posted
01/3/13
Thinking of getting hitched this year? Not so fast. Unless you’re planning a civil ceremony to yourself, you probably have to pop a certain question to a certain someone first. There are plenty of ways to do so—and the guy above has it right—but lots of those ways are, well, bad. Before you get down on one knee, read through these major proposal don’ts to avoid awkward encounters, embarrassment or, at worst, a no.
1. Surrounded by complete strangers
Note: if you’re a future NFL millionaire, do whatever you want.
A proposal should be between the two people involved. It shouldn’t involve strangers, even as spectators. Something about a high-wattage proposal (say, on the kiss cam at a Bulls game or with the help of a flash mob in Grand Central Station) tells me it’s more about the show you’re putting on than the question you’re popping. Do you feel strongly about spending the rest of your life with your girlfriend, or do you just want to star in YouTube hit? When it comes down to it, you should be able to speak from the heart without a bunch of hoopla speaking for you.
2. In the workplace
The workplace rule applies even if your workplace is reality TV. Case in point.
I’ve seen proposals done in conference rooms via PowerPoint. I’ve seen a proposal done via an online ad. Work is work. Life is life. Sure, sometimes they mix, but it’s still completely crazy to, for example, make your proposal an advertising pitch because you work in advertising. Add in your coworkers as an audience, and you’ve really crossed the line. That’s not romantic—it’s a to-do list item you completed between conference calls. Your (potential) marriage is part of your personal life, not your professional life—your proposal should be as well.
3. In front of friends and family
We don’t even know where to start here.
I get it. You want to share the happiness of your engagement with those closest to you and your new fiancée. But you can do that after the whole down-on-one-knee part. I can’t stress it enough: a proposal is an intimate, private experience, not one in which you can hear your dad and sister whispering their excitement in the background.
