There is nothing like a memorable marriage proposal to make your heart soar. Even for people who don’t even know you, just listening or watching your story! I was browsing around on the internet and came across this wonderful proposal. In a previous post, I discussed taking the time to know your girlfriend and really think about what she would like. This proposal has the element of surprise and something out of the ordinary. It was so special, I just had to include it in this section. This video of the plan, creation and actual proposal had been viewed over 325,000 in less than a month! Just goes to show you what can happen when you take a little time and put some effort into your proposal. Here is Sara’s Proposal:

One of the most frustrating and confusing aspects of planning a wedding is figuring out everything involved with putting together the wedding invitations. It’s been a long, exhausting road, but we’ve developed a comphrensive how-to guide for your wedding invitations. The guide contains a great deal of information and examples and is organized so that you can quickly jump to the sections you require.

We hope that you find the guide helpful and informative. If we haven’t answered your questions about wedding invitation or guest list etiquette, feel free to post in the forums or email us and we’ll provide you with the answers!

Visit Reception Details’ Ultimate Guide to Wedding Invitations.

Mary Fiore (Jennifer Lopez) is a talented wedding planner, obsessed with her job with no time for love. That is, until Dr. Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey) saves her from a dumpster accident and romance ensues. But alas, nothing can ever be smooth in the world of love, especially for one who plans to make romance as perfect as possible. Catch Grey’s Anatomy cutie, Justin Chambers as Massimo, the adorably bumbling, but loveable childhood friend vying for Mary’s hand in marriage. Worth the watch for hunky Matthew McConaughey playing his usual handsome, charming, hunky, leading man role.

The Wedding Singer – starring Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore

Robbie (Adam Sandler) is comfortable with his life as a charismatic, romantic and popular wedding singer until he’s dumped at the altar. Julia (Drew Barrymore) helps him to forget his woes as he helps her plan her own wedding to a successful, arrogant bond trader. Will Julia end up follwing her heart? Worth the watch for the laughs and a wonderful throw back to the eighties, with lots of eighties songs and references.

Wedding Crashers - starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson

An absolutely hilarious story of two best friends, John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) who have turned attending weddings uninvited into a sport. Armed with a strict wedding crashing rule book, the pair dance, drink and charm their way into the beds of beautiful single women left vulnerable from the festivities of the day. All that changes when they decide to crash the wedding of the daughter of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (Christopher Walken). John meets Claire, another of the Secretary’s daughters (played by Canada’s own Rachel McAdams) and is instantly smitten. Jeremy hooks up with the other daughter Gloria, who falls in love with him and is determined not to let him get away. Sensing his opportunity, John throws out all the rules and drags Jeremy down with him in an attempt to spend more time with Claire. The snag in the story? Claire is engaged to a pompous ass who will stop at nothing to bring down the duo.

Other great wedding movies:

You’ve found the one. Now you’re looking for the perfect way to ask her the most important question you’ve ever had to ask in your life. Will you marry me?

Of course you want to be unique and creative. Definitely, you want to make it memorable. So how do you go about making this the event that will send her over the moon and have her friends think you’re the best thing on earth? Don’t worry, we’ll assist you with developing a proposal that legends are made of.

Planning the Perfect Proposal:

Crafting the perfect proposal takes a little mental work on your part if you are looking for something truly incredible. You’ll need to take a few moments to reflect on the time you’ve spent together and take note of the things and events that have occurred. Try to include elements from your very own love story or something you enjoy doing together such as hobbies, sporting events, dancing, theatre, hiking, camping, boating or other recreational activities. Did you first meet at school? Take her back to the campus and propose there. If you enjoy hiking, take her on a hike and at a scenic spot, have a blanket set up with roses, champagne and other goodies. A romantic scavenger hunt incorporating your favorite places or places where significant firsts occured is a great way to propose.

Where to Propose:

A unique spot is a surefire way to make your proposal memorable. Propose while away on vacation at a romantic location such as the beach, by a river or waterfall, the mountains or another scenic place. If you don’t have a full-fledged vacation coming up anytime soon, consider going away for the weekend.

Familiar spots are also wonderful. Proposing where you had your first date, first kiss, where you first met, a favorite restaurant or any other place where the two of you spend a lot of time together, will create a lasting impression.

How to Propose:

Take into conderation the type of person your girlfriend is. Is she quiet, reserved and private or flashy, outgoing and loves having the world watch her every move? Is she trendy, conservative, sophisticated, romantic, contemporary or old-fashioned? Think carefully about this as it is the key to having the right proposal. A sophisticated woman may prefer a proposal at an upscale restaurant, while a romantic may prefer a proposal on the beach at sunset. If your girlfriend is reserved, having a public proposal with tons of strangers looking on will mortify her and make her feel uncomfortable. Someone who is outgoing may love to be proposed to in a public venue such as a sporting event. Would she prefer a private proposal, with just the two of you or would she appreciate her family and friends being included in the whole thing? Make sure your proposal is tailored to her personality.

