There’s definitely something incredibly romantic about night time. With the stars and moon circling over our heads, we’re at our most relaxed at night, as well as having plenty of time away from daytime stresses of work and routine. This means it’s a great time for intimate conversations, whispered declarations of love – and marriage proposals to the love of your life.
We’ve put together some ideas for crafting a perfect night time proposal for your partner, from the best locations for proposing at night to all the props and decorations you may need to make it even more magical.
The right location for a night time proposal
When it comes to deciding where to stage your night time proposal, there are some places that definitely work well for when the sun has gone down.
One lovely idea is to take advantage of nature’s beauty with a night time proposal under the moon and stars – perfect if your partner is someone who loves star gazing or moon bathing! This will take some location scouting in advance, as you’ll need to find somewhere with minimal light pollution to improve your chances of seeing as many stars as possible. Find a great location, however, and your night time proposal truly couldn’t have more impressive lighting than the moon and a myriad of stars – if you can combine it with something like a beach or a mountain, then even better. And if you really want to be in tune with nature, pick a date for your proposal when the moon is full. This will give you even more gorgeous natural light and really makes a difference to the atmosphere.
You can also take advantage of a city’s beauty by proposing somewhere with a fantastic view of all its lit-up buildings and landmarks. Find somewhere high up such as a rooftop or tower, and then take your beloved up there to see the city spread out and twinkling below you. In the right season, this could easily be combined with a romantic meal for two, or a casual picnic on a blanket with all your partner’s favourite foods. Set the scene with some lighting of your own (see below for some more ideas on this) and you’ve got the perfect spot for your night time proposal.
As well as location, there are certain times of the year when proposing at night would work really well. Balmy summer nights mean you can plan something outdoors without having to worry about your beloved being chilly, while in winter you could use the beauty of a crisp, cold night to enhance your night time proposal – with bonus points if it’s snowing! You can also take advantage of festivities throughout the year to enhance your proposal, such as the fireworks that happen on New Year’s Eve, Fourth of July and Bonfire Night.
Decorations for your night time proposal
Once you’ve decided where you want to stage your night time proposal, it’s time to start thinking about how to style the location.
When it comes to setting the scene for a night proposal, the first thing to consider is the right lighting. There’s nothing more of a mood killer than bright, artificial light, so think instead of using twinkling fairy lights and flickering candles to create a gentle, romantic air. You could even use scented candles to give your night time proposal a beautiful fragrance. If you’ve got someone helping you then they could light any candles just before you get there, but if you’re on your own then electronic candles will give you a more fuss-free experience.
Once you’ve got the lighting right, you can consider any props or decorations. You may need to include practical items such as blankets and chairs, as well as decorative elements such as flowers or photos. Want to really make it a special occasion? Go all-out with some huge light up letters that spell out both of your initials, or even the words ‘marry me’. And why not bring in some fun extras into your night time proposal such as sparklers or fireworks? These can’t really be used for a daytime proposal and it would be amazing to have a personalized firework display going off after your partner says yes!
Some things to consider when proposing at night
If you’re keen to document your night time proposal with some photographs or video, the lack of natural light at night will make it harder to get some stunning shots, so hiring a professional photographer or videographer could be a great option. They’ll be able to use other lighting sources and the correct shutter speeds and settings to make the most of the night time setting and present you with picture-perfect images of this special event, rather than blurry and poorly-lit ones.
Think about what the temperature will be and plan accordingly – you don’t want your partner distracted from the moment because they’re too cold! And if you can, visit your location beforehand at the same time of night that you’re planning to propose, to scout it out and make sure there aren’t any issues such as it being too busy or too dark. Happy planning!