Proposal Concept: Fancy hotels turn down the guests' beds before bedtime and often leave a mint or chocolate on each guest's pillow. Using this as a model, as your girlfriend gets ready for bed, place the box containing an engagement ring on her pillow.

Approximate Scenario Cost: None (or the cost of hotel accommodations, if you plan to propose away from home).
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring.

Approximate Preparation Time: Minimal.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: None.

Location: Bedroom or hotel room.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Not Applicable.

When you're spending the night together, get ready for bed before your girlfriend and prepare the bedroom by placing the box containing the engagement ring on her pillow (opened for her to see). You can accompany this by sprinkling rose petals on top of the bed or placing a single long stem red rose near the ring. Candles and romantic music can complete this highly romantic setting. (If you're using candles to set the mood, be sure to dim the lights. You don't want it too dark, however, or your girlfriend might not notice the ring on her pillow.)

When your girlfriend sees how you've prepared the bedroom and sees the ring, she'll instantly know what's happening, so be prepared to pop the question in what ever manner is appropriate. Have a bottle of chilled champagne or wine (along with glasses) hidden under the bed, so you can toast your engagement, upon her acceptance of your proposal.

Approximate Scenario Cost: The cost of a custom-decorated cake.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring.

Approximate Preparation Time: One week (to preorder the cake from a bakery).

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Birthday cake, engagement ring.

Location: Any.

For your girlfriend's birthday, you can either plan a romantic dinner with just the two of you in attendance, or plan a party and invite your friends and family. When it's time to present her with a birthday cake, give her a cake with your proposal message inscribed on it.
If you purchase a cake from a local bakery, it will be able to customize not just the message, but the cake itself, so you can place a small box containing the engagement ring in the center of the cake, without the box or the ring itself getting covered with icing. The cake could also accommodate candles and display the message, “Happy Birthday [insert name]. Will you marry me?” When she sees the message on the cake, be prepared to offer a more formal proposal, by dropping down on one knee, for example.
Of course, if your presenting her with this special birthday cake during a party, make sure someone is on hand with a camera to capture her expression when she reads the message on the cake and sees the ring for the first time. To maintain the element of surprise, you might want to avoid telling the majority of the party guests what your plans are. If done correctly, the birthday party could quickly transform into an impromptu engagement party!

As an alternative to a birthday cake with your special message, you can also order custom-baked cookies in a variety of wedding- or birthday-oriented shapes and designs, plus have your special proposal message written on the cookies in multicolored icing.

Proposal Concept: Bring your girlfriend to a nice restaurant for dinner. When dessert is served, in the center of her dessert plate is a box containing your engagement ring, delivered to your table by the waiter.

Approximate Scenario Cost: The price of dinner at the restaurant of your choice.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring.

Approximate Preparation Time: Minimal.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Engagement ring.

Location: A fancy restaurant.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Contact the headwaiter or manager of the restaurant, in advance, to plan your “special” dessert.

On the premise that you're celebrating a special event, such as birthday, anniversary of your first date, a promotion at work, or some other occasion, invite your girlfriend for dinner at a fancy restaurant. Throughout dinner, hold a normal conversation. When it's time to order dessert, arrange in advance for the waiter to serve a special plate with the engagement ring displayed in the center. If the restaurant specializes in homemade desserts, they might be able to write, “Will you marry me?” on the plate in chocolate or cake icing.

When dessert arrives, get down on one knee and propose. Have a bottle of champagne ready to be served so you can toast your engagement upon her acceptance. As long as you arrange your plans with the restaurant's manager ahead of time, most fine dining establishments will be more than willing to work with you to coordinate the perfect proposal. If there's a piano player performing in the restaurant, arrange to have your girlfriend's favorite song played as dessert is served.

Proposal Concept: Modify the screen saver on your girlfriend's computer to flash a “Will you marry me?” message.

Approximate Scenario Cost: None.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring, if used.

Approximate Preparation Time: A few minutes.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Computer ( and special screensaver program, if you choose).

Location: Any

Related Contact Information / Resources: Not Applicable.

