First and foremost, congratulations on deciding to take the next step in your relationship! It’s super exciting to know that you’ve found the person that you want to spend your life with, but it can be pretty nerve-wracking too. With the pandemic, at home proposals have become a more common type of method for couples to bend the knee & surprise one another, so let’s talk about a few great ideas regarding the matter of presenting the ring & popping the question!
You want to be considerate & make sure that your delivery will be just as enjoyable to your significant other as for you. If your partner is not into public proposals or if it’s just something they would never expect then maybe plan for an intimate proposal in their home where no one else can witness this special moment – you definitely don’t want to embarrass your love when you ask them to tie the knot, it sets entirely the wrong tone.
Here are a few ideas on how to make a proposal at home for your introverted SO a special moment to remember:
Write a Letter to Your Partner
If your intended is a shy & introverted person, the odds are pretty high in your favor that this is one of the better ways to proceed because it’s entirely private and, bonus!, they have a keepsake from the occasion – your letter! Write a (preferably long) letter telling your significant other what they mean to you and why you can’t imagine life without them.
End the letter with your cleverly-worded proposal and have your engagement ring handy so that you can pop the question whenever they get to the end.
Pop the Question Over a Meal
Let’s be honest – we’re all much more agreeable when we’re full with a nice meal.
Do it over breakfast.
Breakfast in bed is a super simple, but incredibly sweet proposal method! Get a tray put together with flowers and breakfast & have a sign on the tray that says, “Will you marry me?”. When you present them with breakfast, your SO will initially be surprised by the breakfast tray and that will compound when they notice the sign! Besides, breakfast in bed for two sounds like an amazing start for any day!
If breakfast in bed isn’t really your speed, consider a breakfast date, maybe even brunch! You can set up the table and make it look extra nice. Get your better half involved while you create their favorite breakfast foods for your breakfast date. After you’re done eating breakfast (or dessert), pull out a box of chocolates from where you hid it before and ask if they want to share one last piece of breakfast together – then get down on one knee!
Have a romantic dinner.
Get a bottle of wine (or champagne) – the good stuff, not bottom-shelf swill – and set up in at home where there might be candles lit or music playing softly in the background while proposing privately together!
You could also go out to eat – I know, I know, it’s cliche, but this night is all about making it special for both of you! Make a reservation at their favorite restaurant and ask them out to dinner for just the two of you. Before you go out to dinner, set up some rose petals and candles on your living room floor, and queue up some romantic music and low lights. Whenever you’re done with dinner, bring your partner back to your place for a romantic evening and propose!
Make a Proposal Scrapbook
Not many couples have scrapbooks nowadays, it’s become a bit more old-fashioned, which can work well given its uniqueness. Write down all those special memories of the moments you’ve both shared between the two of you over time – this will allow them to see how many things they’ve done right by being there for the other person every step along your journey! Then use these moments, along with photos of the two of you throughout the years to create a scrapbook. In the back, include a letter to your partner that describes all of the reasons you love them and want to spend the rest of your days with them. At the end of the scrapbook, you could have “the knot” on the last page with the ring tied up with it & ask what their plans are for the next chapter.
Get Your Pet to Help!
This is a great idea to ensure that your pet will always be instrumental in the life of the family. First, get an adorable video (or photos) of both you and your significant other with your pup or kitty. Then take this home and together come up with a clever idea for how to incorporate them into proposing without it being obvious what is going on.
Maybe your pet has balloons tied to their collar or is holding a basket with flowers in it. A really popular idea to include pets in your home proposal is by tying the engagement ring to their collar with a note saying “Will you marry me?” and leaving it for your intended to discover! Admittedly, this idea is more suited to dog families, given the unpredictable nature that cats can exhibit – we know they don’t mean any harm by it (or do they?) though, and they’re still a part of the family. Maybe we don’t tie thousands of dollars to them, though?
If You Have Children, Include Them in the Marriage Proposal
One of the best ways to include your children in a home proposal is by making it an event for the whole family.
You can ask their permission and then get them involved as well, including having them wear matching shirts or hats with “yes” written on them.
If your kids are old enough to understand what’s going on, they’ll be so excited & they may even want to help make decorations for the home. If there are any other pets at home who will participate too (even if they’re not yours), dress up accordingly–you could even do a photoshoot of all of you together, in which you propose during! This is perfect to show how much love there is in the house already. They may have some unique ideas on how best to deliver the ring, too – kids are very imaginative!
