Every marriage proposal is special. That’s why, when you start to tell family and friends that you’re engaged, one of the first questions you’ll hear is “How did they propose?” Can you blame them? Hey, a good story is a good story!
Your friends and family want to hear the story because even the simplest proposals have a bit of drama, intrigue and surprise. Even if you don’t personally know the couple, you gotta ask lol. We all like hearing your proposal stories!
When you book an all-inclusive micro wedding package with us we may even ask you to share it so we can weave it into your ceremony.
So, if you’re thinking of popping the question to your partner, how do you amp up the wedding proposal? What can you do to make it so that you’ll enjoy retelling and reliving the moment long after the wedding has passed?
Here’s three tips for amping up your proposal.
1. Make a Plan, Even If it’s a Loose Plan
If you’re piecing together an elaborately choreographed sequence, you’ll need more time than if you’re just popping the question during a leisurely stroll along the Strip, or while rocking out to a free concert on Fremont Street. Give yourself at least a couple weeks to get it all planned out if you’re going this route. The more moving pieces the more planning you’ll need to do.
If your plan includes a restaurant, retail shop, or other sort of business, you should enlist the help of a small business rather than a large entity. This may help avoid mistakes, miscues and bloopers. Using a small business will aid in secretly dealing with one or two dedicated people who can be trusted to keep your secret, rather than a revolving cast of who knows how many front-line employees, service agents, and hosts.
Work as directly as possible with the person or people who are in on your secret plan. Don’t rely on an agent stuck in the corporate headquarters adding a note to your file or marking your account with a cryptic message. Make a connection with the right person(s) and make sure they understand the assignment.
Conversely if you’re going to “just wing it” a familiar tool can be a big help. Google Earth is your friend. With it you can visit places remotely that you’ve never been to before and can seek out the perfect spot to drop to one knee. Look for backup spots too. You never know when a place will be closed, if construction started the day before you arrived, or if nasty weather will render your first spot unusable. Go in with at least a little idea so that you aren’t flying completely blind.
2. Don’t Reveal Your Secret in the Airport Security Line
Everyone’s approach to getting a ring through airport security without your partner seeing it is different. The good news is, from a TSA screener’s perspective, they likely see rings and jewelry of all kinds come through the machines all the time. And, in at least a couple airports, airport staff are making efforts to keep your secret safe.
Normally placing the engagement ring inside the jeweler’s ring box stuffed inside an interior pocket of your carry-on shouldn’t raise any flags, and it ought to pass through with no issues. As long as you have no other questionable items in your bag, you should be fine. Don’t give TSA a reason to be suspicious. No sharps, no liquids, no drugs. Be smart.
If it were me, I’d consider taking the ring out of the box, putting it in a pants pocket, and slipping it into the security screener’s bowl with a pocketful of change and car keys. Maybe even attach it to a keyring. And then slide the whole lot right back into my pocket as if nothing ever happened.
Whatever your routine is at the airport, stick to it. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do.
If you’re worried about it being spotted by your partner, try to put some space in between you and your spouse by “accidentally” letting another traveler get in between you, or by being the first one to jump at an opening in another line while your partner gets left in your original position.
Chatting up another nearby traveler about a shared sports team, or a souvenir shirt they might be wearing could give you a little bit of cover. It could put your partner’s attention on the conversation rather than the ring you’re trying to hide. This could work especially well if there was just an exciting game and your partner gets animated and excited about it too. Conversely, if the topic is super boring to your partner, they might tune you out completely as they focus on getting themselves through the checkpoint. In this scenario they may not even be paying attention at all to your movements as everyone slogs through security.
3. Do the Proposal Early in Your Trip
Unlike in the movies, where a good story needs several chapters of conflict and rising action before the climax and resolution, it’s ok to have your big scene right at the beginning of your trip. Pop the question on one of the first days of the vacation, and then you’ll have the rest of the trip to enjoy as a newly engaged couple.
Bonus: You won’t have to hold the secret for as long.
In fact, I know a guy who made the proposal in the driveway at his house right before the couple left for the airport! This way he was able to have more control and not have to keep it a secret for half the trip. No hiding it from her through security, or while unpacking together. And no luggage sharing luggage issues whatsoever. He even had her parents on hand for a quick sendoff as the couple loaded up their bags. Her parents usually drove them to the airport anyway, so nothing tipped her off. The driveway might not be the most cinematic or romantic spot, but it worked for them.
The “Don’t Forget Extra Super Bonus” Tip
Hire a Stealthy Photographer
Every great proposal story also has pictures to prove it. If you’re putting in the effort to create a priceless moment for your partner then it’d be wise to also make sure someone captures the raw emotions.
A true pro will be able to blend in with the scenery or get lost in the crowd and still get the shots. And once the gig is up they’ll be able to take some extra photos of the two of you sharing in the excitement of the moment.
Depending on what your cover story is or the scenario/activity that you’ve used to get your partner into the right place for the engagement, they may not feel like they dressed “right” for being photographed. Even if you clandestinely coached them into wearing appropriate attire.
But, I’ve got an easy solve. Book the photographer for a split session. This way, after the proposal happens, you can head back to your hotel to allow them to change and freshen up for some couples’ portraits that follow.
You’ll get an outfit change and a second location. This will provide for some fun memories from your day and will make your images more varied and different! You can’t beat that for a great story!
Ready to Do This?
My team of expert wedding photographers is ready to help you pull off something awesome. Get in touch. We’ve even got a couple of exciting proposal stories we can share of other photo sessions we’ve done for exactly this sort of thing. Contact us today.
