From Simple to Extravagant: 42 Proposal Ideas for Every Style of Engagement

Set Up a Picnic

A picnic can be one of the most romantic activities if you plan it the right way. Add some candles, a nice bottle of wine, and some chocolate-covered strawberries (or whatever your significant other’s favorite food is) to a basket, and you’re off to the races. Plus, a picnic makes it easy to incorporate other people, like your partner’s family and friends, or keep it intimate. 

Take a Hike Together

Proposing at the end of a hike is a classic for a reason. It’s intimate, memorable, and picturesque, and it gives you a fun, physical activity to distract yourself from nerves before you pop the question. 

Embrace the Season

If you’re hoping to propose during a certain season, why not embrace it? Plan a proposal for the biggest, most impressive snow day of the year. Add some twinkle lights to the mix, and it’ll be an absolutely gorgeous scene that requires almost no prep work on your part. 

Include Your Children

Finding ways to incorporate you and/or your partner’s children is sure to make for a proposal that will be just about as memorable as it gets. Plus, it’s pretty much guaranteed to make them cry, which is always a bonus. 

Pop the Question After a Home-Cooked Meal

Take a cue out of Prince Harry's book and propose after a home-cooked meal: The royal popped the question after preparing a chicken dinner for Meghan Markle, but you should feel free to cook anything your partner loves. This is especially thoughtful if they tend to be the default chef in your home.

Do It on a Rooftop

If you’re lucky enough to have a rooftop (or have a friend with a rooftop) with a killer view, consider dressing up the space with floral bouquets or other details. Go up to watch the sunset and then get down on one knee. Beautiful, intimate, and budget-friendly.

Go to a Local Park

Spruce up your most beautiful, beloved local park with some flower petals (or whatever else you might want) and ask the question there. It’ll be a familiar, comfortable location that is made to feel that much more magical. Plus, you can relive the moment every time you walk by the location in the future.

Hide the Ring in a Glass of Champagne or Dessert

It happens in so many romcoms, so bring this proposal idea to real life for your partner. If you're planning a restaurant proposal, work with the staff in advance to ensure the ring is brought to the correct table at the right moment.

Climb Into a Treehouse

Find a treehouse (perhaps via an outdoorsy lodge or hotel) and pop the question amidst a romantic video montage, string lights, and any other special touches you can think of. The setting will feel totally magical.

Make It a Word Game

Is your partner a crossword puzzle fanatic? Do they complete their Wordle every morning? If there's a word game they love, create a DIY version that spells out "Marry Me?" or "Proposal."

Put It in Writing

Having friends or family hold up a sign that spells out the proposal is a WOW moment that can seamlessly incorporate your partner’s favorite people. If you have them display the sign from a distance, it also means you get to ask the question outside of the earshot of other people for a private romantic moment.

Recreate Your First Date

This idea is a classic for good reason. There's something unassuming yet totally romantic about popping the question at the restaurant where you first met. Bonus points for adding additional touches like hitting the bar where you had a nightcap after.

Create an Insta-Worthy Moment

Want to go all out? Hire a florist, set a generous budget, and let them work their magic. Add some candles to the mix and it will be the most romantic, Instagram-worthy proposal you’ve ever seen.

When planning an epic proposal, such as the above, photographer Iris Mannings says it's important to "plan, communicate, and execute." As for the photos, specifically? "Communicate the best possible locations with optimal lighting that would be the backdrop for the Insta-worthy image," she adds.

Go on a Boat Ride

Love sailing? Pack a picnic and some bubbly and hit the open waters. We love the idea of proposing while doing an activity you love. Plus, what's more poetic than popping the question on an actual journey?

Take a Pre-Proposal Photo

There’s something so exciting about a simple pre-proposal DIY photo. The notion that your partner has no idea what’s coming or that you’ve been planning such a special event is thrilling, so why not create an image to remember that feeling forever? 

Incorporate Music

If you’re musical, there’s nothing more romantic (or vulnerable) than playing a special song for your partner pre- or post-proposal. You could even work the proposal into the song if you really want to surprise them with something unforgettable.

Plan a Scavenger Hunt

What's more fun than being given a series of clues and sent around your hometown or favorite city for the day? Thoughtfully planning a series of stops—maybe you send them to the site of your first date, a favorite lunch with friends, and for a pre-proposal manicure—is a wonderful way to make this day even more special.

Embrace the Rain

No matter what type of proposal you plan, it’s worth remembering that even proposals that don’t go exactly as planned can be as romantic. If it’s raining, embrace it. Turns out, the whole kissing-in-the-rain thing can be quite beautiful, so just go with it. 

Incorporate Baked Goods

‘Will You Marry Me?’ donuts are perhaps the cutest, most delicious proposal accessory ever. Whether you’re doing a long-distance proposal or are together in real life, spelling out a message via your partner’s favorite sweet treat could be fun.

Plan a Selfie-Taking Session

After your special someone says "yes," consider taking some memorable selfies together. Including furry friends is encouraged.

Let Your Pet Join in on the Fun

For couples with pets, choosing to involve a furry friend in the proposal will be the “aww” moment you’re hoping for. Get a customized dog tag that has the big question engraved on it or opt for a bandana as this couple did. 

Take a Secret Video

A great way to capture the surprise of a cozy, at-home proposal but still keep the intimate, just-you-two feel is to capture it yourself. Grab a mini tripod and your cell phone and you’re good to go.

