More Ways to Pop The Question

Just this week we were contacted by someone who works for Bucuti Beach Resort in Aruba after they read our blog post on wedding proposal ideas. She had some additional original and romantic proposals she had learned about and wanted to share.

One very creative man had the ever-willing Bucuti staff carefully package the ring in a waterproof box and hide it beneath the water at a nearby reef snorkeling site. The team then coordinated with the snorkeling charter regarding the ring’s location and made sure the couple was dropped in the correct spot. He “found” the box and brought it up to her; they both got on the boat curious to see what was inside. He then opened the box, got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and popped the question.


Another very inventive gentleman had the Bucuti team help him create an adventurous scavenger hunt to lead his fiancé-to-be to the ring. Earlier in the day he had gone off and coordinated with the staff to hide the ring in a spot which they subtlety guarded until she found it. While enjoying a meal at the Pirates’ Nest Restaurant, he invited her to partake in a thrilling hunt for buried treasure, complete with a pirate’s map and small beach shovel. The clues led her directly to a big X in the sand marking the spot of the buried treasure – a gorgeous diamond ring.

One gentleman asked the Bucuti staff to set up a picnic on an isolated area of Eagle Beach near the resort. They laid out a blanket, candles, red roses, chilled champagne with glasses and chocolate covered strawberries. At sunset he took her for a walk and they stumbled upon this romantic beach setting, where he got down on his knee with a surprise proposal.

So sweet! Thanks Caitlin for sharing these stories with us. If you have a great proposal idea or story, we'd love to hear it. Email us at info@destinationidomag.com with "Proposal" in the subject line.

For Boys Only - A Guide to Popping The Question

Okay gentlemen - we know that popping the question is one of the most nerve-wracking situations you'll be faced with. To drop to one knee and proclaim your love and intent to commit is about as heavy as it gets.

You want to impress her and show her that you've thought through a special proposal, but you may be stumped for ideas. We've got a few:

1. Take her on a weekend getaway

Lots of resorts offer proposal packages. One destination offering a special deal called Bethrothal Butler is LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. The package comes complete with a personal sit down with Cartier to find th perfect ring, private beach side dinner, an after hours couples massage and penthouse suite post-proposal party. All of this and two nights for $998. Check em out: http://www.laplayaresort.com/

2. Have a picnic

Take her to a special quiet place - in wine country, in a park by a lake, in a butterfly garden or on the beach - check out the local digs or ask around for a cool place. Bring some champagne, a blanket and a basket filled with gourmet cheeses, bread, fruit and of course - chocolate. If you have a portable music player - put together a playlist of your favorite music and don't forget to include your song. When it begins to play, take the ring out and pop the question!

3. Go camping

If your lady is the adventurous/outdoorsy type, this is just the ticket. Spice it up by bringing some candles (be careful of fire restrictions in your area though), music, a big blanket and some pillows to sit on. Offer to roast her a marshmallow and when she goes to take it, put the ring on the end of the skewer and drop to one knee. I promise, she'll love it.

4. Do it while you're shopping

Ahead of time, go into the store where you plan to buy the ring and ask if they would be willing to help you. Most jewelers are going to want your business, therefore are willing to do just about anything you ask. After you've purchased the ring, have the jeweler put the ring into the display case with a little sign saying "Julie (or whatever her name is), Will You Marry Me?" Next, take her shopping. Nonchalantly ask her to come into the store with you. Pointing at the sign in the display case, ask her to take a look. By the time she's done reading, you can be on your knee asking for her hand in marriage.

5. Hire a professional photographer

Proposing is a HUGE deal, so it's a good idea to get it on camera. Hire a photographer for the proposal and take her out for a special evening. She'll be dressed up and looking pretty if she knows you'll be taking her out on the town, therefore, ready for a closeup. When you're at dinner, have the photographer sit at another table or in the background so that they aren't noticeable. Once you've popped the question, you can go out and take some shots together. Your bride-to-be will be thrilled that you thought through these specifics since it will allow her to use your engagement photos for things like your guest book and save-the-date invites.

6. Do something she loves and you may hate

So maybe she's a huge fan of River Dance and you loathe people in tights jumping around to the sound of bag pipes (I don't blame you), but it's not about you. The proposal is ALL about her. Take the time and learn about something she loves. Perhaps it's the opera or the ballet - just suck it up for an evening and take your lady out. She'll love that you put in the effort and put her desires first. Toward the end of the evening, she'll be gushing and you can move in with the ring. This also will increase your chances that she'll say yes!

Once you've popped the question, she's going to need your help. If you plan to do a destination wedding, you'll find you can actually have a pretty active role. Maybe offer to handle getting some of the group activities underway or handle scouting out a good DJ or band. A good marriage takes team effort, so your wedding planning will too.

Good luck and when she does say yes and you're finished saying your "Destination I Do's" send us your wedding photos and we'll put them on the blog! You can email your submissions to info@destinationidomag.com

Gadget Gifts for the Groomsen

If you've got some gadget lovers in your group and you're doing a destination wedding - some of these gifts might be great for your special guys on the go!

For the James Bond type, try the Swann PenCam DVR for $119. This working pen conceals a color camera, 2GB DVR & microphone. With 2GB memory it records over 3 hours of video,
USB connector for easy transfer of video, audio surveillance up to 3 feet and a lithium-ion battery that operates for 90 minutes, he'll be quite the undercover groomsmen!http://www.swannsecurity.com/

For the guy who's always playing DJ, give him the Hercules Mobile DJ MP3. Available in black or white, this wireless digital mixing mini-controller for PC will allow your groomsmen to host parties like a DJ. It comes complete with 2 decks for mixing, scratching and synchronizing, automix feature,2 jog wheels emulating two vinyl/cd decks and for only $99, it's a steal. http://www.hercules.com/us/DJ-Music/bdd/p/69/mobile-dj-mp3-black-/

For the athlete in your bridal party, check out the iLuv i303 In-ear Sports Ear Clips. He can jog to his hearts content without ever missing a beat. They're washable and will be available for only $29.99 at http://www.i-luv.com/ next month.

Another sound-worth gift is the iLuv iSP100 Mini Portable Stereo Speaker. Perfect for the man who enjoys sharing his music while camping, entertaining by the beach or just kickin' it pool-side with his pals. Powerful built-in surround sound speakers with jAura Acoustic Speaker Technology, a carrying pouch included and for only $34.99 - this gift will be a crowd pleaser. http://www.i-luv.com/