.
So, that is the purpose of this article! None of these things are disastrous, but all can mar how special the day is somewhat.
Getting the ring size wrongLet's be totally honest for a second. Shopping for engagement rings can be daunting, but being thorough and focused is crucial. Why? Because getting it wrong is not a good idea. Listen carefully to any hints your partner drops in terms of style or color. Even just 'I don't want it to be big and heavy' can have a huge impact on what you pick. Style aside, you then need to think about the size. It could be that your partner has had her ring finger size measured in advance; great! However, if you want it to be a surprise, a bit of educated guesswork is needed. Take a photograph of your partner's hand to a jeweller and see if they can help. See if your partners ring finger is a similar size to your little finger.
Alternatively, do they have a sibling? Maybe their hands are the same size, so that you can get the size from there! Once engaged, your partner will want to be able to wear his or her new ring straight away. They can't do this if it keeps falling off, though!
Being off the mark with the vibe or surroundingsIf you know your partner well enough to be getting engaged, you should know them well enough for this. Make sure you aren't off the mark with the vibe or surroundings of the engagement .
First up, who is going to be there? Some people will love to enjoy their special moment surrounded by other friends and family. So doing at a family party or get-together is great. However, some people will want that moment to be far more intimate. Figuring out which they want is key.
Also, don't get the location of the engagement wrong. Think carefully about things like distance to or from things. For example, once you are , what will you want to do next! You can't go out for fancy cocktails if you're up a hill in the middle of nowhere!
Here is something that people forget to do time and time again! They plan everything for the big day and then forget about the next day. If you've both had a wonderful time celebrating and basking in that love-glow? You're going to want to go back to work again the next day! Book yourself off work, and also try to book your partner off secretly. If they have a good boss, you could arrange it through them. Alternatively, plan it for a weekend or public holiday!
Images from here and here