Weddings ~ Engagements
Countdown to Proposing!
Peter Post’s 10 Day Proposing Plan
From the ring
and flowers to what to wear and how to ask, Peter gives men
the advice they need to get through the big moment.
Day 10—Make a Plan
Decide on the who, what, when, where and
why of how you will ask her to marry you. A public place or a
private setting? First thing in the morning or late at night?
Think about what suits your personalities and relationship. Keep
in mind, this is a story she will be telling for the rest of her
life and you want her to be proud to tell it. But at the same
time, the more complex a plan you concoct, the more difficult
to pull off.
Day 9—The Ring
You’ve got two options here: pick
the ring you know she’ll love or go with something basic
and let her choose the setting and band once she’s said yes.
If you go with the latter, remember that this is not an insult
to your jewelry selection capabilities. You want to make sure
it’s the ring she wants.
Day 8—To Ask or Not to Ask: Permission
from Her Dad
Individual circumstances determine whether
you should ask permission from her father, either alone or with
your intended, or if you should simply announce your plans together.
Be respectful of the culture and traditions of your future wife’s
family. This will help you decide the most appropriate course
of action.
Day 7—Schedule Her In
Don’t forget to make plans with her
for the big day. It would be pretty embarrassing to go through
all this effort and then have her tell you “I’m not
available that night, I have yoga class till 8:30 p.m.”
Day 6—Dress
Figure out what you’re going to wear.
Make sure it’s clean and pressed. Shoes polished. Hole-free
socks. Get a haircut. Shave. You want to look and feel your best.
Day 5— Flowers
There’s only one choice: red roses.
Lots and lots of red roses.
And remember, even if you think flowers don’t matter, they
do.
Day 4—Food
To cook or go out? Don’t cook. Think
about it. You want to focus on her, not on cooking. Make a reservation
at the nicest restaurant you can afford. Try not to be a nervous
wreck, hopefully you’ll enjoy the meal. If you’re
planning to pop the question there, ask the maitre d' for
a quiet table.
Day 3—Wine
This is clearly a champagne occasion. Pop
the question early and then order a bottle to celebrate. You can
even call ahead and arrange to have the sommelier bring the champagne
out once you’ve proposed.
Day 2—Practice
Think about what you are going to say and how
you are going to say it. Decide if you’re a down-on-one-knee
kind of guy. Visualize what’s going to happen. You’ve
established a plan for the dinner, now think about how you’re
going to actually pull this off. Make sure you know how to get
to where you are going. Remember these could be some of the most
important words she hears from you, so make them memorable.
Day 1—Just Do It!
Give yourself time to get ready. Don’t
forget the ring. Do plan on having a night the two of you will
always remember. Look her in the eye and speak from the heart.
Enjoy the moment!
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