by Shavon Walker

Created on: January 16, 2010

It’s been five years, you’ve met each other’s families, you’ve thought long and hard and you’re ready to pop the question. But a proposal is a dream moment for many women. how do you make sure yours goes well?

Pay close attention to your girlfriend’s likes and dislikes. Quick, what’s her favorite food? What does she do to relax?  (and no, sex doesn’t count.) If you can’t answer either of those questions, now is a very good time to start getting to know your girlfriend better.

Wait for the right time. Proposing in the middle of a heated argument is obviously a very bad idea. So is proposing when she’s utterly exhausted.  Look for an intimate or romantic moment; if you’ve been paying attention (see previous step), you’ll know when that moment is. Or create it yourself. If you know your girlfriend loves outdoor activities, take her out on a picnic. Indoor activities? Make a romantic movie and dinner afterward. If she’s not into romance, try making her breakfast or dinner instead. Or better yet, clean the kitchen or bathroom thoroughly—there’s nothing that will soften a woman up more than seeing a man do household drudgery.

Be honest about your feelings. Some men may think they can’t tell their girlfriends how much they love them because they’ll be seen as weak or emotional. News flash: it’s OK. Remember, this is the woman you want to marry. She deserves to hear it more than anyone else.

Rings are almost absolutes—either your girlfriend will definitely want one or she definitely won’t. However, some women will lie about not wanting a ring because they know their future fiancé can’t afford it. This also goes back to the first suggestion—if you don’t want to ask her outright, “Which ring do you want?” you can wait till the next DeBeers commercial comes on and casually mention that you think that solitaires are nice. She’ll no doubt give you her own opinion, and you can start looking from there. When in doubt, get a cheap one now and take her to do the official ring shopping later.

Making your proposal a good one doesn’t take much, just some time and effort. And remember, she’s probably been waiting for this for a while now. If you’re still worried about her response, don’t be. The joyful smile on her face will tell you everything.

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