How to propose to my girlfriend abroad?

[settleyoudown35]

I have been thinking of proposing to my girlfriend, the only problem is she’s in the Philippines. I met her through an international dating social event, we started corresponding and we really hit it off. It’s been a year now and we’ve met 3 times. I do feel that it’s the right time. I would love to marry her and have her here with me.

I know most of you would say that I should come to her and propose... but my business is keeping me busy and traveling just for the weekend is not worth the expense. Is it really not advisable to propose to her through Skype? I know it’s a question most of you would say “obviously!” Most of you would probably advice me to just wait until I have free time to travel. But I have a plan…

I plan to propose to her through a Skype video call and then have her apply for a fiance visa so she can come here soon. To be honest, I have yet to learn the requirements and regulations for visa application, if I am required to be in the Philippines with her when she applies then I will wait until I have free time to propose to her face to face. But if it’s not required, I would love to expedite things so I can have her here with me. The sooner the better!

If we go about that route, I plan to propose to her again… properly and romantically when she gets here. What do you guys think? Will it be alright or will it be a bad move? I need advice!!!

[Anthony]

Asking the love of your life to spend the rest of her days with you is not something to be done lightly. The moment, the atmosphere and above all the ring have to be as close to perfect as you can get.

The choice of location is not so tricky, the right moment can be fairly tricky but the ring can outfox you completely even if it's the most expensive one in the shop.

As we all know girls like shopping, and when it comes to such a symbolic item as the ring some of them would like to be involved in the choice - even if it means ruining the surprise.

A quick look on some fashion, wedding and beauty related forums and communities shows that a large per cent of ladies want to be able to choose their own engagement ring. Some want to be surprised and will be happy with whatever you choose, some will smile and say yes but later ask if they can exchange for something more their style.

But my research has shown that the most popular option it seems is for you to take her into a jewelry store, pop the question there and then and let her choose the ring on the spot like in the scene in Tiffany's from the movie "Sweet Home Alabama". The downside being that if you had a certain budget in mind it's just gone out the window...

Now not every girl will want to choose her own ring. There is a large proportion who will want you to choose it for them and will wear whatever you give them with unquestionable pride and love.

A lot depends on certain elements beyond your control, for example does she have competitive friends who will look straight at 'the rock' and comment on its size and value?

Does she make a lot of effort picking out her outfits and like to have complete control over how she looks all the time?

How do you find out if she wants to be completely swept off her feet or if she wants to pick out her own engagement ring without ruining the surprise and moment when you pop the question?

Well there is the proposal in the jewelry store option and there is another which my research has also shown as a popular solution. 2 ways of doing it actually:

1.Just buy the diamond and present it to her when you propose - this way she can choose the setting and even exchange it for another one and you still give her something nice, sparkly and expensive.

2.Buy a placeholder ring so she can wear something until you both choose the ring of her choice.

When I proposed to my girlfriend I got the wrong size ring so we had to take it back to be resized. There was no way to know her ring size without giving the game away and luckily she was more than happy with my choice.

So don't sweat too much over the right ring, give her something be it a diamond or a placeholder then you can go online to some of the sites that let you design your own unique ring and everyone's happy.

[settleyoudown35]

Thank you so much for your advice man! This is a great help for me. I was also thinking about getting an engagement ring for her, and you gave me a lot of options. I'll make sure she'll be the happiest woman when the time comes. Best luck also to you and your girlfriend, best wishes!

[Caroline]

When it comes to proposing marriage, combining originality and tradition is a vital prerequisite to making the day that you propose memorable, for all of the right reasons!

One question which your partner is going to be asked for the rest of her life is "So how did he propose?" That is why it is your obligation to make this moment something that she will love talking about for many years to come!

Below are some ideas that may help you determine the best way to "pop the question", whether you stick to them word for word or derive your own interpretation of each idea is up to you.


A Romantic Meal For Two

Take your girlfriend to the best restaurant in town and propose to her there. You could try arranging something with the staff so that the lights go dim or the engagement ring be brought out to her under a tray. If you girlfriend is quite a shy or reserved person then it is probably not the best idea to get the focus of the whole restaurant on to you both; you can decide what is best suited to your proposal. The restaurant does not necessarily have to be really flash or expensive. If you have a special restaurant that you usually visit together, then this could be the perfect place for your proposal.

Transform Her Home

Imagine the scene, your girlfriend comes home from work to find her house transformed into the most beautiful and romantic place on earth, with you in the heart of it all on one knee with a rose and engagement ring. Covering your girlfriends' home with her favourite flowers and candles is sure to be a fantastic surprise when she sees it. If filling the whole house with flowers is not an option, then why not have a trail of rose petals leading to where she will find you ready to present her with an engagement ring.

