Source: The Knot (www.TheKnot.com)

Here it is: a super-size list of wedding proposal ideas. Browse the categories and select with care- your future depends on it!

Marriage on your mind? She’ll be telling the story of how you proposed to friends and strangers for the rest of her life, so tailor one of these ideas to make sure it’s memorable.

Read on for 50 great marriage proposal ideas, or skip to the type of proposal you think fits best:

Best Public Marriage Proposal Ideas

• Have a flair for the dramatic? Get in touch with the stage manager of an appropriately themed production and propose after the cast’s curtain call.
• Take out a full-page ad in a newspaper you know your girlfriend reads daily.
• Arrange a surprise proposal with a street caricaturist. Have him sketch a picture of you two with word bubbles. Yours will read, “Will you Marry Me?”, and hers will say, “Yes!”
• Pay the divers at an aquarium to put on a proposal show inside their biggest fish tank. Give them handwritten signs that say “Will You Marry Me?” to hold up against the glass.
• Send your girlfriend on a treasure hunt. Start with a clue at home, then send her on a tour of your favorite spots all over town. When she gets to the last hint, the prize should be you on one knee.
• Go out for a night of dancing, and ask the DJ or band leader to pass you the mic so that you can dedicate a song and propose on the dance floor.
• Have a friend or family member set up a picnic — complete with wine and cheese, or course — for you in a park. Take your girlfriend for a hike on a route where you’ll stumble upon this surprise “Proposal Picnic.”
• Hire a skywriter to spell your proposal for everyone around to see.
• Flying anytime soon? Use the plane’s loud-speaker system (of course, run your plan by the flight attendants first) and propose at 35,000 feet.
• Movie buffs? Ask your neighborhood theater to run an ad featuring your proposal and make sure you get there in time for the previews.
• Gather a bunch of your friends and family for a party. Have everyone in attendance put on a T-shirt bearing one of the letters in the phrase “Will You Marry Me?” When you walk in the room with your girlfriend, suggest a group picture and let the shirts speak for themselves.

Best At-Home Marriage Proposal Ideas

• For a simple surprise, after she goes to bed, go to her jewelry box and replace her everyday ring with the engagement ring. She’ll be completely shocked in the morning when she goes to put on her regular ring.
• Draw a bath and place a floating candle or rubber ducky in the middle with a ring tied around its neck. Make a path of roses leading to the tub. (And make sure the drain is well-plugged!)
• Speaking of paths, turn off all the lights in your apartment and make a trail of candles that leads to a circle of votives positioned around a ring.
• Slip the ring on her finger while she’s sleeping and wake her with champagne and strawberries. At first, the gesture will simply seem romantic — the real surprise comes when she notices her new piece of jewelry.
• Tie a red velvet ribbon from one spot in your home to another. Attach little notes recalling perfect moments in your relationship along the way. You wait at the last stop, ring in hand.

Best Tech Marriage Proposal Ideas

• Create your own podcast proposal and sneak it onto her iPod.
• Upload a video of your proposal on YouTube (tell her you have a hysterical home movie to show her).
• Steal her digital camera and head to her favorite local outdoor spot. Bring a friend with you and have posters made with the words “will,” “you,” “marry,” “me?” Have your friend photograph you holding each one in a different position. Then, let her know you borrowed her camera and ask if she will upload your photos.
• Take the scavenger hunt high-tech: Send your mate a text message leading her to a secret spot. Keep her engaged by text messaging her sweet nothings along the way (and directions of course), as you lead her to you, on bended knee.
• We had to add this one: Create a web page declaring your love and intentions. Leave your sweetie a clue with the web address written on it — don’t say a word. After the proposal has been officially accepted (which, of course, it will be!), she can proudly send the page to friends and family.

Best Foodie Marriage Proposal Ideas

• Make the box with her ring a selection on the dessert tray at your favorite restaurant.
• Put together a gift basket of yummy delicacies — the best chocolate, caviar, coffee — and hide the ring among the presents (in its box, so it doesn’t get lost in the goodies).
• Ask the pastry chef to write, “Will you marry me?” in chocolate sauce around the rim of her dessert plate.
• Ask a baker to make a cake with the proposal written in frosting. Have him display it in the storefront and suggest a little window-shopping to your girlfriend.
• Create a personalized fortune cookie with your own proposal message.

Most Playful Marriage Proposal Ideas

• Create your own crossword puzzle (it’s easy with this site) and be prepared to help her work it out over breakfast.
• Spell your proposal out in glow-in-the-dark star stickers on your ceiling. Get into bed, turn the lights off, and wait for the inevitable gasp.
• Spell out your proposal with refrigerator magnets.
• Scratch your proposal into the frost on her car’s windshield.
• If your girlfriend is a teacher, sneak into her classroom before school starts and write your proposal on the blackboard. Stay hiding in the coat closet or right outside the room for the moment she arrives.
• Get a ring size chart and ask your girlfriend to look up her size. When she accuses you of ruining the surprise that you’re shopping for a ring, say, “Okay, try this one instead,” and show her that you’ve already shopped for a ring.
• During your annual Halloween prep, challenge her to a pumpkin-carving contest and carve the words “Marry Me” in your pumpkin.
• Write “Will You Marry Me?” on the underside of a kite and take flight one warm, breezy afternoon.
• Play Hangman and have the phrase be “Marry Me.”

