It’s courtin’ time and that still means going down on one knee for many proposers of marriage. Only now, more are choosing a special destination to do the asking.
Traditionally, the highest concentration of marriage proposals starts in November and stretches to Valentine’s Day, with December as the busiest month. And in line with the popularity of destination weddings has come a growing desire for destination proposals, said Kellie Gould, editor-in-chief for the wedding site TheKnot.com.
Whether it’s on top of a mountain or in the forest, the love is in the thoughtful details, from planning to execution and the extra stress in between due to so many moving parts. The idea is to make the proposal not only memorable but social media ready.
“I’ve been married 17 years and I look at proposals today and I’m wowed by how much effort the proposers are putting into it,” Gould said in a recent interview.
Rachael Sneddon, 26, and her husband, Russell, 32, in Portland, Ore., were on vacation in Bali last May with members of both their families when he popped the question at a remote guest house as Balinese dancers and musicians entertained.
The music suddenly stopped and one of the guitarists began playing one of Rachael’s favorite songs, John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
“Then Russell asked me to dance, which is very unusual,” she laughed.
Then, he got down on a knee.
In terms of destination weddings, Gould said, couples have indicated in surveys done by The Knot that the idea is to return over the years to reconnect. The same, she said, is likely for destination proposal locales.
Bringing the wow for destination proposals means keeping track of the ring, above all, Gould said. While the asker is moving around, so is that precious cargo. Make sure to get the ring insured.
If the askee knows about the trip, prepare, Gould said. This is not the time to wing the details.
Don’t spring the asking right away. The askee likely figures something is up, but keep the suspense going for a day or two to make it memorable. Don’t wait too long, though.
Key is taking the askee’s interests and personality into account.