A woman contemplating proposing marriage needs to research everything about woman marriage proposals. Today women and men have equal right to propose marriage. The number of women proposing marriage is growing all the time. Find out more about woman marriage proposals and which proposal ideas work best for women.
Should Women Propose Marriage?
The history of marriage proposals is interesting and helps to explain how the modern proposal trends have evolved.
History of Proposals
For centuries women played a secondary role in the marriage engagement process. The Roman betrothal of two people pledged to marry was adopted by many cultures and continued for hundreds of years. In medieval Europe well into the eighteenth century, it was common for aristocratic and upper class parents to arrange a betrothal between their children to form alliances between two families. For many years, only the lower classes could choose their own mates, though there were sometimes exceptions in the upper classes.
Over time, more couples of all classes began to choose their own mates. By the late eighteenth and early nineteenth, men of all classes courted women they sought to marry.
The woman remained the receptive party in the courtship, including the proposal. She learned courtship etiquette and how to encourage proper suitors, which was a powerful skill. For example, there was an entire courtship language in how a European woman handled her fan in the eighteenth century. She had the power to accept or refuse a marriage proposal, though she may be forced by her family to accept only a family approved spouse.
Whether the couple's marriage was arranged or freely chosen, the man always led the courtship process. The man courted the woman and she either accepted his suit by encouraging his interest or rejected it by politely showing indifference. After a courtship progressed successfully under the watchful eye of a chaperon, a man proposed marriage.
In many ways today's dating is similar but without the formality of chaperons. Men generally take the lead in the process but times are changing. Woman can now take the lead in dating and even marriage proposals.
What Men Think of Women Proposing
While today's women can propose, most men expect to be the one proposing marriage. A lot of men would be thrilled to have the pressure of the marriage proposal taken off their hands. However, some men prefer tradition when it comes to marriage proposals and weddings, even if they are fairly unconventional in other ways.
According to a Chicago Tribune article, more women are proposing than ever before. Some are even giving men engagement rings.
Considerations Before Proposing
Anyone woman considering proposing marriage should make sure her man would be receptive to her leading the marriage proposal process. This can be accomplished by having marriage discussions and getting an idea of how he feels about a woman proposing. It is also a good idea to make sure that both people are ready for marriage.
Here are some tips to help determine marriage readiness and compatibility:
- Discuss future lifetime goals.
- Talk about family goals such as the amount of children, if both parents will work and the type of life style desired.
- Find out if he likes the idea of a woman proposing marriage to him. If a woman is not comfortable with making the question personal, she can ask what he generally thinks about women proposing marriage to men.
Discussing marriage, family and life goals can help a couple figure out if they are ready for marriage and have compatible goals. Even if a couple has different ideas about married life, they can still find ways to merge their two different goals into one set of family goals. It is best to get these ideas figured out before marriage, if possible.
Ideas for Woman Marriage Proposals
Once a woman decides to propose marriage, it's time to research marriage proposal ideas. Many of the ideas that work for traditional proposals work for women proposing marriage to men. However, there are subtle differences so that a woman can keep the proposal romantic and not make a man feel pushed into a feminine role. Even if a man is thrilled to have his girlfriend propose, he wants to feel like a man. Many men are more comfortable with intimate proposals rather than public ones. Here are some ideas for women proposing marriage:
- Dress in that little black dress that makes his blood boil. Write him a proposal poem and present him with a single red rose over a romantic candlelight dinner for two. Many men are not comfortable receiving a bouquet of flowers but a single red rose is a romantic gesture that is not overly feminine.
- Cook a special dinner and invite him over. After dinner, he finds you in sexy lingerie on a bed covered with rose petals, holding up a sign that asks, "Will you marry me?"
- Place a promise ring inside a small wrapped box inside a larger wrapped box at Christmas or his birthday. The larger box will keep him from guessing that you are giving his a ring. When he opens the promise ring box, put your arms around him and ask him to marry you.
- Create a scrapbook of special photos. On the last page of the album, propose marriage.
Woman marriage proposals are getting more popular. The biggest concern when a woman proposes is how the man will feel about the unconventional move. Since it is unconventional, it may not be the answer for a traditional couple. However, it is a good idea if both people like the idea. A proposal is romantic and special no matter which member of the couple proposes. They will remember the day forever with joy.
