Vacation Proposal Guide

Tips for Traveling with an Engagement Ring

A vacation proposal does bring up a unique issue you must address. You'll be traveling with a small, loose, valuable object: the engagement ring. Especially if you're journeying long distances or flying, there are a lot of risks. Here are a few tips to help you and your ring get to your destination safely.

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Keep the Ring With You

This is the most important tip for keeping your ring secure. Although we would like to think our possessions are safe and private in our luggage, sadly, this just isn't the case.

Rings are particularly vulnerable to luggage theft, because someone looking through your bag can simply slip the tiny object into their pocket. Don't give thieves the opportunity to steal such an important item from you so easily. Keep the ring with you.

Don't Fiddle With the Ring

So, now that you have the ring, how can you make sure you don't lose it en route? Minimize how much you handle the ring.

Keep the ring in a secure pocket, preferably one that zips or snaps shut. Make sure all you keep in that pocket is the ring. This means keeping your identification, tickets, snacks, and electronic devices in other compartments. You shouldn't have any reason to open the ring pocket until you're ready to propose.

Keep the Ring a Secret

If you're planning a surprise proposal, the last thing you want is for your partner to catch a glimpse of the ring before the big moment.

Such a slip-up could happen while going through security, if an agent looks through your bag and pulls out a jewelry box or anything with a jeweler's name prominently displayed. Your partner could also discover the ring while innocently looking for some random item in your luggage while you're out.

Make sure you keep the ring in a small packet with no connection to jewelry or obvious labeling. For example, pill cases that close securely are good options.

Get the Ring on Your Partner's Hand as Soon as Possible

The longer you try to hide the ring, the greater the chances something will go wrong. Get that ring to its forever home on your partner's hand as quickly as possible. Proposing near the start of your vacation will also be a great relief. You and your partner can enjoy every remaining minute of the trip as an officially engaged couple.

Insure Your Engagement Ring

Purchase jewelry insurance for your engagement ring before your vacation. Look for a policy that covers loss, theft, damage, and mysterious disappearance. If you have an existing homeowners policy, confirm whether or not it covers your jewelry.

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Choosing a Familiar Place for Your Vacation Proposal

Traveling and proposal planning can be nerve-wracking. However, going to a place that you and your partner know well can really simplify the process.

You probably already know the perfect hotel, the best restaurant, and exactly where you want to pop the question. Most importantly, if this destination is already special to both of you as a couple, the proposal will be very romantic. Just imagine proposing where you first met or first said "I love you."

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Choosing a New Destination for Your Vacation Proposal

You may need some local help planning your proposal if you're visiting a vacation destination for the first time. Hotel concierges are a great resource. Ask for their help. They may have special packaged deals for newly engaged couples. Benefits may include rooms with particularly spectacular views, fresh flower arrangements, or a spread of chocolates and champagne. 

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The benefits may not end there. Hotel employees can offer additional helpful recommendations like the best romantic places for the actual proposal. They may also know local photographers as well as tour guides who can get you a private or after-hours viewing of an otherwise crowded exhibition or landmark. Hotels may even have existing arrangements with these services that could mean discounted prices.

Vacation Proposal Ideas

As with all things proposal-related, keep your future spouse's personality and preferences first and foremost in mind when trying to plan your proposal.

Destination Proposals

Perhaps the most popular choice for a proposal vacation is a destination-based trip. For some, seeing places like the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid of Giza, or the Great Wall of China in person can be a dream come true. Taking your significant other to a location they've always wanted to see is a great way to make them feel special.

For proposals set against famous landmarks, strongly consider hiring a professional photographer to capture the unforgettable moment.

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Grand tourist attractions aren't the only type of destination you can choose for your vacation proposal. Theme parks, vineyards, nature preserves, and other outdoor locations also make great spots for proposal getaways. You could also take your future spouse to their family's ancestral homeland. Proposing there will be both deeply respectful and very romantic.

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Event-Based Proposals

You can also time your proposal getaway to enjoy a famous and exotic event or festival. Celebrations like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, annual cherry blossom festivals in Japan, and the Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Virginia are all unique events specific to a particular time and place. If your partner has a passionate interest in one of these or another event, a vacation proposal centered around it would make an perfect choice.

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Activity-Based Vacation Proposals

If you and your partner are physically active people, you may want to experience a new landscape up close and personal. This could mean climbing a famous peak, scuba diving along a vibrant ocean reef, or snowboarding down a celebrated mountain.

Activity-based vacations are great options for proposals because they offer many opportunities for you to pop the question. A popular choice is to carry the ring until you reach a resting spot during, or right after, the activity. This place could be the highest point along a hike, a meal break in a particularly scenic but hard-to-reach area, or just the end of a challenging trek. Proposing at these moments, when you both feel proud of your accomplishments, could be an excellent choice.

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Including Family and Friends in Your Vacation Proposal

For some, spending quality time alone with each other during a proposal getaway is of the utmost importance. However, others welcome the presence of family and close friends. Including others in your vacation plans is an important decision. It can drastically affect the mood of your whole trip. Here are a few things to consider if you want others involved in your proposal plans.

Combine Your Plans With an Existing Vacation

Planning your proposal to coincide with another planned vacation that already includes family or friends will help you shield your intentions from your partner. It's harder to keep your proposal a surprise if you plan a romantic getaway just for two. This is especially true if you don't travel frequently as a couple. However, if the group trip is already scheduled, your partner may not guess that you intend to propose at that time.

Bringing Children Into Blended Families

Couples creating blended families may want to include their kids in proposal vacations to build and reinforce bonds amongst everyone. Depending on your unique family dynamic, bringing everyone together for this special event may be a great opportunity.

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Plan a Couples Trip

Some people are happiest when sharing experiences with close family members and friends. Perhaps you and/or your partner are extremely close with a sibling or friend who is also in a committed relationship. Planning a couples trip with them can amplify the fun factor, but on a more manageable scale than a large group vacation. Plus, you'll still have many people available to take amazing photos!