So, it's time to pop the question? First, some important tips about making your proposal something she will remember, without breaking the bank.

 

In a recent poll, 85% of women stated they were "disappointed" in the way they were proposed to. Keep in mind as you plan your approach -- this will be one of the most significant moments in both your lives, so make it a day she will remember and treasure.

 

The key to the perfect proposal is to be sincere. Whether the question is posed under the stars, on the highway, or simply during a quiet moment together, so long as the intent is clear and the question genuine, it will be the beginning of a tremendous relationship.

 

 

1. Cook and set an elaborate candlelight table (or cater if you are not talented in the kitchen) for a quiet romantic dinner for two at home. Serve her a glass of champagne with the diamond ring in the bottom or ribboned to the stem.

 

2. Have an artist paint her portrait, adding a box with a loose diamond in her hand before you present it. When you present the portrait, have the ring ready when she asks about it.

 

3. Have a plane sky-write your proposal. Plan it for the day of a family picnic, boat ride or other outing so she is sure to see it. Have your loose diamond ready when she sees your proposal.

 

4. For a very traditional approach, ask her father for her hand in marriage. When the approval is given, make plans for the next family gathering and make your proposal to her in private with diamond in hand. When she says yes, stand up and announce your engagement to everyone.

 

5. At a college or professional sporting event (if you both like sports), arrange to have your message displayed on the scoreboard after halftime..."Karen...Will you marry me?" Have the diamond ready in a presentation box.

 

6. Arrange to have dinner together at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Have the waiter give her a special fortune cookie with "Will you marry me?" in it. Or you could have it say, "You will receive a diamond in the very near future." And present the diamond in a box.

 

7. For the chocoholic: Chocolate-dip the diamond box, and put it in the center of a box of chocolates when you are alone for the evening. She will always wonder what's in the largest piece of candy. Pick it up for her and open it with a flair.

 

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8. Invite her for some games at home. Use Scrabble letters and spell out "Will you marry me?" Have the diamond close by.

 

9. Take her for a surprise picnic at the beach or in the woods. At the picnic spot, spell out "Marry Me" with stones, flowers or seashells. Put the diamond in her hand when she says yes.

 

10. Rent a limousine for the evening. Have the driver pick you up first, then pick her up at home or work. Ask the driver to roll up the privacy window. Have one of her favorite evening dresses inside to change into. Take her to an elegant restaurant where you have pre-arranged to serve the limo in the parking lot for your own romantic dinner. Be sure to tell the servers to make it a picnic and ask them not to disturb you after the main course is served. Have the driver play your favorite romantic music, while you enjoy the privacy for your unique dinner. Present the diamond instead of dessert.

 

11. Order a dozen red roses and pick them up yourself at the shop. Write the card to say, "Will you marry me?" and put the diamond in a presentation box with the roses. Present the flowers during a candlelight dinner for two at home (cater if you can't cook).

 

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12. Mail her a romantic poem from Shakespeare or Browning. Include a photo of yourself on your knees with a diamond in your hand, and write on the back in marker, "Will you marry me?" Be ready, hiding outside her house when she normally opens her mail, and go inside with the diamond in hand when you hear her scream with joy.

 

13. If neither of you are afraid of heights -- Arrange with a local adventure guide for a private hot air balloon ride for just the two of you (and the pilot). Schedule the time so that it covers either sunrise or sunset. Some companies provide a full meal with a table setting and the works. Present the diamond in a box as the dessert at the end of the meal.

 

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14. Arrange for a day at a private beach together, building sand castles or digging for shells. On the night before, write a love poem on a peice of parchment paper, roll it into an antique bottle with a cork, and bury it in a well marked spot in the sand near your diggings. Be sure you "find" the bottle as you dig together. Open and read the poem, then present the diamond from your pocket and ask her for her hand in marriage.

 

15. And a Happy New Year- Ringing in the New Year goes hand in hand with a glass (or two) of the bubbly. Make hers extra sweet by dropping a dazzling diamond in her glass, and present it to her at the stroke of midnight.

 

16. Take your sweetheart to the exact place where you had your first date. Reminisce a little, and then say something like "We've had an amazing journey together so far, and now I think we're ready to take the next step in that journey. I'm hoping you'll do me the honor of marrying me."

17. Another Christmas/Chanukah marriage proposal idea is to wrap the ring box inside successively bigger boxes so that your sweetheart will think the present is very large.As each layer is opened, the laughs will grow. Get down on one knee right as the last box is opened.

 

18. Create a path to the engagement ring. For example, scatter petals from the front door to the bedroom, and then use more petals to spell out "Will you marry me?" Alternatively, you could use candles to trace a path. (Obviously, be careful you don't burn the house down!)

 

19. Freeze the ring in an ice cube and drop it in her glass, while you are at your favorite restaurant. When she realizes what is in her drink, get down on one knee and ask her to marry you.

 

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20. Go to a local bakery. Instruct them to bake a cake with a marriage proposal on it and put it in the window. Take her on a romantic nighttime stroll right past the bakery, and point to the personalized cake in the window. Drop down on one knee, pull out the ring, and ask her to marry you. This way you can have your cake and eat it too, literally.

 

21. Purchase fortune cookies and take out the fortunes with a pair of tweezers. Swap the fortunes with a piece of paper that says, "Will you marry me?" Then bring her to your favorite Chinese restaurant and have the waiter bring out her fortune after the meal..