Sky Writing

Granted, this way of asking the "big question" is quite extravagant and will cost money, but it is surely worth it? If it is possible for you to organise a sky writing company to create the words "Will You Marry Me [Girlfriends Name]" in the sky then this is both romantic and fun. You will need to firstly organise a time and place where the pilot can ensure that your girlfriend will see your proposal, you could maybe go for a picnic, walk along the beach or something similar.

Propose On Her Birthday

Proposing on your girlfriends birthday is a great idea; if you can wait that long! There are a number of ways that you can approach this but one fantastic opportunity would be with her birthday card. Of course when she opens the card she is going to be expecting a lovely card telling her how much you love her, what she will not be expecting is the card to say "Happy Birthday To My Fiancé". By the time she has realised what the card says you can be down on one knee and presenting her with her Engagement Ring.

Propose On The Radio/ In The Paper

A public proposal on either her favourite radio station or in the local paper is also another fantastic idea. A loving message declaring your love for her can then be backed up in person with an engagement ring, one knee and a rose. When you know that your proposal is going to aired on in the paper call your girlfriend and tell her to tune in!

On The Beach As The Sun Sets

White sands, sun setting on the horizon, the melodic sound of the ocean and you down on one knee; could there be a more picturesque venue for your proposal? Whether you are on a beach in the Maldives or on the South coast of England, proposing on the beach at sunset is a fantastic setting for your proposal. Take your loved one for a romantic stroll along the beach and when you feel that the time is right get down on one knee and declare your love for her!

Inside an Easter Egg/Kinder Egg

Sometimes the most subtle of proposals have the biggest impact! Buy your girlfriend an Easter egg or kinder egg and carefully dismantle the egg in such a way that you can melt it back together once you have put the engagement ring inside the egg. It would be a good idea to also arrange for a special meal the evening that you have proposed to make the day even more special.

Design Your Own Banner

Make a banner and display it in a place that you are sure your girlfriend is going to be, e.g. hang a huge banner over a bridge or something similar which she would pass on her way to work which has the words "[Girlfriends Name] Will You Marry Me" wrote on it. You can then follow your girlfriend into work and propose again, down on one knee with her engagement ring and a rose!

A Ribbon Around A Dog/Cats Collar

Attach the engagement ring to your dog or cats collar and have them take the engagement ring to your girlfriend. Obviously the animal cannot do the talking for you so you need to back this up in person, down on one knee.

A Hot Air Balloon Ride

How better to propose to the one that you love; drifting across the horizon drinking a glass of champagne and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Present your girlfriend with her engagement ring whilst you are thousands of feet above ground!

On The Big Screen

Take your girlfriend to a football game or some other form of sporting event and have your marriage proposal appear on the big screen at half time. You can then be down on one knee ready to declare you love for her and present her with the engagement ring.

A Banner In The Sky

Organise a trip to the great outdoors with your girlfriend and have a pilot fly by trailing a banner with the words "will you marry me" wrote on it. An extravagant and overstated proposal like this is a sure way to surprise and delight her!

In A Christmas Cracker

Christmas is a magical time of year and is always a good time to propose to your loved one; but there are a couple of do's and don'ts that you need to consider before proposing at Christmas. Firstly, Engagement Rings should never substitute for your girlfriends Christmas present; this does not go down very well! That said, putting the ring inside a Christmas cracker is a really cool and inventive way of proposing as long as your cracker does not get mixed up with anyone else's!


Jack In The Box

Firstly you need to find a box which is big enough for you to hide inside of, you then need to decorate the box as if it was some form of huge present. Go to your girlfriends work and ask the receptionist to tell your girlfriend that there is a parcel waiting for her down at reception; you may have to clear this with her boss first. When your girlfriend comes down to collect the parcel you leap out of it like a jack in the box dressed in your best suit with an engagement ring and a rose!

Visit A Famous Landmark

Organise a trip for you and your partner to visit a famous landmark, which landmark you choose is up to you but some good ideas would include:

· Ben Nevis

· Lands' End

· Angel Of The North

· Stonehenge

· The London Eye

The list of famous landmarks goes on. After enjoying looking around the landmark of your choice propose to your girlfriend down on one knee. If this place was not already special to you, it sure is now and will offer a great venue to come back to for anniversaries to come, reminiscing about the day that you were engaged to become man and wife!

However you plan on proposing, try and be as inventive and original as you possibly can! You also need to ensure that you have the perfect engagement ring for your partner.

[settleyoudown35]

I think my plan in proposing to her in Skype is not appropriate, I mean your suggestions are great and I want the best for her. Perhaps, I just need more time and effort to do at least one of those given. I love her so much and I want her to be the happiest woman when I propose to her, something blissful and very romantic. I really appreciate your comment and suggestions. This is a great help, no doubt about that. Thanks a lot! You have a great day