Proposal Ideas

Unique Wedding Proposal Ideas: How They Do It

These days, it’s much more common for men to look for unique wedding proposal ideas so the women in their lives have that memory to last them a lifetime. They want more planning, more elaborate and extravagant execution, more memorable and personal interaction; basically women just want to see and feel that they’re the center of their men’s world in that moment, and all moments to follow.

So how is the world proposing now? How are the men of today popping the big question? Blue Linden Weddings and Events, your full service wedding and event planner, has a unique insight into the proposal trends that are popular among brides and grooms today.

Somewhere Special

There are many places one can choose to propose. There are tropical locations like Hawaii, theme park options like Disneyland, or the middle of Times Square with your big question up on the jumbo screens. But if you’d prefer to stay close by or already have the perfect location in mind, go for beauty when executing your unique wedding proposal idea! Find a scenic backdrop, something breathtaking and extraordinary, like the Grand Canyon, a waterfall, or a secret garden.

Beth and Chad, a Blue Linden couple, have an unforgettable proposal story, fit for a scenic fairytale, all based around somewhere special.

In preparation for an upcoming deployment, Chad, an officer in the Air Force, figured it was time to take his then-girlfriend Beth to his hometown for the first time. It was a chance for her to meet all of his extended family, see where he grew up, and get a glance at the beauty of Oregon through his eyes. His mom wanted Beth’s help planning a party; to Beth’s knowledge, it was simply a last hoorah for Chad to connect with his nearest and dearest before deploying.  In between planning sessions, the couple joined in family-fun, going fishing, taking a pontoon boat out on Diamond Lake, and staying in a beautiful cabin.  

A few days later, Chad asked her if she’d be up for a plane ride, a chance for them to see the countryside from the sky.  Knowing his passion for flying, she easily agreed, and they set out with a local pilot, equipped with a go-pro to document the breathtaking journey.  “I was lovin’ it all… it was gorgeous,” Beth says of the adventure.  Then the pilot dipped a little lower to the ground, and she saw some writing on the top of a barn with Chad’s family in a nearby field waving up at them.  “I saw my name, but I did a double take. I thought it was something for Chad, for the deployment, a surprise from his family.” But upon closer inspection, it was in fact a message from Chad saying, “Beth be mine forever!”  She was shocked, to say the least. Even retelling the story, Beth’s love and smile is evident through her words. “YES! YES! I shouted at him,” she chuckles.  They flew around a little longer, getting pictures, and then the family greeted them when they touched down. She was whisked away, not to a deployment party, but to an engagement party she hadn’t even been aware she’d been planning all that time.  “It was by far the best moment of my life.”

Hidden Reactions

A shadow photographer or a candid video recording make for unique wedding proposal ideas centered around capturing that special moment on film. Hire a photographer/videographer, share with them the plan for the day/evening, but tell them to be ready for anything. Utilize the knowledge of your hired professional for location, clothing choices, time of day, etc. You could also decide to set-up a surprise photoshoot; convince your girl that you want to do a couple’s session, and when you get down to propose, it turns into an engagement shoot instead.

Make a Day of It

Spend a day wooing your woman, reminding her of every facet of your relationship, and finish it off with a proposal. Unknowingly (to her) take her to all of your “firsts” places: the first date you went on, the place where you shared your first kiss, the location of your first fight, the place where you made-up after that first fight, the place where you first realized you were in love with her. Take her anywhere that’s meaningful to you two. By showing her that you’ve remembered those special moments have stuck with you after all your time together, not only will you have succeed in your unique wedding proposal idea, but you’ll have made it personal and intimate as well.

Get Creative

Perhaps one of the most popular ways to perform the big ask these days is through a scavenger hunt. Not only does this encompass a wide variety of proposal trends, but every scavenger hunt is catered to the couple; it makes this an optimal unique wedding proposal idea because it won’t seem stale or uninventive.  It definitely takes planning and thought – you’ll have to come up with special locations, cute and clever clues, and a romantic proposal to top the whole day off.

Blue Linden knows a young man who planned a scavenger hunt proposal for his girl and paired it with her birthday, so as not to raise suspicion. At each location a present accompanied each “clue.” He started the day off with her favorite Panera breakfast and a note that the day was filled with surprises. Her mom and sister were there to have front row involvement, to usher her around town, and serve as photographers to preserve the day. That note led her to a pretty outfit and palette of her favorite makeup with instructions to get fancied up. A note there led her to his mom’s house where a cute pair of shoes awaited her. The next clue led her to a place where they picnicked often (and his mother waited with some fancy earrings). Next she was sent to the place where they shared their first kiss where HE was her final present (and where he proposed and she said, “Okay!”). Each clue was a witty and literature-themed riddle, quoting lines and events from their/her favorite novels.

Involve Family and Friends

It’s always nice to have a little bit of help. It’s even more meaningful if that help comes from the important people in a couple’s life. By choosing this unique wedding proposal idea, all of your loved ones can be included in the special moment. Use them to deliver messages, transport her places, or have them distract her while you set up something fantastical. Integrate them in any way you can so when she looks back, she remembers that they were part of that day right alongside her. Not only are they there to help plan and execute, but you can even set up a dinner/engagement party to take place immediately after proposing.  Utilizing a full service wedding and event planner like Blue Linden would take a lot of planning pressure off of you and your family without taking away from the overall “specialness” of the day.

Around the Holidays

As may already be evident from the timing of this post, the most popular proposal season is the time between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. It’s most likely due to the overwhelming feeling of love and excitement that these holidays bring. But just because it’s a popular time, doesn’t mean it will take away meaning from this unique wedding proposal idea. A lot of locations are dressed up in pretty flowers and twinkly lights, lending to picture perfect spots to get down on one knee.

Another Blue Linden couple, Chelsea and Adam, have a heartwarming holiday proposal story that fits this perfectly.

The parents to a beautiful baby boy, Asher, Chelsea and Adam, after just having purchased a new home, agreed to just focus on the little one and not exchange any gifts between the two of them. While they sat around the tree with their family happily opening gifts, Chelsea was surprised when Adam came to her with Asher, who she noticed was holding out a small, white jewelry box to her. “I thought they’d gotten me some earrings,” she recollects.  

But upon opening the box, she was absolutely shocked.  “It was the most beautiful ring I have ever laid eyes on,” she tells us.  Then, Adam turned to her and asked, “Asher and I want to know if you will have our last name?”  She says she lost it, becoming a blubbering mess, clutching to Adam and Asher, so overcome with emotion. Once the family finally caught on, everyone joined in the celebration, hugs, tears, kisses, and laughs passed all around; she says smiling, “Christmas got a lot better for the whole family!”

Get a Planner

While all of these unique wedding proposal ideas offer a wide range of ways to ask for forever, some people still might find it difficult to pull-out the “just right” proposal. If all else fails and you can’t come up with something on your own, hire a full service wedding and event planner, like Blue Linden! We’d be happy to make every aspect of the most special day of your life come true, from the engagement to the honeymoon.

Special thanks to Elevate Photography