As 2017 gets rolling, many guys are going to find themselves wanting to get engaged to pretty girls in their lives. A true leap of complete faith! So, today I’m doing something I’ve never really done before on here. I’m talking directly to the guys out there! Ladies, if this is something your guy needs to read, find a way to sneak it into his posession. =P

First, congratulations for finding a girl worth honoring for a lifetime!!! That on its own is a great achievement! Your job now is to just breathe, plan, and then take the plunge!

So let’s get rolling!!! Here are eight quick things to think about as your planning your winter engagement!

 

1. Have a plan

Once you decide to get engaged, the entire day will feel like a warzone. You have entered the battlefield my friend, and as any good general knows, you HAVE to have a plan.
WHERE do you want to get engaged? You have almost unlimited options here! Would you rather pick a scenic location overlooking the sunset? Or maybe go to where you had your first kiss? OR maybe even take her to the place where you FIRST saw her! You can really choose anywhere! The biggest thing with this is to think about a few things:

• Can you LEGALLY go there? I can tell you right now that it’s SUPER illegal to get on ANY trusel or train track, even if it seems inactive! I won’t post links to different articles, but a surprising number of people die each year taking pictures on trusles and train tracks.
• Would SHE want to go there? You may enjoy hiking, but if she doesn’t, don’t make her hike up a mountain for two miles to ask her to marry you! If she DOES love it, then great! Just make sure you consider her.
• WHAT TIME? Sunsets create the best images hands down!!! So, what time IS the sunset? For the absolute BEST light, starting your engagement around two hours BEFORE the sun fully sets is a fantastic idea! During winter in Virginia, the sun sets around 5. So, 3 would be a great time to ask a girl to marry you! But, then again, if you’re planning on getting engaged somewhere special where the sunset can’t be seen, then that you may need to choose an earlier or later time.

Of course, you can always bring a professional photographer into the mix. Under bullet 4 I’ll talk about some reasons you should bring a photographer along to this part of the process, and he/she can help you answer these questions.

2. Put the ring box in a SEALED pocket

I have heard WAY too many horror stories of guys who put the ring in a jacket pocket only to find it had fallen out somewhere… I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE!!! You’ve saved up for months to get it! Do not keep the ring in a loose jacket pocket… Just… No. Ugh! Put it in your pants pocket or in a backpack with a zipper! Yes, I know this makes it a little harder to hide, but I can absolutely 100% promise that you would rather work a little bit harder to hide it then drop it and have to work REALLY hard to figure out where it went.

3. Make sure your fingers are warm before handling the ring

Okay! You put the ring box somewhere where it COULDN’T fall out. GREAT WORK! But next step? Ensure your hands are well warmed before attempting to propose. Everyone has watched the videos of guys dropping the ring off a dock into a lake. Don’t put yourself in the situation where you fingers are numb AND your nerves are through the roof. Turning this practical, make sure you wear gloves beforehand, and then only take them off when you are ABOUT TO propose. That way you will have full feeling in your fingers [and when you put the ring on her finger it won’t feel like ice sickles on her skin].

4. Consider hiring your wedding photographer BEFORE you get engaged

This is part of having a plan, and this ONE decision, you will never regret. A good chunk of photographers include an engagement session in their packages! So… if you know which photographer you want to hire to photograph your wedding, why not pay them in advance so that they can capture you proposing, too?! In so doing, you can be guaranteed they can help you choose the PERFECT place/time to take pictures. AND, they can talk through your entire plan with you to make sure it’s wonderful.

On a separate note, if you are just super nervous she might not say yes, offer to pay the photographer their hourly wage and then, once she says yes, the photographer can just take that amount off the cost of your wedding package. =P

Also, If you bring a photographer, go ahead and plan for time to take all your pictures then. As I said, photographers include engagement sessions in their packages. Why not go ahead and use that session when you the engagement is SO fresh?

And last about photography, I PROMISE. One of the best parts about winter engagements is the opportunity that exists for extra props! Bring hot chocolate, a blanket, and awesome mugs. I included this point under the photographer point because, if you bring a photographer, I’m sure they would LOVE to carry anything extra you need. Personally, I would for SURE carry a blanket, mugs, and even a puppy if it created the atmosphere a couple wanted.

5. Find a reason to get her to dress nicer

This one isn’t all that hard. Take her out to dinner! She may expect it if you do this, but it will still be worth it! When she looks at the final images, she’ll thank you for giving her a reason to do her makeup.

6. Remember to breathe

I’ve never actually heard of this happening, but I’m sure it has. With all the nervousness going through a dude’s body as he asks the question, I’m positive some poor guy has passed out from not breathing while waiting on his girl to answer. Don’t be that guy. BREATHE. You do not want EMTs interrupting your engagement to revive you. Not romantic!

7. Write down what you plan to say so she can read it later

For some reason girl’s never remember what guys say during a proposal. So, write it down before you say it! That way she can remember your words forever.

8. Remember the moment

Last, take it in my friend. You did it!!! Remember the way the air smelled of pine trees. Take a second to look into her eyes and TRY real hard to remember the way she looked at you. What is she wearing? How long does it take her to get out the words? Does she cry in excitement? Even if you’re not that sensitive of a guy, as you’re recounting the engagement story to all thousand of the people who will ask, she’ll appreciate later on that you could answer these questions.

Above all though, just remember to enjoy it! Now go ask that girl to marry you already!