Planning to pop the question on your upcoming vacation? Here’s all you need to know before you go to ensure this once-in-a-lifetime moment happens without a hitch.
Planning the moment
First things first: you need to decide where and when you’re going to pop the question. Consider your partner’s personality – would they enjoy or despise being the center of attention? – and their passions to identify possible spots.
Stick with tradition and book a fancy restaurant or make the moment of visiting a world-class site even more incredible by getting down on one knee. For something more intimate, look for quiet green spaces where you can enjoy a private picnic or perhaps a lazy ride in a rowboat surrounded by flowers.
Deciding when to propose can be challenging. Building up to the moment with special experiences and perhaps hints will increase the anticipation and excitement. However, it could leave you too nervous to enjoy your vacation! Strike a balance by proposing halfway through, giving yourselves time to settle in and to enjoy being engaged afterwards.
Travelling with the ring
The biggest challenge facing you when planning a proposal abroad is travelling with the ring. Do you pack it and risk it being lost, or keep it on your person and risk it being pulled out at airport security?
We recommend keeping it in your carry-on luggage, safely in its box. You can tape a note to the top for airport security officers requesting them to be discreet should they come across it during a bag search.
Once you reach your destination, take responsibility for locking away your passports and valuables and store it with them in the room safe. Hotel staff would be happy to keep it for you too if you’re worried about accidentally spoiling the surprise.
Organizing insurance
If you’ve invested in an engagement ring with gemstones, you’ll want to have financial protection in place before you head off on vacation. Despite your best efforts, there’s a chance that the ring could be lost or damaged, and with the right insurance you’ll be able to replace it like-for-like rather than having to shell-out for a brand-new one.
When you purchase the ring, get an appraisal done including a signed and dated photograph and take this with you when you travel. You may need to show this appraisal at Border Control. As jewellery has significant value and can be hard to identify, you cannot include it on a Form BSF-407 with your other valuables.
Enjoying being engaged
You don’t just want the proposal moment to be amazing – you want the whole vacation to be blissful, for memories you can both cherish forever. Think about the days following the engagement and how you’d most like to spend them and plan a simple itinerary accordingly.
For example, you might like to go out for a Michelin-star meal that evening or enjoy a private night in. The next day could be spent in idyllic relaxation or started at sunrise with a hike to a beautiful viewpoint. The world really is your oyster.
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