If your girlfriend spends a lot of time in front of her computer, when she's not looking, replace her current screen saver with either a simple text message that says, “[Insert Name], will you marry me? Love, [Insert Your Name],” or load a more elaborate screen saver program onto her computer to help with your proposal.
First, get your girlfriend away from her computer long enough to modify the screen saver. Access the properties menu where the screen saver settings are located. (This will vary, depending on the type of computer and the operating system.) Select a screen saver option that displays text. There are often several choices, including 3-dimentional, scrolling, or stationary text. Type your text message in the appropriate area and adjust the font, motion, resolution, and style as you see fit. Adjust the wait time, setting it to the shortest amount of time possible (one minute). This is the amount of time the computer needs to be inactive before the screen saver automatically appears. Once everything is set, distract your girlfriend while she's working on the computer long enough for the screen saver to kick in.

If you're somewhat computer savvy, instead of using a text screen saver, you can create a series of customized photos and graphics and use a picture screen saver. With this option, you can display a series of photos showcasing the history of your relationship and finish off with a customized photo and special text message. You'll need to use a graphics/photo manipulation program to modify your photo(s) once they're in electronic format.

You can also download special screen saver creation programs that allow you to quickly and easily create flashy screen savers with little computer expertise. Combine photos with sound and music in order to create the perfect high-tech marriage proposal.

This proposal concept will work best if you're in the same room as your significant other when the screen saver kicks in and displays your proposal message. Once your girlfriend sees your proposal message on her computer screen, be prepared to present the engagement ring and ask her to marry you in person. This idea is a great way to surprise her with a marriage proposal while she's working, surfing the web, writing e-mails, or doing almost anything else on her computer.

Creating a customized screen saver that your girlfriend will see while you're standing next to her in the room is very different from popping the question via e-mail or an Instant Messaging program, for example, which isn't at all romantic and is extremely impersonal.

Proposal Concept: Do you remember where and where you first laid eyes on your girlfriend? Where you first met? Where you went for your first date? As you're planning your proposal, consider making one of these locations the place where you pop the question.

Approximate Scenario Cost: Minimal.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring, if used.

Approximate Preparation Time: Minimal.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: None.

Location: Where you first met or had your first date.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Not Applicable.

When you're ready to propose and you're looking for the perfect spot to pop the question, consider returning to the exact location where the relationship began. Bring your girlfriend to the location where you first met, or someplace you visited on your first date (such as a restaurant), and use this as the location where you propose. Doing this will add a sense of nostalgia to your proposal as you relive the moment you first met and look toward spending the rest of your lives together as husband and wife.

Use the location where you first met as the backdrop for your proposal. Try to recapture as much as possible about that day or night. What were you wearing? What music was playing in the background? What were you doing when you first saw your girlfriend or were introduced to her?

As you recapture the moment you first met, talk about how much your life has changed for the better since that day and how much you look forward to spending many more days, months, and years together. This will set the stage for a romantic proposal. You can then drop to one knee and present an engagement ring.

Proposal Concept: You call up a local radio station, request a song, and dedicate it to your girlfriend. At the same time, you pop the question on the air.

Approximate Scenario Cost: None
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring, if used.

Approximate Preparation Time: Minimal.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Radio and telephone.

Location: Any.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Contact the request line of your favorite radio station or call the radio station in advance and speak with a producer to coordinate your plan.

While you can probably call your local radio station and request a song anytime, to ensure you'll get your proposal on the air and be able to say exactly what you want to (and when you want to), it's an excellent idea to call the main number (not the request line) of your favorite radio station during normal business hours and talk with the producer of the show on which you want to propose. Coordinate exactly what time your proposal will air, what song you'll request and what you plan to say in advance. Most local radio stations will be thrilled to help you put your proposal on the air. Once the plans for your on-air proposal are set, make sure your girlfriend will be listening to the radio on the right station and at the right time.

Proposal Concept: Starting first thing in the morning, provide your girlfriend with a series of clues. Each clue should lead to a small gift and/or another clue. At the end of the day, the ultimate clue leads her to finding an engagement ring and your proposal.

Approximate Scenario Cost: Varies, depending on the number and value of your gifts.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring.

Approximate Preparation Time: Varies.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Small gifts for your girlfriend to find throughout the day.

Location: Any.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Not Applicable.

Pulling off this type of marriage proposal requires a bit of creativity and planning on your part. It involves creating a series of clues that will lead your girlfriend to finding small gifts and additional clues throughout the day. These could be gifts somehow related to your marriage proposal or totally unrelated, depending on the element of surprise you're trying to create. Each clue can be a riddle or directions leading her to a specific location where she'll pick up the next clue/gift.

