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If you’re anything like the rest of the country, you’re probably obsessed with a new Netflix reality show called Love is Blind. The premise is simple; couples have to meet, date and get engaged without ever laying eyes on one another. Then, only four weeks after seeing each other for the first time, these couples are already headed down the aisle to say “I do.”
For those of you not involved in any televised dating shows, you might want your love story to follow a more traditional route. At least, you’re probably hoping to see your true love before getting down on one knee and asking the question that will lead to a beautiful life together.
However, if you want a break from tradition, there are ways to craft the perfect engagement proposal for your unique relationship and personalities.
For the Adventurers
Perhaps you met abroad or travelled cross-country early in your relationship. Maybe you both wholeheartedly believe that “adventure is out there.” If you and your true love have caught the travel bug, start your engagement off with an exotic adventure. Consider popping the question in a new location, deciding to travel somewhere neither of you has been. Start documenting every trip you take together so you can present a personalized gift that could make the day even more special. Or, take a page from this guy’s book and craft a scavenger hunt throughout a new city that concludes with a customized passport.
For the History Buff
Do you and your soulmate have a love for the ages? Do you both long for the grandeur of the 1800s or the glamor of the 1920s? Take her back in time before you get down on one knee. Take a long stroll through Victorian gardens in true Jane Austen fashion or throw an extravagant Gatsby-style engagement party complete with champagne and Art Deco decor. To top it all off, find an engagement ring with a vintage diamond setting to truly show that your love is timeless.
For the Readers
Did you and your soulmate get lost in the stacks before getting lost in each other’s eyes? Did you read all of the love stories before writing your own? If you and your true love can spend hours pursuing your favorite books, then maybe a bookish proposal is right for you.
Recreate one of the proposals from your favorite book (here’s a list with some epic literary ideas) or even pen your own. Set up a treasure hunt using the Marauder’s Map or map to Mordor as a guide. Or, go the simple route and hide the engagement ring between the covers of a book.
For the Prince and Princesses
Is your love story straight from the pages of a fairy tale? Did you fall in love the moment you met eyes from across the room? If you want to incorporate a little magic into the engagement, draw some inspiration from classic folklore, myths or even Disney movies. Determine what forms your unique fairytale and use that knowledge to shape the perfect proposal. What area means the most to the two of you? Is it a little clearing in a forest or a hotel balcony above Times Square? Does she dream of her Prince Charming approaching on a majestic steed? By the time you pop the question, the birds will be singing as you sweep your princess off her feet.
For Anyone
Proposing is asking the person you love to spend the rest of their life with you. It’s a big step in your relationship (and your life) and will be a day you remember forever. Because of this, every decision made regarding the proposal should be made with your specific love story in mind. Find a place that’s special, write out your words ahead of time and get ready to put your heart on your sleeve.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you ask. All that matters is the love you share for one another. This means that any proposal—yes, even ones that are sight unseen—are beautiful because they celebrate the purity and beauty of love.