Best Summer Marriage Proposal Ideas

• If you love to hit the beach, head down a few hours before her and write your proposal in the sand with large white rocks.
• Go to the beach and casually build a sandcastle (at a safe distance from the ocean!) and place the ring on the highest turret. Then invite her to admire your handiwork.
• Gather your families together for a summer barbecue and make it a family affair.
• Make your own message in a bottle. On the night before a beach day you’ve planned, write a love poem on a piece of parchment paper, roll it into an antique bottle with a cork, and bury it in a well-marked spot in the sand near your towels. Be sure you “find” the bottle as you dig together — and have the ring at the ready.

Most Thoughtful Marriage Proposal Ideas

• If you’re artistically inclined or just like to make things with your own two hands, integrate something you’ve made into the proposal. For example, if you have woodworking skills, present the ring in a special hand-carved jewelry box.
• Buy a pet that she has always wanted (bunny, kitten, puppy) and loosely tie the ring around its neck. Or, substitute a stuffed animal — still cute, but less maintenance!
• Tell your girlfriend you want to make a time capsule together to bury and dig up years into the future. As you’re gathering the items, say it wouldn’t be complete without a picture of the moment you two got engaged! Have a Polaroid camera ready to take that shot right after you present her with the ring.
• Rent a Vespa scooter and invite your girlfriend for a ride, but remind her to be safe and wear a helmet. Put the ring in the helmet box and then zip around town to celebrate.
• Meet for a drink at a posh hotel bar. When it’s time to go, casually mention that you’ve already reserved a room for the night. When you open the hotel room door, have roses, candles, and champagne all set up — everything for a perfect surprise proposal.

Cheesy (but Hilarious) Proposal Ideas

• Make a list of 10 reasons you’d like to marry your beloved. Read them to her in front of a crowd, have them delivered via singing telegram, or send them written on individual note cards over the course of a day (or 10!), with the last card arriving by personal messenger (you!).
• Want to really surprise your girlfriend? Cut out the bottom of a huge box, wrap it with pretty paper and ribbon, and attach a card that says, “What’s inside the box is a gift to last a lifetime.” “Deliver” yourself to his or her office or front door.
• Make her ring the surprise in a box of Cracker Jack.
• Write your proposal in sunscreen on your stomach, so that your tan will “stencil in” the words.
• Make her feel like a movie star and set your proposal to the scene of her favorite romantic movie. You could arrange your own Pretty Woman moment (the finale, of course) — rent a white limo and climb through the moonroof with flowers in hand to proclaim your love as you arrive at her place.
• Another funny movie proposal? Steal from that famous Say Anything scene — park yourself outside her house with a stereo blaring your favorite tune and propose on the front lawn.

Source: The Knot (www.TheKnot.com) written by –  Anja Winikka

We know, we know, you’d be happy with a twist tie as long as you’re engaged to Mr. Right. But trust us, he wants to know what you want. Before the cynics unite and say that rings have nothing to do with love or marriage, let’s be practical: An engagement ring is a big investment, and unlike most jewelry that goes in and out of style over time, this is one piece that should look and feel timeless. Make his search for the perfect ring easier by dropping the right clues.

1. Show Him a Picture

Who it works for: The bold and brazen. You know exactly what you want, without a doubt.
How to do it: Find clever ways to show him a picture of your favorite setting, cut, and style. A Valentine’s Day card works, and a web page left open to your dream ring should definitely get the point across. A subtler way: While perusing magazines, point out pictures of rings you like and casually mention what you like about them. Or give the photos to a close friend and let her decide what to do with them.
Timing tip: Don’t show him pictures before he’s prepared to buy a ring. If he’s not ready to propose, then showing him a photo of the exact ring may make him super uncomfortable and reluctant to shop. The picture route works best if you’ve made it clear to one another that you plan to get engaged.

2. Shop Together for the Ring

Who it works for: The practical one. You’d rather have a ring that suits your style than a big surprise.
How to do it: While walking past a jewelry store, casually express interest in stopping in and taking a look. Depending on the store, the salesperson will likely ask if you’d like to try anything on. A bolder option: Decide on a time to formally shop for rings together.
Timing tip: If he’s a traditionalist, he may be opposed to shopping for the ring with you. If this is the case, consider going “window-shopping” with him, so that there’s no pressure to buy while you’re out together. That way, he can go back and buy the ring on his own.

3. Have a Friend or Family Member Go with Him

Who it works for: The traditionalist. You’re too reserved to point out the ring yourself, but your best friend or close family member knows your style, and you completely trust their taste.
How to do it: Let your close friend or family member know what you like and don’t like. If there’s one ring in particular you love, tell your friend. When it seems like he’s fishing for ring hints, you’ll be able to confidently send him to talk to your close confidante.
Timing tip: Let him come to you for hints instead of pressuring him to talk to your family or friend, which could be intimidating.

