To many people, the moment of the engagement is just as important, if not more so, than the wedding. With the wedding, the stress of planning and carrying out those plans can make it feel like there’s less focus on you as a couple. But that’s not the case with the proposal. It’s the big moment, and one you want to make sure you get right. Here are a few tips on doing that.

Take a trip through history

If you’re planning on getting engaged abroad, then try to organize a trip to return to places you have been before. A city, a country, a beach that sticks out in your memories can give the scene a sense of importance in terms of the relationship’s history. It might be a little cliche to pop the question where you had your first date, but it works. Otherwise, think of ways to incorporate important moments and themes in your relationship.

Show that you know them

The idea of personalising your engagement is an important one, and it can be done in ways beyond simply the choice of where you propose. Choosing the right ring, whether it’s classic engagement rings or something more contemporary is your chance to show them how much that you know them. Don’t worry if you’re stuck on style, you can always enlist the help of a shared friend or a member of her family. Just make sure they can be trusted with the secret before you drop it in their lap. 

Aim for some kind of surprise

It’s getting harder to have surprise engagements. Relationship expectations can spoil the moment before you have the courage to get down on that one knee and more people are talking about engagements in advance of the fact. However, even if the engagement itself isn’t a surprise, you can still find ways to make it surprising. For instance, have family and friends waiting to celebrate it right after they say “yes,” or plan an engagement fake-out to keep the guessing up to the moment. A little flair and playfulness can go a long way to make a proposal all the more memorable.

Make sure you immortalise the moment

The magic of that engagement isn’t going to disappear simply because you don’t have any pictures or videos of the moment. However, that doesn’t mean that there’s no benefit to capture the moment. You can look at the services of proposal planners, for instance, who will be ready to take pictures of the moment for you. Or, if it’s at a restaurant, you can simply ask a member of staff (preferably someone in management) ahead of time if they can take a picture of the moment for you.

If you’re feeling super nervous about how you’re going to make the proposal, try to ease off the pressure. What’s most important is that you’re showing your intent to make the biggest commitment of your life to your loved one. The details are secondary. A nice plus, but not the important bit.