Behind some great engagement photos are wedding proposal mistakes and blunders. That’s okay, we understand. Planning on and actually asking the person you love to spend the rest of their life with you can be nerve-wracking and downright stressful.
If you’ve been thinking of proposing, chances are you’ve known your partner for some time. And while this means that you can be fairly confident they’ll say yes or know what to do and say to hear that affirmation, sometimes things don’t go according to plan.
So, apart from thinking about things you should do when you propose, also keep in mind things you shouldn’t do. When popping the question, make sure you get a resounding yes by avoiding the following mistakes:
1. Jumping the Gun
For some, the urge to propose hits them out of nowhere, and it may happen to you, too. Maybe you’re watching your partner shovel food into their mouth and suddenly, you see them doing that with you by their side until you’re in retirement.
Fight the temptation to pop the question then and there. A proposal shows how willing you are to commit, and a rash decision made at the height of emotion doesn’t really show reliability, no matter how sweet it might seem.
2. Proposing Without a Ring
This marriage proposal faux pas may be the result of the previous one or it may be from the lack of planning. Either way, proposing empty-handed is a huge no-no. While your declaration of love and commitment should be more important than having a ring, this piece of jewelry is tangible proof of those promises.
An engagement ring doesn’t even have to have a huge diamond and an equally hefty price tag to go along with it. As long as it is of reasonable quality, fits your partner’s personality, and fits their finger, you should have no problem getting down on one knee to present her with a ring.
3. Asking Too Many People for Advice
A dozen pieces of advice may work in your favor when you’ve already popped the question, heard the “yes!” and are already on the verge of planning your wedding. You can ask your family or friends their opinion on things like a rustic wedding venue in MN, adding a serve-yourself bar, and having the bride wear a non-white gown. But before all this, you need to own your proposal.
If you ask for and listen to dozens of opinions, you’ll likely get conflicting advice together with a headache trying to figure out which ones to follow. If you need input, ask a couple of trusted friends or the parents of your partner. But mostly, just be yourself and propose in a way you know your partner will appreciate.
4. Being Too Obvious and Leaving Too Many Clues
So, you’ve decided you want to spend your life with one person and you’re bursting at the seams to pop the question. In your excitement, you may be keeping the ring somewhere close so you can always look at it. You may also be talking about the upcoming proposal to a lot of people.
Unfortunately, this behavior may backfire and your fiancé-to-be may guess what you’re up to. While that’s not the worst thing to happen, a sweet, well-thought-out proposal will be a great surprise for her and you don’t want to ruin that.
A marriage proposal is one of the biggest, if not the biggest step in a relationship. Avoid these mistakes and make sure you don’t fumble when the time comes.