Planning your perfect proposal: A guide on getting engaged

Getting engaged and how to propose

Do you want to take the next step in your relationship by proposing to your significant other? Do you want to get engaged but don’t know where to begin? Here are tips and ideas to help you plan the perfect engagement and proposal. As a wedding professional, I have had the good fortune to work with hundreds of couples over the years and have been told many engagement stories.

Getting engaged is a huge, life-changing step in your relationship and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Does your other half want to get married and is it something you have discussed?

The Engagement Ring

Traditionally, engagement rings are diamonds, thanks to a marketing campaign in the 1930s with the strapline “a diamond is forever.” Another tradition based on advertising is that an engagement ring should cost you three months’ salary. The average spend on an engagement ring in the UK is between £1000-£3000. At the last wedding fayre I was at, I was talking to the jewellers opposite me who had some beautiful rings and they mentioned that as they sell lab diamonds, these work out much more cost effective.

So you’ve got the ring sorted out, what next?

The location

Where is the perfect location to get engaged? Here are a few ideas:

• At Home: Sometimes, the most intimate proposals happen at home. Set the scene with candles, flowers, and a romantic dinner.
• A Favorite Place: Propose at a place that holds special memories for you both, like where you had your first date or shared a memorable moment.
• Out in Nature: If you both love the outdoors, consider proposing during a walk/hike, at the beach, during a picnic or under a sunset.

Outdoor Places in Yorkshire to get engaged

I might be a bit biased but I think Yorkshire is one of the most beautiful places in the world with plenty of stunning backdrops to make the moment more special. I love the outdoors, but definitely more in the summer than winter!
Brimham Rocks
Fountains Abbey
Knaresborough on a rowing boat
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The Yorkshire Coast
Malham Cove

Other things to consider when planning your proposal
Would your significant other appreciate a grand gesture or would a more intimate moment be more appropriate?

Should you involve someone else?
Do you have children and would like to involve them? Should you ask their parents? Would you like to capture their reaction by booking a photographer?

Engagement stories

Paris – one of the most romantic cities in the world
One of my grooms proposed at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The security to enter the Eiffel Tower meant he had to slyly show the security team the ring whilst keeping it hidden from his now wife.

A special place on the moors with their favourite singer
Another of my grooms booked a singer for a surprise proposal on the moors. The couple had seen acoustic guitarist and singer Sarah Widdup perform several times at their local pub and had got chatting with her. They discovered that his now wife had grown up in the same village as Sarah with a particular spot on the moors being a special place to the couple. Six months later, the groom hatched a plan with Sarah to learn the couple’s favourite song and perform as he proposed.