4. Ask for a Surprise

Who it works for: The romantic. You want the Hollywood proposal, and he’s up to the challenge.
How to do it: Mention your favorite settings, cut, color, and style in passing to make it clear to him what you like. Then put the ball in his court by telling him that you love his style and you’re sure he’ll choose something gorgeous. And, just in case, make it clear if there are ring styles that you would never wear.
Timing tip: Patience is the key here. Pulling off a surprise, romantic proposal takes planning, so don’t prod too much.

5. Design It Together

Who it works for: The funky, modern personality. You’re not into surprises, and although you don’t know exactly what you want, you do know that you want something one-of-a-kind.
How to do it: An obvious point, but very important: Make it clear to him that you would like a custom-made ring before he proposes. Then come up with ring ideas together and make it a couple’s project. Make sure he has a say too — ask him what he thinks about certain elements and incorporate his suggestions into the overall design. Do research to find a designer that you both like, and then commission the ring together.
Timing tip: Once the ring is ready, decide whether you want him to hold onto it for a formal proposal or if you’d like to start wearing it right away.

Source: The Knot (www.TheKnot.com) written by — Miles Stiverson

For the guys — how to know whether you’re ready to get married.

Some men face the prospect of proposing with sheer terror, while others feel compelled to pop the question on the second date. Regardless of where your personality falls, here are seven ways to be sure you’re ready for marriage.

1. You’re Open About Your Finances

Make no mistake about it: Despite your undying love and devotion, money matters. Even if you and your girlfriend aren’t swimming through pools of gold Scrooge McDuck-style, you should at least be familiar with your financial situations (and okay with the fact that your big splurges are video games and sneakers). If one or both of you are deeply in debt, money (or your lack thereof) could be an immediate source of conflict in your marriage. You don’t need to know each other’s salaries to the dime, but if you’re open about your savings, you’ll avoid any “You owe a bookie how much?” moments.

2. You Hit a Milestone

If you’ve just made a big professional advance (like a raise or a promotion), it may be the perfect time to take the next big step in your personal life too. “A lot of guys set goals for themselves,” says Matt Bean, senior editor at Men’s Health magazine, “and until they’ve reached a certain level in their careers or feel they’ve squirreled away enough money to support a family, they’re just not in the mode of getting married.” For Steve, 25, the time felt right when he became a homeowner. “I realized my house wouldn’t be a home without her in it,” he says. “I was just ready to move forward with my life.” Your relationship is just like anything else you’ve worked hard toward, and the payoff is equally as rewarding.

3. You’ve Discussed Your Future

Have you talked about your plans for going on vacation together this summer, and your plans together 10 years from now? If you and your girlfriend speak naturally and sincerely about your future together (even if you’re not sure where you’ll be or what you’ll be doing), that sort of confidence bodes well for your relationship. “We never spoke of marriage, but we did speak of later times in life,” says Dave, 32, who surprised his girlfriend with a proposal in the Santa Monica Mountains. “She had no clue, and, when I asked, she had no doubt.”

4. She’s Aware of Your Ambitions

Everyone has ambitions (your goal to eat your weight in Buffalo wings? Sure, that counts too), but make sure your aspirations don’t conflict with those of your girlfriend. If you plan to spend all your savings to start your own business in five years or, better yet, plan on spending a few months roaming with nomads in the Sahara, your girlfriend should know about that before you ask her to marry you.

5. Your Friends Are Fans

Chances are you’ve dated a woman or two who your friends didn’t like much. Regardless of the root of their disdain, a relationship becomes tough when your friends don’t want anything to do with your girlfriend. “A guy’s friends are, in various ways, reflections of his own character,” Bean says, so animosity between friends and girlfriend can be a definite red flag. If, on the other hand, your buddies have given her a resounding thumbs-up, you can rest easy knowing you won’t have to spend your life choosing between her and them.

6. You Know She’ll Say Yes…for the Right Reasons

This may seem obvious, but if you feel the chance of her accepting your proposal is iffy, it’s probably not the right time to ask. If the ups and downs of your relationship have left you dizzy, don’t try to steady the ship by asking her to marry you. If you propose just because you want a quick fix, she might turn you down or — even worse — she might be blinded by the moment and accept your proposal only to doubt her decision later on. Ask her to marry you when you know you’re both on the same page about spending your lives together, not when you’re trying to salvage a relationship gone awry.

7. She’s Dropping Hints…and That’s Okay

Maybe she’s mentioned how she’s really into cushion-cut diamonds. Or that she’d love to honeymoon in Venice. Or perhaps her hints are a little less subtle (The Knot magazine mysteriously appears on your coffee table). Her mind is on marriage, and she’s feeling out whether you’re ready. If your instinct is to change the subject, cower in a corner, or shrug off the idea of an engagement entirely, you’re likely not in a position to propose. But if the idea of marrying your girlfriend excites you, the only thing left is to buy a ring and start brainstorming ways to propose (start with this list of marriage proposal ideas).