Romance is in the air!

It’s the holiday season and romance is in the air. I haven’t checked the stats, but I’m thinking that marriage proposals will be gearing up this season. So, because it’s winter, because there’s romance in the air, and because it’s fun to think about marriage proposals, let’s explore this topic.

Romance Proposals:

How will he (or she) propose? Let me count the ways…. Will he do the ultra casual status update on Facebook? Will he hire an airplane and sky-write the proposal for the world to see? Will it be the safe tradition of dinner at a home or at a restaurant with fresh flowers and plenty of candlelight? Either way, it’s exciting and nerve-racking to come up with the plan and then execute it properly.

I had a friend once who worked at a San Diego hotel. Her title was “romance director”. She had the fun job of helping men or women execute the perfectly romantic marriage proposal. Her ideas ranged greatly. Here are some of her suggestions:

1. Ready a stuffed teddy bear in the hotel room propped up waiting to be discovered upon your return. Sparkly gift (ring) tucked inside teddy’s arms.
2. A picnic plan in the park with a waiter who would serve a prepared meal in a basket, with wine and a trinket box with her sparkly gift.
3. Greet her with a balloon send off as you walk down Balboa Park or along Mission Bay Park beach walk.
4. Send her on a scavenger hunt of old memories and end up at a place where you end up proposing to her.
5. Plan to have a rowboat on the side of a trail in Mission Bay Park and row to a remote area with candles and a picnic basket.
6. Propose with a Chinese fortune cookie. Obviously, you pick your favorite Chinese restaurant which you frequent often. This is no ordinary visit. Have her sparkly gift ready by your side when she reads her fortune.
7. First date relived. Visit the past and recreate the date with the same restaurant, and same activity. This time pop the question at the end.
8. Have your message outside of a lawn written in candles. Perhaps incorporate a gazebo or decorate a nice bench with pillows so you can sit and enjoy the moment. Include a bottle of bubbly with toasting flutes with your sparkly gift.
9. Propose with a Christmas, Birthday, etc. gift. You make the holiday even more special when you present the sparkle.
10. Message in a bottle. You can write your marriage proposal in a bottle and have her find it. This can be anywhere: restaurant, park, your place.

Remember that your proposal is your stamp. It sets the tone for a lifetime of decisions ranging from choosing details for your wedding day to picking out the crib bedding for your “little one”. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive proposal just a wealth of meaning and thought.