Proposal tips:

•  Ask her parents for permission for her hand in marriage. It may seem a little old-fashioned, but you’ll win brownie points with them. At a bare minimum, if you feel strongly that you shouldn’t have to ask their permission, then simply meet with them beforehand to let them know of your intentions and if you have it, show them the ring. They’ll appreciate being included in the loop.
• If you are worried about picking out a ring or would prefer her to choose the ring, propose with a token item such as a family heirloom, pendant, earrings or another piece of jewelery. The two of you can shop together at a later date for the ring.
• If you are the adventurous type and are planning on doing something where there is the potential to lose the ring, propose with a dummy ring and give her the real ring when you’re in a safe place. You can pick up costume jewelery rings that look like engagement rings for less than $20 at places such as Target, Wal-Mart or even department stores such as Sears or JC Penny. The last thing you want to do is lose a ring worth thousands of dollars during your proposal.
• Along the same lines, it’s better if you don’t let the ring out of your sight or possession (or the possession of a trusted friend or family member). Do not give the ring to restaurant staff or any other stranger who can potentially take off with it. Also, think carefully about where you put the ring. You may have heard the story of the man who tied the engagement ring to a bouquet of helium filled balloons to give to his girlfriend when proposing, only to lose his grip on the whole thing. He could only watch as his fifteen thousand dollar ring floated off into the sky.
• Write down what you’d like to say when proposing, then practise a few times. You may think you know what you want to say, but when you’re caught up in the moment and you’re nervous, you may find you stumble on your words. When you do the actual proposal, get down on one knee. Hold her hand and look into her eyes when you ask the question.
• Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of family and friends. People love being part of big surprises. If you need some more ideas on what to do for your proposal, ask her best friends to give you some suggestions. More than likely, they will have some fabulous ideas.
• If you’re really stuck for ideas or don’t have the time to orchestrate a memorable proposal, recruit the services of an event or wedding planner who can assist you with creating and staging the event. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay a fee for these services and you’ll have plenty of expenses coming up with the wedding.
• Don’t forget the accessories! Aside from having the ring, depending on where you are proposing, you may want to have some of these items on hand: flowers or rose petals, champagne or wine, chocolates or cake, balloons (just don’t tie the ring to them!), candles or soft lighting and romantic music.

Remember that most women have spent a lot of time envisioning their proposal, engagement and wedding. So take some time to plan out your proposal and make sure it is geared to the things she likes and to her personality. She’ll love you even more for making it special.

Best of luck with your proposal!

Additional Resources:

Romantics Guide to Popping the Question – 101 Marriage Proposal Stories

Written by Oprah romance expert, Michael Webb. Michaels shares amazing proposal stories that will provide you with inspiration to plan your own.

For more information and ideas, visit:

http://www.best-marriage-proposals.com

We’d love to hear how you proposed! Send your proposal stories to info@receptiondetails.com.

Congratulations on your engagement and for arriving at the place where your wedding planning begins! Whether you’re getting married shortly or are figuring on a long, leisurely engagement, this is the site where it all begins. We’ll offer advice and tons of information on how to get started on your wedding planning, as well as tips from the experts on how to bring it all together to a flawless finish.

At times you’re going to feel completely overwhelmed with all the details involved in planning a wedding, not to mention keeping your family and friends happy. Everyone will have their own ideas about what you should do. You’ll be frustrated, tired and confused. But the important thing is not to lose sight of the purpose of the day. Your wedding is to celebrate the joining of you and your beloved for a lifetime of togetherness. Remember this is a celebration of your love. Even if your details don’t end up being exactly how you had envisioned them, more than likely no one will notice.

Make sure you take time out for yourself during the planning process and even more importantly, make sure you enjoy your day, it will go by so fast. Take time out between the wedding ceremony and your reception to spend a few quiet moments together, free of relatives, well-meaning friends, your wedding party and wedding professionals, to sit back and reflect on your day.

This website is a wedding resource site containing a reception location directory, articles, a forum and this blog. You’ll find lots of informative and helpful articles to make your special day easier to plan. Visit the main site at http://www.ReceptionDetails.com for more information and ideas. Don’t forget about the forum at http://www.ReceptionDetails.com/forum where you can post to get answers and advice for your specific questions. Sign up for an account so that you can take full advantage of the features of the website.

Best wishes with your wedding and reception planning!

The Reception Details Team.