Any day of the year when you propose to your partner is going to be special, but proposing on her birthday could well give it that extra edge. So, is a birthday proposal the right thing for you and your partner? Read on for some top tips for planning a birthday proposal that is sure to make this a birthday they’ll never forget!
Should you propose on your partner’s birthday?
Before you start your planning, you need to think carefully before proposing on her birthday. Some people aren’t really into celebrating their birthday, whether this is due to a dislike of getting older or feeling shy from the attention. If this sounds like your partner, then a birthday proposal probably won’t go down too well. Your partner might also feel that if you plan on proposing on her birthday, you’ve overshadowed her birthday celebrations.
So who is the kind of person who would love a birthday proposal? If your partner has always loved marking another trip around the sun, combining birthday celebrations with engagement celebrations is sure to be a real winner! It’s also a lovely way to get friends and family easily involved in this major milestone event — more on that below.
Planning a birthday proposal
One of the best things about planning a birthday proposal is that your partner is unlikely to pick up on any suspicious behaviour, as if they do notice anything, they’ll immediately attribute it to their forthcoming birthday. This gives you a clear field to plan without stressing that you’ll give the game away. Then there are so many sweet and creative ways to actually ask the question, from writing your question in a birthday card to giving ‘just one more gift’ after your partner has unwrapped everything.
You can combine your proposal with a special event that your loved one is already expecting for their birthday, such as a hot air balloon ride, dinner in their favourite restaurant or a weekend break away. If they’re about to celebrate a milestone birthday, you could really pull out all the stops and plan something out of this world to mark both events! If this is the case, consider hiring a proposal planner to help you get all the details absolutely perfect and take any stress away.
Of course, a low-key birthday proposal can be just as romantic, especially if it’s out of the blue. “Will always said he didn’t want to get married, so I was never expecting a proposal, even after being together for ten years,” reveals Laura Braun from Sussex. “On my birthday morning I woke up feeling absolutely terrible, as I had a virus that had made me lose my voice, so Will brought me a cup of tea in bed. I wasn’t expecting much of a present — he really doesn’t do romance or presents — but he sat down and said ‘Now, you know our friends have just bought a new DVD recorder…’ So I was convinced that he had got me a DVD and tried to look impressed. Instead, he said, ‘Well, I thought I’d ask you to marry me!’ I was gobsmacked!”
Despite her shock, Laura quickly accepted and the couple had another cup of tea to celebrate. “We then went for a countryside walk to continue the celebrations — albeit quietly, as I still had no voice!”
Getting friends and family involved with a birthday proposal
You’ll know if getting friends and family involved in the birthday proposal is important to your partner, and if it is, then a birthday proposal is a really easy way to do this without raising any suspicions! Whether your loved one knows that you’ve planned a birthday party with all of her favourite people or whether you surprise them with it, because it’s a birthday it won’t seem odd to find a room full of friends and family ready to celebrate.
You can choose, too, if you tell your partner’s family and friends in advance that this is also going to be an engagement party, or if you make it a joyful surprise for everyone in the room!
Planning a birthday proposal
Of course, instead of proposing on her birthday, the other option is to propose on your birthday, which can also be an amazing way to surprise your loved one. And if you know your partner is planning a surprise for you, such as a party or special treat, you could use the occasion for your proposal and turn the limelight back onto them! Andrew Barnett Jones from London did just this for his now-wife Rachel. “Rachel is a playwright and it was the opening night of a huge youth theatre play,” explains Andrew. “There were about 150 cast members all squeezed into a rehearsal room, and before they went on stage Rachel had arranged that they would all sing happy birthday to me. But then I turned the tables on Rachel by standing up in front of the assembled cast, crew and artistic team and proposing.”
The result? A yes from Rachel, a lot of emotional and dramatic teenagers going wild and the newly engaged couple being the talk of the town! And then, to complete the proposal, the couple got married on Rachel’s birthday six months later. “Having proposed on my birthday, it just felt right to get married on hers,” says Andrew — a lovely way to ensure that every year their birthdays are cause for double celebrations.
Do you want to choose another special occasion to propose to your significant other? Read it in this article!