Starting in the morning, for example, present your girlfriend with an envelope containing her first clue. Perhaps it could lead her to the restaurant where you and she had your first date. When she gets there, have a gift certificate for a lunch or dinner for two waiting for her to pick up, along with the next clue. The next clue might involve sending her to the dry cleaners to pick up or drop off your tuxedo or one of her dresses. This could hint to her that there's a formal occasion coming up in her future. When she gets there, perhaps a small sentimental gift could be waiting, along with her next clue. Another clue might involve sending her to a local florist. A dozen red roses and her next clue can be waiting for her. You can also use clues that lead her to places where you enjoy spending time together.

Try to incorporate sentimentality, humor, and as much creativity as you can muster into presenting each clue and small gift throughout the day. At the end of the day, the final clue should lead her to the pocket of the jacket you're wearing, where a small box containing an engagement ring will be waiting for her. Of course, you'll need to solicit the cooperation of a handful of people at each location to which you send your girlfriend, so they'll know to present her with your gift and her next clue, without revealing the true reason for the scavenger hunt. Another way to take the suspicion away from your true intentions is to present her with a totally unrelated piece of jewelry as one of her gifts, such as a pair of earrings, a necklace, or a bracelet. If she receives jewelry as a gift, for example, she'll think that was the reason for the scavenger hunt and won't suspect the pending marriage proposal. If you present her with additional jewelry, make sure it matches or coordinates well with the engagement ring.

Another way to keep your girlfriend from becoming too suspicious is to use this scavenger hunt proposal idea in conjunction with her birthday, an anniversary of your dating relationship, or some other special occasion. Initially, it'll cause her to think that's the reason for this romantic and fun gesture. At the end of the day, when she finds her final clue, present the engagement ring and pop the question.

Proposal Concept: Capitalize on this holiday, based on love and romance, to get engaged.

Approximate Scenario Cost: Varies, based on how extravagant you make the event.
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring.

Approximate Preparation Time: Varies

Supplies / Equipment Needed: Engagement ring plus (optional) chocolates, roses, rose petals, etc.

Location: Anywhere.

While some call Valentine's Day (February 14) the ultimate “Hallmark holiday”, those who are true romantics at heart use this holiday to annually communicate their love to others, especially those close to them. Thus, with so much romance in the air around mid-February, it makes perfect sense that so many couples get engaged on Valentine's Day.

Following the Valentine's Day theme of love and romance, there are a multitude of things you can do to make your proposal extra special, plus maintain the element of surprise until you actually pop the question. After all, your significant other will expect you to do something romantic on this holiday, so planning a romantic dinner or gateway probably won't raise too much suspicion if you're planning a proposal surprise.
You can combine your marriage proposal on Valentine's Day with one or more extra romantic gestures, such as spreading rose petals around the room in which you plan to propose or presenting a dozen or more long-stemmed roses.

In terms of your actually proposal, you can present your girlfriend with an engagement ring by purchasing a small box of assorted chocolates and hiding the rings among the chocolates. Godiva, for example, offers small boxes of four gourmet truffles packed in a trademark gold box. You could easily remove one of the truffles and replace with your engagement ring, then reseal the box. On Valentine's Day, present her with flowers and the small box of chocolates after dinner, for example. Insist that she try one of the truffles for dessert. When she opens the box, be prepared to pop the question when she finds the ring.

Proposal Concept: You and your girlfriend take a romantic walk at sunset along a secluded beach. You send her back to the car for something (or somehow distract her), then, while she's not looking you use a stick to write, “Will you marry me?” in giant letters in the sand.

Approximate Scenario Cost: Free
*Plus the cost of the engagement ring, if used.

Approximate Preparation Time: Minimal.

Supplies / Equipment Needed: A stick to write your message in the sand, and, of course, a sandy beach.

Location: Any beach.

Related Contact Information / Resources: Not Applicable.

Imagine walking along a secluded beach and having your significant other noticed a personalized message written in the sand that says, “[insert name], will you marry me? Love, [insert your name].” You then get down on one knee to present her with an engagement ring. After she accepts, you could cuddle on the beach as the sun goes down.

Depending on how secluded the beach actually is, you may be able to write the message in the sand, in advance, and hide a bottle of champagne and glasses nearby, then have a friend (or someone from the beachfront resort, if your staying at one) stand guard while you bring your girlfriend to this special spot on the beach to propose.

As you're walking along the beach, you can start discussing how much your girlfriend means to you, how special your time together has been, and reminisce about happy times you've spent together. This would lead up to your proposal.