Proposal Ideas: 27 Ways to Propose to Your Partner

Asking your partner the big question is a moment that has huge significance and will be a great memory for the both of you. I understand that it can be difficult to come up with the right idea for the best way to propose so that the moment turns out memorable and romantic. Every couple is different and proposing is a very personal thing so make sure to make the moment as personal and romantic as possible. Then I’m sure you’ll get a big “YES”!

A proposal doesn’t have to be stressful, cost you a fortune, or be complicated. Here are 27 of my best ideas that you can take as inspiration.

Romantic Proposal Ideas

1. Remember to Pop the Question With a Beautiful Engagement Ring!

Find our most popular engagement rings here.

2. Take Her to a Place She Loves

Is there a place you know she loves? It could be a place in a park on a particular bench she loves to sit on. Or maybe there is a place she would like to visit? Try to hear if there’s a place she has always dreamed of visiting and plan a little get-away together.

3. Propose After a Mountain Hike

If you are both hiking enthusiasts and love nature, this might be the perfect idea for you. I can just imagine a courtship on top of a mountain—just the two of you away from noise and other disturbing elements. To propose right after the thrill from conquering a mountain while enjoying the spectacular views is simply unmatched.

4. Propose in the Hotel Room

If you’ve already planned a trip together, it can be an obvious opportunity to propose in your hotel room. If you have a little extra money in your pocket, you can sometimes get the hotel staff to decorate the room with candles, rose petals, champagne, etc. Just remember the engagement ring!

If you got the opportunity, you can also decorate the room yourself without her seeing it. It could be while she’s on a shopping trip or is in the gym. Try to see if you can book a hotel room with a balcony. It’s super romantic to lay candles and rose petals that follow out to the balcony where you stand in your finest clothing ready to pop the question. You can also arrange a private dinner on your terrace if the hotel offers it.

Private Proposal Ideas

5. Propose During a Private Dinner

This is always a hit! Plan a private dinner out on the water, on a beautiful cliff, or in nature under a large beech tree. Have a waiter or your friends set it up and arrange it for you. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, you can enjoy each other with candles and champagne.

6. Propose on the Roof

This is probably one of the most popular ways to propose and I 100% understand why. It’s super romantic to get closer to the sky together on the roof of a building. Make it personal and perhaps arrange a dinner with candles and rose petals. Or drop the dinner and make a big circle of rose petals where you stand ready to propose when she comes up.

Creative Proposal Ideas

7. Make a Personal Puzzle

There are many websites that offers the ability to make your very own personal puzzle. Suggest an evening with red wine and puzzles on the floor with lots of pillows and candles. Make a puzzle that assembles the big question in letters. Once it is assembled, you can break the big question for her.

8. Write a Personal Song

Whether you like it or not, music evokes emotions. So why not get someone to play a tune during the session? It can be a love song that describes how you feel  or a song that’s “your song”. Or even better: Write a song yourself so it becomes even more personal.

9. Propose on Valentine’s Day

Maybe February 14th is the perfect day for you! Why not give her a little hint every day with a sweet message until the 14th where you give her an even better message: asking her to marry you?

10. Do a Treasure Hunt

Do a treasure hunt across your neighborhood with lots of fun clues and hints that your partner can solve. The last clue will lead her to you where you stand and wait with a ring on your knee.

11. Light Up the Night and Propose by the Bonfire

Lighting a fire on a cold summer evening is another idea for a romantic evening where you can be intimate and enjoy each other while you warm each other with the warm flames from the fire. If necessary, get your friends to start some fireworks after she says yes.

12. Write the Big Question with Food

If both of you are food lovers, this is a brilliant idea. Ask your favorite restaurant to write the question with chocolate sauce on your dessert plates. Maybe get them to put the ring at the bottom of your champagne. Or how about getting it written on your pizza? I do not recommend that you put the ring in a chocolate cake or in some other food at the risk of your partner swallowing it.

13. “Will You Marry Me?”-Coffee Mug

Go on Amazon or Vistaprint and buy a “Will you marry me?”-mug. Make a large cup of cocoa while sitting on the terrace a cool evening or around the fire in the garden.

14. Recreate Your First Date (or the Best Date You’ve Had)

Remember your first date? Sure you can. Why not relive the day again and end it by giving her the ring and popping the big question? If your first date was a walk and an ice cream why not go the same route and order the same ice cream? I’m pretty sure you both will have the same feeling as when you first met each other. It’ll be a very romantic setting for a very romantic proposal.

Public Proposal Ideas

15. Involve Your Family and Friends

Why not celebrate the big moment with the ones you both love right after she says “yes”? Invite friends and family over and let them come in right after the big moment. You can also make them part of the proposal itself by holding up signs that say “Will you marry me?”. However, before going with this idea, you should find out if your partner prefers something where other people are involved.

16. Propose to Her at Disneyland

If your partner loves Disney, it could be a great idea to invite her to Disneyland and propose to her at the best spot—in front of the castle.