Organize a Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt
This is a great idea for your proposal because you can plan the whole thing out and show them how much work went into it. It’s also a great way to break things up so that their anticipation is growing, rather than having it all over in a few minutes after dinner.
Want to turn “the question” into an event that takes more time? Make the treasure hunt a week-long affair! Let’s say that today is Wednesday – you could hide clues in different places where your future spouse goes or lives on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Then when Friday comes along, everything converges together as one big surprise!
You’ll need to start planning this early (at least two weeks) so there’s enough time to get everything planned out for your proposal!
Use a Board Game
One of the best ways to set a romantic and fun mood is by playing an engaging game. Playing games can be one of the most exciting times with your partner as you take turns, compete for points, and try not to get too mad when someone cheats!
Scrabble is a popular option, but other games that you can use to propose to your partner include Jenga, Pictionary, a trivia game, and Taboo. You can use any other board game as well! It’s all up to your creativity whenever it comes to how you will propose.
Fill Your Partner's Bedroom with Balloons
Filling a room with balloons is one of the most romantic ways to propose. The best thing about this option, though, is that you don’t have to be in an expensive place or spend lots of money on it!
You can get 100 and fill her bedroom (or any other room) up with them! You can also use markers – not actual helium-filled ones – if she doesn’t like balloons as much. Add twinkle lights and wall stickers for some extra pizzazz to the décor!
Whatever your partner’s preference may be, there’s always a way for you to do something special without spending too much money.
Use a Custom Puzzle
This is a really creative way to propose, and it can be tailored to your partner’s interests. If they love puzzles or doing a jigsaw puzzle on the side, you should create one with her favorite things on it – whether that’s coffee cups if she likes Starbucks or pictures of the two of you together!
Once she puts all the pieces in place, there will be an image at either end of the puzzle, with the words “Will you marry me?” in the center. Whenever they complete this portion of the puzzle, then you’ll pop up from behind them with flowers and the engagement ring and ask “Will You Marry Me?”
Make a Modern-Day Mixtape (a Playlist)
There are two popular ways that couples will propose with a playlist.
Use songs that are significant to both of you.
This can be songs that have been present throughout your relationship! It can be a song that played on your first date, when you first kissed, or ‘your song’ if you have one.
Use songs that hint toward marriage.
You don’t want to leave them questioning their interpretation of the playlist, so be sure to be direct. At the end of the playlist, have a recording of you proposing play so that they know for sure that’s what it is!
Once your playlist has been created, you can send it to them or have it play in the background and wait until they figure it out!
Write a Poem
Poems are incredibly romantic and a great way to propose. The most important part is that it be personalized to your partner so that they can feel how much you care about their feelings.
If there’s a poem or quote from literature, show them the context and tell them which line inspired the proposal. If not make sure to write one for her! Poems are also great when you’re having problems coming up with a good way to propose on short notice because of an event such as Valentine’s Day.”
Pretend You're Doing a Social Media Challenge
If you and/or your partner are big on social media, this is a great way to go! Cue up the steps for a social media challenge and have your partner join in with you. Little do they know, you’re going to stop at a point that you’ve chosen and propose at home to your partner!
Need more proposal ideas or ready to start planning your proposal party?
To get more ideas for ways to propose at home, check out what the Knot has to say!
After you’ve heard “Yes!!” from your partner, don’t forget to plan an engagement party so that you can share your good news as a couple with your friends and family.
Your Only Limit for the Proposal is Your Imagination
Coming up empty on proposal ideas?
Hire a marriage proposal planner! Marriage proposal planners are a great tool for people who are unsure of how to propose to their loved one, even if they’re ready to get down on one knee and pop the question. Proposal planners help you to create an unforgettable proposal based on your relationship as a couple while helping to keep it stress free for you while you prepare for proposing at home!
Need an engagement ring?
Engagement rings are an important element of the marriage proposal. If you’re not planning a surprise proposal and your partner is a part of the proposal process, take a look at rings together to make sure you get the perfect size and style! Alternately, if your proposal plan does require it to be a surprise, be sure to have your ring ready for the proposal as early as possible (and hidden well).
Take a look at some of our engagement rings and bands that are perfect for marriage proposals below or explore all of our engagement rings here!
