Wedding Wednesday: Proposal Tips

Happy Wedding Wednesday! As were getting into the height of engagement season, I brought in an expert to talk proposals. 

Today we are chatting with Kelly Simants of Sweet Pea Events who just recently expanded her business to include Planning For Dudes, a proposal planning service. I got to hear all about their unique services while catching up with my friend Rachael, Sweet Pea's New York coordinator, when I was in the city a few months back. The concept was so interesting to me so I wanted to share it with you all. 

What inspired you to start Planning for Dudes?

Kelly: According to a survey by Robbins Brothers, one of the world’s largest jewelers, 25% of women view the proposal as even more important than the wedding ceremony…which is why I decided to start a new branch of our wedding planning company that is targeted specifically to guys. 

I found that there were so many guys who had zero ideas for their proposal, or they simply needed help pulling off the logistics for the idea they came up with.  

So what do your services entail? 

Kelly: We can either create an entire proposal start to finish – or, take the dude’s idea and help them to make it happen.  "We Plan, She Brags, You Win” is our tag line which sums up what our mission is all about.  We want to help guys look good, create an amazing proposal story that she will talk about forever, and make the planning less stressful for the dude to pull off the surprise.

What advice would you offer to a guy who's about to propose? 

Kelly: Here are four tips to consider when planning your proposal:

·         Timing:  If she started a new job, recently lost a loved one, or is moving out of state – this is ideally not the best time to propose as those are some of the most stressful situations in life.  Let things simmer down a bit before you pop the question and she will thank you.

·         Nails:  If you can do this discreetly, make sure that she has a chance to get a manicure before you give her the ring.  Sooo many pics will be taken of her pretty hand with the new bling, that every girl would like perfectly manicured nails to show off with the ring.  Ask her mom, girlfriend, sister, etc. to take her to get her nails done a few days before you’re planning to propose.  Again, she’ll thank you.  Just be sure they don’t let on to the fact you suggested the idea!

·         Be Thoughtful:  To make your proposal memorable to your fiancé, you don’t necessarily need to blast off fireworks and make it over the top.  Likely, your girlfriend really just wants to tell her friends and family about your amazingly THOUGHTFUL proposal.  Show her that you took the time to think through the details, and propose in a way that she would love.  Whether that means hiring a photographer to capture the proposal – or simply having your dinner table decorated with sentimental items that she’d love – it’s the small details that often are the most thoughtful.

·         Ask her Parent’s Permission (if possible):  I may sound a bit old school on this one, but asking for her mother or father’s permission is huge. It shows your future fiancé-to-be that you are serious, respect your parent(s), and possess a genuine sense of integrity and character.  If their parents aren’t in the picture for some reason, asking a sibling is the next best option as it still shows you care about her family and are genuinely asking for your girlfriend’s hand in marriage.

Thanks for the tips Kelly! If you are a guy (or know of a guy!) about to propose, Planning for Dudes has offices in Dallas, Seattle and New York and can also help plan long-distance for guys in need of help elsewhere. Check out their website for more info. 

Before Teresa's husband proposed, he took me out to dinner to ask for my blessing and at that moment I knew my friend had really scored someone amazing. The fact that he ordered us a giant cheese platter didn't hurt either.

What do you guys think? I'd love to hear some proposal ideas and stories in the comments!