The Key to My Heart <3

Give away the key to your heart.

You will need a necklace box (including the cardboard insert), a key on a string, and the ring.

Easy option: Purchase a key necklace. Check out this one or amazon. If the necklace does not come in a jewelry box you can easily purchase one from a jewelry store or online. (See below, Tiffany & Co sells keys!)

If you are a bit more crafty follow this idea:

You can purchase a necklace box at most jewelry stores or you can ask your female friends and family members if they have one laying around. You will need to either find a pretty key or set of keys OR you can purchase something like this. If you are using your own pretty key (you can find these at craft or antique stores or garage sales) I would recommend stringing it through a really pretty piece of ribbon or twine. (Again look at a craft store or you might have something laying around or ask around. Fancy foods come wrapped in ribbon, so do towels, blankets, and pjs.)

After you present the gift box you can use a line that includes "the key to my heart" and "will you marry me?" OR I love the idea of also including a slip of paper in the jewelry box that says "will you marry me?" All you have to do is insist that she take the ring necklace out of the box.

As with most of this blog's ideas (except for James and Steph's proposal story of course), James comments to be sure that you know your intended fiance. Use your best judgment; you have to decide whether she will find this extremely romantic or kinda lame.

***UPDATE: Tiffany & Co. now sells keys! They are lovely and romantic, and I personally love anything that comes in a little blue box, check them out here.

Puppies, Puppies, Puppies

We love doggies. A few months ago I fell in love with a King Charles puppy at a local pet store. James spent weeks thinking about stringing my engagement ring around the puppy's collar. He wanted to surprise me with the puppy and what a surprise it would have been to pick it up and notice the ring! I would have died. James ultimately decided that another dog would have been a huge commitment and something he and I had to discuss at length. We want to get another pup in the future, maybe in a few months he will surprise me with one ;)

** readers beware: you better be damn sure your intended fiance wants a pet.

We Love Wine

James admits that if he had given more time to our proposal, he would have proposed using a customized bottle of wine. As you know, he proposed in upstate NY and while planning the weekendfound this great winery not too far from where we were staying. They can customize the labels on bottles of wine to say anything you might want. They can even include a picture of the two of you!! Readers beware: they have limited off-season hours and can take weeks to create that special something for your special someone.

Snowy proposals

Take advantage of Mother Nature by using a spray can or bottle to pop the question on the front lawn or drive way or at a local park.

You can either buy some eco-friendly spray paint or you can do what my mom used to do when I was younger. Take an old spray bottle (think Windex or hair spray) and fill it with water and food coloring. Then spray "Will you marry me?"in the snow.

I could see this working a few ways.

#1: Set it up in a local park and take them for a walk (having a dog is a great excuse)

#2: Wake up early before they leave for work and set it up. Be standing in the door way so you can be there when s/he sees it!

#3: Come home early from work, set it up, and then have them pull into the drive way. You can be standing in the drive way or door (with the advent of cell phones it is very easy to give them a call to see when they will be coming home. This idea would be totally perfect if your intended is getting off early from work because of a snow day... because then you can spend the rest of the day together. Snow is very romantic.

I recommend having something lovely set-up inside as well. You could have wine and dinner waiting in the kitchen. You could have hot chocolate and dessert in the living room. You could have flowers and candles prepared in the bedroom.

Cheap and super easy =)

By the light of candles....

Romantic, easy, and memorable.

Spell out "Will you marry me?" in candles... turn off all the lights and what a surprise they will find when they walk in the door. It might be after a late night at the office or a night out on the town. Words to the wise, never leave candles lit unattended.

Candles are cheap, I found these at Target.com

Getting Engaged Over Dinner? Proposing Using Dinnerware

For anyone who loves food =)

Use this kit to make a dinner plate that says "Will you marry me?" Watch their eyes light up as the phrase becomes visible.

How to: Either get a dinner plate engraved from here or here. Directions on how to etch your own dinnerware (I would not say this is easy though)

Getting creative with a camera

You will need a camera and a bit of time to execute this one.

Price: 0-50 (all you need is a camera (borrow one if you don't have one) and whatever it costs to get the images printed at a photo store or buy photo paper if you have a printer and a photo album if you chose to purchase one (you could also make one or use shutter fly))

How: Take pictures of the words will, you, marry, & me. Compile other photos of your time together. Get the images printed if needed and make sure the four "word" pictures are at the end.

Idea #1: Write "Will you marry me?" on poster boards and take a picture of you and the board in front of an important place in your relationship (think you first date, first kiss, or maybe where you met) Take her to that location if possible and give her the photo album.

Idea #2: Take pictures of places where these words are.

For example: there is a street near our house called I. E. Willets. Zoom in on the "will" and snap a photo. The word "you" is on billboards and signs all over the place, I wouldn't stress about this one. Marry might be a hard one to find. Think jewelry advertisements. If you are good with photo shop you could alter pictures of movie or holiday billboards (add the "r" to Mary and change the "e" to an "a" as in Merry Christmas). Me should also be easy lots of words have a me in it- you could snap the begining of the word merry or meat or meet or meak... you get the picture. (haha!)