Popping the Question – How to choose between Private and Public Proposals

No matter how much you love your partner and how ready you are to pop the question, proposing marriage to the love of your life can still feel a little daunting. There are so many ways to propose, and the choices seem endless, but one of the first choices you need to make is whether you want a public or private proposal.

Our ideas of the perfect wedding are often heavily influenced by first-hand experiences. The experiences from attending the events of friends and loved ones can often shape what we would love for our own. Maybe you dream of an extravagant wedding with hundreds of guests, or perhaps something more intimate with just carefully chosen witnesses is more your speed. But what about proposals? Unless you were involved directly in someone’s proposal plan, your experience of proposals is most likely limited to tv shows and movies or the occasional exclusive media coverage of a celebrity proposal. It’s no wonder our clients often ask us the best way to propose.

First of all, there is no best way to propose, just different, and we’ve planned every kind of proposal from public to private and everything in-between. To help you decide, here’s our quick guide to how to choose between public and private proposals.

Proposing in Public

Proposing in public is undeniably a grand declaration of love. The most public way to propose is by creating an event such as a flash mob. This could be made up of professional performers or include friends and family. This type of proposal is likely to draw a crowd, so it is popular with clients who don’t mind the limelight and appreciate a theatrical flair to their proposal. This type of proposal needs a lot of logistical planning, so ideally, leave yourself plenty of time to pull this off. Just remember, the bigger the spectacle, the bigger the budget required. You also need to be prepared to be spontaneous, as with any proposal in public, you inevitably cannot control everything.

Semi Private Proposals

A slightly lower key version of a public proposal is to choose a location you love, where you are comfortable that people will be able to see you but they won’t be actively involved in your proposal. This type of proposal is one of our most popular options as it opens up a huge variety of locations to suit personal tastes and budgets. You can choose virtually anything from picnics in the park, river rides, favourite restaurants, luxury hotels, and even iconic landmarks such as the London Eye.

Of course, proposing in public doesn’t have to mean proposing in front of strangers. Many of our couples invite friends and family to share in the moment and sometimes even participate in their proposals.

Being surrounded by loved ones can be a fantastic way to ease the nerves – just make sure they know not to accidentally spoil the surprise or turn up late because we all have that one friend.

Private Proposals

Before asking such a big question, whether in front of the whole world or your nearest and dearest, the first question you should ask yourself is, are either of you shy or uncomfortable with public displays of affection. If you answered yes, then a private proposal is ideally suited to you. Grand gestures aren’t just for public proposals; by choosing a private proposal, you can relax and focus solely on your partner. The One Romance are experts at creating intimate proposals, with every detail guaranteed to take your breath away. And you can always plan a celebration with friends and family afterwards.