Getting Engaged? 10 Do's and Dont's for December Proposals

From the Editor's Desk: 

Tis the season -- not just for holidays -- but engagements! December is the biggest month of the year for popping the question, according to The Wedding Report, and for good cause. There's nothing like the warmth and cheer of the holidays and time with family to encourage couples to make it official. Plus, it's good timing for those looking to become June brides.

Deidra and Michael Romero were engaged during the holiday season while on a "perfect" date. After Michael surprised Deidra with the proposal, friends jumped from the bushes to capture the moment in pictures that Deidra said she'll "cherish always." But that wasn't all. "After the proposal Michael had arranged a surprise engagement party," Deidra said. "All of our friends were there. We took lots of pictures and everyone gave their congratulations."

The two went on to celebrate Christmas and New Years' with their families in the following weeks. "We got to share our excitement with all of our family on the heels of our engagement, and to me that is priceless. There is nothing like feeling the excitement and buzz in the air after your engagement."

If you're considering a December engagement, here are a few tips to make this a moment she'll cherish the rest of her life.

DO
Surprise her. While you've explored your future and know that marriage is in the works, let the engagement be an event that takes her off guard and makes her feel really cherished.

DO
Talk to your fianceé to be about whether she wants to pick out her own ring. Shop trusted jewelry e-retailers like Ice.com on Free Shipping Day, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 16, and enjoy free shipping -- and possibly other discounts -- with delivery by Christmas Eve. And be sure to keep the ring in a safe place, lest you accidentally throw it away like Brian McGuinn did recently.

DO
Pick a special spot. Whether it's the place of your first date or kiss, or scenic location decorated with romantic, twinkling Christmas lights, where you proposed is the main detail everyone will ask about.

DO
Have a friend waiting in the wings to capture the engagement on film and in pictures. It's a moment that can never be recreated! You'll both treasure the look of surprise and delight on your faces for years to come.

DO
Celebrate with friends after it's official. Whether it's dinner, a party or phone calls, your friends will be happy that you shared the news directly with them -- not on a generic post on Facebook.

DON'T
Make it a public spectacle or a family affair. Engagements should be intimate moments between the soon-to-be betrothed only. Asking in front of a crowd or the family at the Christmas dinner table is not any girl's idea of romantic.

DON'T
Allow the holiday season to take the place of creativity. Engagements should be meaningful and unique to each couple. Don't feel like casually popping the question on Christmas day or New Years Eve is special enough. Make it a special evening or day celebrating the two of you -- your past and your very bright future.

DON'T
Hide the engagement ring. Whether it's in food, champagne or on the Christmas tree, it's risky to hide the ring and a little yucky to shove it in food. Plus, it's cliché. Most every girl dreams of the day when her man will drop to one knee and pop open that little black box. Don't rob her of that moment by hiding the ring and then freaking out when when your 2-year-old niece decides to rearrange the ornaments on the Christmas tree.

DON'T
Complicate things. Now that I've trashed your idea of hiding the engagement ring in the holiday fruitcake, I must caution against going too far in the other direction. Stressing over whether the Holiday Sing-O-Gram will call her cell in time for the horse-drawn carriage to arrive convolutes the whole point of the exercise: the proposal. Creativity is great, but make sure the offer of marriage is the main event.

DON'T
Drink and propose. Even the most confident groom-to-be will feel his heart pounding through his chest right before he pops the question. While some liquid courage might be tempting, it may also reduce her perceived sincerity of your affections if you slur through the proposal. 

Weddings expert Cara Davis is the author of Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot and blogs from her home in Orlando, FL, about cheap ways to spend and save at CheapWaysTo.com.

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