According to The Wedding Report, 40% of engagements take place between the months of November through February! That statistic comes as no surprise considering all of the romantic holidays and celebrations that take place in that time frame.

With engagement season upon us, many of you are probably planning to pop the question in the coming months.  Proper etiquette should be exercised daily, but most especially during special occasions like weddings. As you layout in your head the perfect proposal for your soon-to-be fiancé, consider these 10 tips and pieces of  etiquette advise:

1. Ask for her father’s permission – After all, a gentleman prides himself on manners, etiquette and tradition. Plus, most women still prefer you ask her parents before you ask her. It’s important to know she has her parent’s blessing in your marriage.
2. Make it personal – Incorporate something personal to you two in the proposal plan. Maybe it’s the restaurant you ate at on your first date. Maybe it’s the same mountain you skied on your first vacation together. Maybe it’s the location where you said, “I love you” for the first time. Maybe you plan a trip to a dream vacation spot you’ve always talked about and pop the question on the first night. There are so many blogs out there with fun and creative ideas. Try to incorporate a personal element into whatever you decide to do.
3. Don’t tell anyone (except her parents of course) – You never know who might slip up. The surprise element is important to woman even though they will probably have an idea when it finally happens.
4. Make it genuine, not pretentious – Don’t be fooled by the glitz and glam of recent Hollywood engagements. Women appreciate things that are simple, beautiful and romantic more so than extravagant and over the top. You don’t need to rent out a sports complex or fly her across the world on a private jet to the top of the Eiffel Tower to create your perfect engagement story.
5. Hire a professional photographer to capture the engagement on camera – Make sure they setup somewhere in a discreet location. They can use their extra long lens on this occasion so that they’re plain out of sight.
6. Propose in private – Being on stage in front of family adds unnecessary stress to an already emotional day. Plus you want to have time to relish together in this once-in-a-lifetime moment without others “oohing” and “aahing” all around you. You’ll have plenty of that in the coming months.
7. Speak from your heart – Tell her the story of when you first knew you loved her and tell her why you want to spend the rest of your life with her.  Don’t rehearse your speech to the point it sounds scripted. Plan out the main points you want to say and let the rest of it flow freely from your heart.
8. 3 Musts – 1) Get down on one knee (if you’re able) 2) Say her full name and 3) Say, “Will you marry me?”
9. It’s ok to choke up – After all, you’re about to ask the most important person in your life to marry you. Emotions are sky high on this special day so let that cup runneth over and shed those tears of joy!
10. Plan something romantic to follow – Even if the proposal doesn’t come off as a complete surprise, I can guarantee you she’ll have no idea what lies ahead for the day/night/weekend. Book a room at the local B&B, escape for the weekend to a destination unknown or head to your parent’s cabin in the mountains. You can  keep it as simple as cooking her favorite meal for dinner. Just make sure you have plenty of candles and a special bottle bubbly to celebrate.

Cheers and congratulations to you on this exciting new chapter you’re about to begin! After she says, “yes” and you’re ready to start planning the perfect Hilton Head wedding, Embellished Events is here to assist you in every way. It would be our honor and pleasure to be by your side during this exciting journey. Our passion for luxurious design, expertise in wedding planning and careful attention to organizing details help bring your fairytale wedding to life.

Happy Planning!
xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Planning and Design Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

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