July is of course National Picnic Month, so there’s never been a better time to create your perfect picnic and get into the outdoors.
Not only can eating al fresco be a wonderful outing, they can also provide the ideal occasion to propose to your significant other.
The beautiful scenery, good food, secluded location, and good weather will all create the best circumstances for you and your future spouse to have that beautiful proposal moment that you’ll remember for years to come.
Proposing to your loved one can feel overwhelming as well as exciting, but coming up with a unique proposal that you and your partner will enjoy and remember can make it feel much more approachable. Here, drinks retailer Bottled & Boxed offer tips on how to arrange the perfect picnic proposal to help you get started.
Choose a location
The first step in your picnic proposal is to decide on where you’d like to go for this special outing with your partner. Suggest that you’d like to try somewhere new, or visit a favourite spot, and you’ll have an outing set up before you know it. Be conscious that you’ll want to be able to find a secluded spot, perhaps surrounded by trees or shrubs, or higher up on a hiking trail where there are fewer crowds during the season.
It can be extra special to go to a location that holds some significance in your relationship with your partner. This might mean that you choose the place where you first met, went on your first nature trip, or a place that you discovered for the first time together. Whatever you choose, take into account that you’ll want some space to sit down, either on the grass or at a picnic table.
Plan your menu
As well as thinking about where you’ll pop the question, you’ll also want to set the mood with some nice food and drink. Consider choosing some of your partner’s favourite picnic dishes or desserts to really make the meal special. You could even branch out and do a themed spread, with themes such as summer or spring, Mediterranean or seaside.
No matter your food choices, the drinks pairings are important too. Taking a bottle of Prosecco or champagne in a cooling bag as a surprise for when your future fiancé says ‘yes’ can really add something special to the memory of your proposal. But if you and your partner are not fans of sparkling wines, you can go with a deep red or a refreshing white wine to set off your picnic selection. Or, you might mix up some Pimm’s for a summer treat.
Add finishing touches
When you’ve got the day somewhat planned, consider what you might add to personalise your picnic proposal and make it more unique. You may want to bring a bouquet of your partner’s favourite flowers, or bring a kite to fly if there is a breeze. Some things to consider are extras and decorations that link to your experiences as a couple, such as notes packed into the picnic dishes containing memories you’ve made together.
As well as personalisation, you’ll want to consider any decorations or added touches to the meal. You might want to bring fruit or mint garnishes for your drinks, a new picnic blanket to lay everything out on, or even some fairy lights to hang temporarily in the surrounding trees if you are having a picnic as the sun goes down.
Remember to take photos
It can be tempting to get caught up in proposing and celebrating with your significant other, but don’t forget to take some photos to remember the occasion by. It’s worth planning this a bit in advance, so envisage which scenery and backgrounds might be good to take some selfie snaps, and a portrait shot of your partner with their engagement ring.
You might also take the time to ask someone to take a photo of you and your now fiancé, but if you’re planning to do this, ensure you are situated near enough to a path or hiking route. This way, you won’t be left running around looking for a possible photographer just after your proposal. You could even bring a scrapbook to the proposal spot, and leave blank pages to fill with photos from your honeymoon.
“Proposing can be nerve-wracking as well as exciting, but planning a memorable romantic picnic can be the perfect way to make it more memorable and more relaxing. Choose some good food and drink pairings, and if you want to personalise things even more, make up your own cocktail. It might be very simple, or you could get carried away if you are someone who enjoys making their own cocktails.
“Bringing a mini cocktail kit with a shaker and some ice can really make your picnic feel like a special occasion. Or, you might stick with a more traditional celebratory beverage: champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine. Whatever you choose, make sure that you go for food, drinks, and a location that above all work for you and your partner. This way, the day will be memorable for its uniqueness.”
- Steve King, Managing Director at Bottled & Boxed
