Maybe you are tired of dropping hints about bridal sets or perhaps there is a baby on the horizon that you have both dreamed about. Whatever the motivation, there are many reasons why a woman would want to marry her partner. While proposals are traditionally left to the man, many women are now taking happiness into their own hands and popping the question. If you are interested in taking part in this new trend, here are some tips on how to successfully propose to your man.

Be Ready

It may seem a little strange, but the first step to planning the perfect proposal is to be sure that you are ready for it. Marriage is about more than just beautiful round engagement rings. It is a huge commitment and a big leap forward, so you must be certain that you are taking this step for the right reasons. After all, you will make up half of the dream team!

Some people view marriage as a way to control their partners or to save a stagnant relationship. Others do it because of family and peer pressure, or simply because they do not wish to be alone. For the romantics, proposals can be seen as a grand gesture of their love. Make sure you want to marry your man because he is ‘the one’, and not for other superfluous reasons.

A good way to gauge whether your relationship is ready for a deeper level of commitment is to think if you have discussed marriage before. If the topic has never been broached, it may be a little early to suggest an engagement. However, if you know that he is open to the idea of marriage and sees a future together with you, then you can take the leap of faith.

Understand Him

Knowing what makes your man tick is the key to planning a successful proposal. It is easy to picture the over-the-top Hollywood proposal with champagne, bouquets, and clapping onlookers, but men generally have a different idea of romance. So, before you book the blimp and the violin quartet, think about things from your partner’s perspective.

An old-fashioned man may feel uncomfortable being proposed to. In fact, he may be a little disappointed that you have taken his opportunity to propose to you. In this case, a public proposal in front of his friends may make him feel embarrassed, whereas an intimate private conversation may produce a much more positive response.

Right Time and Place

Once you are confident of your beau’s style, pick the right location and occasion. A place that has meaning for both of you is already a romantic setting and creates an easy lead-in to the proposal. This could be the place where you met, a favorite escape spot, or even somewhere that you have always wanted to visit on holiday.

You can also choose a date that has a special meaning such as his birthday or the anniversary of your first date. Be sure that you choose a time when he is relaxed, though. You do not want to overwhelm him when he is stressed about hosting a huge party for his birthday or distracted by politics at work. Your partner should be in the mood for love when you pop the question.

Should your sweetheart be the sort that would like to have his family present, you can coincide the proposal with a major holiday such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. This way, it would not seem suspicious to have many people around. If you decide to rope family members into your surprise, make certain that they do not give the game away prematurely!

Cue the Band

Buying jewelry for your man can be daunting. Many men do not wear rings until they get married, so it can be difficult to choose from the various styles of mens wedding bands. The easiest way out of this is to present your man with a symbolic gift at the proposal and choose your engagement or wedding rings together later.

An example of a symbolic gift is an engraved timepiece or lighter. If your gift will function as engagement jewelry in place of a ring, then be sure to have a matching piece for yourself. Matching watches, ID bracelets, and necklace with pendants are some pieces of jewelry that you can consider if your partner is not the type to wear a ring.

Proposing to your man is a way to demonstrate how much you love him and how well you know him. Show him that he holds an irreplaceable place in your heart by making the proposal occasion all about him. Knowing your man inside out is the only surefire way to ensure that you will plan a successful proposal. Ultimately, it does not matter whether it is the man or the woman who does the proposing. What matters is the connection that the two of you have and your commitment to a loving life together. Good luck!