17. Propose at the Amusement Park

How about popping the question in a roller coaster with your better half and your friends holding up signs right when the picture is taken? When you go down together and see the picture, she will see the question and hopefully give you a big “YES”. An extra bonus feature is that you can buy the picture as an eternal memory of your engagement.

18. Visit a Museum

Is there anything more romantic than a proposal in front of one of the most popular love paintings? Visit your favorite museum or plan a trip to the museum you’ve always dreamed of visiting.

19. Propose on New Year’s Eve

3, 2, 1… It must be a countdown to start the year with your new fiancée. Sneak away together just before midnight to a private spot with lots of champagne and New Year’s kisses. Best of all is all the fireworks that will take the moment to whole new heights.

Vacation Proposal Ideas

20. Propose During the Perfect Vacation

Is there a place on your bucket list that you’ve always wanted to visit? The most popular way to propose is on a trip. On vacation, you’ll often be just the two of you away from the noise of everyday life. Make sure you arrange the trip together so she does not suspect that you want to propose to her. My most important advice here is that you ALWAYS put the ring in your hand luggage and not in your suitcase!

The ideas are many but think in advance about what the two of you like. Is it perhaps watching the sunset on the beach together? Is it a boat trip to a private little island? Or is it a visit to a restaurant that you’ve been looking at for a long time at the specific destination? If your favorite places are in Europe, Paris, in front of the Eiffel Tower, is a great idea. Perhaps you are more into nature where you can visit a place that has the northern lights.

21. Propose on the Beach

When going to an exotic place, it’s a great idea to do the proposal on the beach. Have the hotel set up a beautiful setting with pillows, blankets, and champagne and enjoy a private afternoon together by the water where you give her the ring followed by a romantic private dinner arranged by the hotel. You can even pack the car yourself with blankets and pillows and make your own picnic by the water. You can possibly get a photographer to take pictures of you in secret so you can carry the memories forever.

22. Propose at the Airport

If you pick up your girlfriend at the airport after a flight, you can be ready when she arrives with a big sign with your name on it and a “Mrs.” in front of her first name followed by a question mark. Get down on your knees when she comes and see her face while people around you start clapping and cheering.

23. Propose in a Hot Air Balloon

Plan a hot air balloon ride and see the city from the air. You can possibly do it at the end of the day so you can relax during a beautiful sunset. Tell your better half that it might be a good vacation suggestion so she doesn’t get suspicious.

24. Propose in Romantic Venice

Venice is the city that just oozes romance. Plan a boat trip in a private gondola and enjoy the city and each other from the water. At the end of the trip, take out the ring and surprise her.

25. Propose on the Ski Slope

If you both love skiing, this is a perfect idea for you. You can possibly write the question in the snow so that when you take the ski lift, she can see it from the air. Just make sure she does not fall off the lift out of sheer excitement!

Easy Ways to Propose

26. Let the Pet Assist You

Who can resist animals? Have your dog or cat wear the ring around their collar or give them a small t-shirt that says “Will you marry me?”. If she has always wanted a dog or cat, you can surprise her with a puppy where the ring is in the collar. How sweet that would be? This has to be my personal favorite.

27. Propose on the Carousel

Of course, not all rides and slides are equally good for the situation as you would prefer to avoid the ring flying out of your hand the moment you take it out. But maybe the classic balloon swing or the animal carousel would be an good place to pop the question.

Frequently Asked Questions About Proposal

What Can I Propose With?

The traditional choice is an engagement ring with a center diamond or sapphire, but remember that your engagement is about you and your unique relationship so the imagination sets no boundaries.

What Should I Say When I Propose?

Open your heart and give your partner the greatest declaration of love ever. Tell her why it should be the two of you and why you are the luckiest person in the whole world.

Why Do You Go Down on One Knee When You Propose?

Kneeling is a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages when knights went down on their knees to show respect for the royals. Bending and kneeling are signs of devotion and respect.

Can I Propose Without a Ring?

Most people prefer to receive a ring since it’s very much a tradition but rules are there to be broken. So do what feels right to you. If you simply can not wait until you have a ring, I say “just go for it”.

Can a Woman Propose to a Man?

In 2022, of course a woman can propose to her husband. Any gender can propose to any gender. We live in a world where men and women are equal, and with love, nothing is right or wrong.

I hope these ideas have been helpful and that you perhaps now found the perfect idea for your proposal. I’m sure you’ll get a big “YES”. Good luck!

P.S. If you haven’t found the perfect ring yet, make sure to check out our full selection of engagement rings. All Abelstedt engagement rings generally consist of white gold or gold with diamonds and a sapphire center stone of all cuts. If you want a diamond as a center stone, it’s certainly possible. All you have to do is click on “request a diamond center stone” under the product and I will get back to you with a no-obligation quote. If you want a completely unique design according to your own wishes and dreams, it’s also possible. Just write on the chat and you will get in touch with me or one of our other design experts.