Ask While Christmas Tree Shopping

Going Christmas tree shopping sometime soon? Why not include a proposal? “Preselect the tree and have the tree farm owner place a ‘will you marry me?’ ornament on the selected tree,” says JoAnn Gregoli, event designer at Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli. “I suggest having warm blankets and hot cocoa once the proposal has been made. If allowed, have a sleigh on standby to whisk you both away to a wonderful dinner.”

Bring a Bottle of Champagne

No matter what your proposal plan is, bring a bottle of Champagne. It will make the entire experience that much more special. Save the cork after to write the special date on it.

Use a Waterfall as a Backdrop

Waterfall. Backdrop. Need we really say more?

Wrap the Proposal Into a Family Tradition

Cara McClenny tells Brides that her fiancé proposed on the same annual family friends’ trip that originally brought them together. The trip in itself was a tradition, but the proposal was a total surprise. The combination meant that the setting was familiar, but the proposal was still as exciting as can be—plus, it was sentimental, too. 

“It was truly the best weekend with our favorite people in our favorite place—I still cannot understand how he pulled it off! The best part was hearing all of the different stories from my family and friends about how they kept it a secret from me for so long. My sister even had to turn off her 'Find my iPhone' setting so that I wouldn't see that she was on her way to South Carolina,” McClenny shared.

Plan It Around Your Partner’s Favorite Holiday

Have a significant other who’s really into Halloween? Christmas? Easter? The Fourth of July, perhaps? Plan the proposal around that day so it’ll make their favorite date better than they ever thought it could be.

Use a Dock

A dock sounds a little simple in theory, but it’s actually a very romantic proposal spot. You’re out in the middle of the water without actually being in the water. Plus, they’re relatively easy to find if you do a little research—and you can make sure that it’s just you two.

Style a Loft or Other Unique Space

As this proposal proves, sometimes all it takes is creating a romantic space somewhere unexpected to build a proposal that’s truly unique.

Take a Spontaneous Trip

“What better way to up the ante on your outdoor proposal than jetting off to paradise? Many all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean offer amazing proposal packages that make popping the question extra special,” says Jen Avey, VP of marketing for Destination Weddings Travel Group. There are also cooler destinations to consider, like, say, Iceland or a place you've always dreamed of visiting together.

Make an Ordinary Spot Romantic

“Choose a location that is either already meaningful to both of you or choose an exotic or cool location that will then hold significance after the proposal!  Maybe you have a favorite hike, favorite beach spot, or favorite city park,” suggests Kristen Gosselin, owner and creative director of KG Events & Design. “Choosing something that already holds significance to the two of you will only make the proposal more meaningful! Alternatively, choosing a spot that you've never been to but know your fiancé would love will then always be remembered as the proposal spot and will hold significance from that day forward.”

Choose the Spot Where You First Said "I Love You"

“Choose an outdoor location that’s important to both of you. Where you first met, had your first kiss, or the first place you said ‘I love you,’” Faith Folayan of This Love Weddings suggests. “Set up a picnic for two at one of these significant spots. Be sure to provide family and friends with blankets to use as they hideaway.”

Incorporate a Family Dinner

Following a proposal with a family dinner is never a bad idea, especially if you and your partner are especially close to your families and/or they live nearby. 

“Two of my friends were hiding in the bushes (one of whom is a professional photographer) to capture the moment,” Juls Sharpley of Bubbles & Bowties explains about her own proposal. “We popped the Champagne, took some photos, and went to our dinner reservation with my parents!”

Take a Sunrise Hike

Ending a morning hike with not only a gorgeous sunrise but the proposal itself is what dreams are made of. Plus, it’s a good way to switch up your usual hiking routine if you tend to go in the late morning or afternoon. 

Throw an After-Party

“This past summer, I was contacted by a man who wanted to propose to his girlfriend in the iconic living room at the Hotel Jerome [in Aspen, Colorado], followed by a party for 50 of their closest friends and family on one of the hotel's private patio spaces,” says Sharpley. “He requested balloons covering the ceiling, rose petals to 'mark the spot' of where he should propose, and then for the party: a U2 cover band, sushi from Matsuhisa (Nobu), sliders from Hotel Jerome, and lots of candles!” 

Make It a Journey With a Sea Plane

Want to get really creative? Involve a sea plane (okay, any plane would do, but as this photo proves, the aesthetics are there with this style). Sure, it might be a little complicated to plan, but flying off to a unique destination—even if it's just a short ride away—makes it all the more special.

Incorporate Your Partner’s Favorite Things

If your partner is a fan of something very particular (say, Friends), then get creative and find a way to incorporate that into the proposal whether through reciting quotes or reenacting a scene.

Create a Romantic Beach Scene

“If you're lucky enough to be near a beach, do a romantic beach setup to surprise your significant other upon your arrival,” Gosselin suggests. “This will elevate any beach proposal by adding some beauty, context, and additional thought into the proposal.”

Find a Winter Wonderland

If you can manage to find a great stretch of space covered in snow, it’ll make for a beautiful proposal spot. Chilly, yes—but absolutely beautiful. And if your partner happens to love winter, this will be their dream. 

Incorporate the Proposal Into Your Favorite Activity

If you and your partner love a certain activity or sport, weave your proposal into the time you spend doing that activity together. Bonus points if that activity happens to take you to some spectacular views.

Make a Flower Delivery

If your partner is a total romantic who appreciates the gesture of just-because flower delivery, make it part of your proposal. Organize for four arrangements to be delivered, each with a note that says one of the following words: "Will you marry me?" Of course, you'll want to deliver the last one!

Plan a Fake Wedding Shoot

If you can manage it, tell your partner that you’ve both been selected to be models for a faux wedding shoot. Get all dressed up, and then during the “photo shoot,” ask the big question.