How to Get Engaged in Europe

If proposing is on your mind, chances are good that the biggest challenge you’re facing--besides choosing the ring--is deciding where to pop the question. There are so many possibilities: a place that’s meaningful, one that’s romantic and one that’s new. Should it be somewhere private? Public? Near friends and family? Far away? If a trip to Europe seems like the ideal choice, you and your sweetheart will have travel memories for a lifetime. But getting engaged in Europe requires a little more planning than just booking plane tickets. Read on for some pointers to ensure a flawless experience.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Potential spouse
• Engagement ring, if you so choose
• Plans for an excellent vacation

1. Choose a city and a country. This may seem obvious; but consider your options very, very carefully. Romania might make a wonderful vacation; but the gritty transformation-in-progress you’ll find in Bucharest might leave a bit to be desired in the romance department. Choose a destination that suits you and your partner; but keep in mind that this is a proposal plan as well as a vacation.
2. Bring the ring with you. Perhaps you’re living abroad, or taking an extended trip, and plan to have a ring sent to you from the United States--this is a dangerous idea. High-value jewelry can get caught up in customs, leaving you sweating when your FedEx doesn’t arrive when you thought it would. You might have to pay hefty fees to rescue your package. Such headaches can be avoided by purchasing a ring in person and carrying it abroad with you.
3. Plan your attack. You might be tempted to carry the ring and wait for the perfect moment to strike you; but this seems a dangerous tempting of fate in cities like Barcelona or Rome, where pickpockets are rampant and skilled. Instead, spend a day or two scouting the city for a spot that might work. Pay attention to the time of day, too. Do you want to do it at sunset? In the evening? On a perfect afternoon? You might wind up changing the details on a whim; but it’s good to have a game plan.
4. Consider the tried-and-true and the unexpected places. Your first thought may turn to the standards: like the Eiffel Tower or a gondola in Venice’s Grand Canal. These are clichés for a reason--because they’re beautiful, and breathtakingly romantic, and almost guaranteed to provide a postcard-perfect moment. But what about the unexpected? For example, if you’re in Barcelona, you could wait for a day-trip to Girona, a small Catalonian town about an hour away, to pop the question. You’ll have a moment that’s uniquely yours.
5. Be prepared if the ring’s too big. You can buy slide-on plastic guards to ensure that a too-big ring fits snugly until it can be sized. But don’t count on being able to have the ring sized abroad. Many jewelers won’t even consider working on a ring that isn’t their own, and some will claim that European and American gold standards are different and impossible to overcome. Best to save any sizing work for your return back home.