Wedding Wednesdays Q&A: The Holiday Proposal

Q: I am planning on proposing to my girlfriend while we are in her hometown during the holidays.  But, I have a hard time making decisions and I don’t yet have a ring. Do I absolutely have to propose with a ring?  And if so, what if I pick one and she doesn’t like it?  I want her to be happy with the ring, but I don’t want to make the wrong decision.  I know I don’t have much time left, but I don’t know what to do. Help, please!

I think it’s really sweet that you care so much that you can’t make a decision, but now I’m here to help, so don’t you worry!

First off, you can totally do your holiday proposal without a ring.  It’s not “traditional”, but who cares?!

The proposal isn’t about the ring, it’s about the question and the meaning and love behind that.  So, I think it’s ok to propose without a ring if you’d rather pick something out later.

Now if you like the tradition or you think she really will, then having a ring does make a difference.

But, there are other options besides just picking a ring and hoping for the best.

You could get a proposal ring which is a ring you borrow from the jeweler (with a deposit so that you bring it back).  You then propose with that ring and then bring it back with your now fiancé to pick out the actual ring.

This is a great option for many people because then you can pick out a ring together and she’ll be happy with what she gets.  You also don’t have to worry about picking something out ahead of time and/or stressing about picking the right ring.

Another option if you want a ring to propose with is to purchase a ring that you think she’ll like, but with the ability to return it if she doesn’t like it.  Once again, that way there isn’t as much pressure to get it exactly right.

I think the options I laid out would work great for you and your holiday proposal, just make sure you make a decision soon so that you can focus on the actual proposal part and not have to worry about the ring part.  Good luck!

Good luck with your proposal!  And when you’re ready to start planning, make sure you sign up for our email list.  You’ll score a super helpful free guide to help you with your first steps to planning. Click here to start planning!