How to Propose to Your Girlfriend: A Step-by-Step Guide (From the Ring to the Yes)

Deciding to propose takes a second. Everything after it — the ring, the date, the place, getting her there without giving it away — can feel like a project with no instructions. So here are the instructions: every step, in the order you'll actually need it.

Step 1 — Find Her Ring Size Without Her Knowing

• ✦Borrow a ring she wears on her ring finger and let a jeweler size it, or trace the inside circle on paper. A ring from her right hand works too — just tell the jeweler which hand it came from
• ✦Or slide one of her rings onto your own finger and mark with a pen where it stops
• ✦Ask her best friend, sister or mom — someone who can find out casually
• ✦Still guessing? Ask the jeweler whether they resize after the proposal. If they do, a close guess is fine — and a little loose beats a little tight, because a loose ring still goes on in the moment

Step 2 — Ask Her Parents' Blessing (If It Feels Right)

It's optional. Some families would be hurt to be skipped; some women find it old-fashioned. You know which one yours is. If you ask, do it a few weeks before, in person or on a video call, and keep it short: you love her, one thing you love about her, and you'd like their blessing to ask her. Then ask them to keep the secret — and maybe to come and watch.

Step 3 — Choose the Date and the Hour

Pick a day with nothing planned right after it — a dinner reservation an hour later only rushes the best evening of your year. Two to four weeks ahead is comfortable; Fridays and Saturdays in October, November, March and April need four weeks or more.

For the hour, aim for the last soft light before sunset. Our proposal setups last an hour and end about 15 minutes before the sun goes down, so the latest start moves with the seasons:

• ✦November through January: around 4:00 PM, or 4:30 by late January — the sun sets between 5:30 and about 6:00
• ✦February: 4:30 to 5:00 PM. March: around 5:00, then 6:00 to 6:30 once the clocks change on March 14, 2027
• ✦April and May: 6:30 to 7:00 PM
• ✦June through August: about 7:00 PM (6:30 by late August). In the summer heat, a 9 or 10 AM morning is a lovely choice too
• ✦September: 6:00 to 6:30 PM. October: 5:30 to 6:00 PM

Step 4 — Choose the Place

A place that already means something to the two of you is always a good start. If you don't have one, here's where we set up in Austin:

• ✦Mueller Lake Park — our favorite: a lake in the middle of the city and soft evening light on the water
• ✦Auditorium Shores — the downtown skyline across Lady Bird Lake; calmer on a weekday
• ✦Lakewood Park in Leander — a big park around a lake, just north of the city
• ✦Your own backyard (beyond 15 miles from North Austin, travel is $1 a mile)
• ✦Sekrit Theater — a hidden garden in East Austin, about $300–$550 for two hours, paid to the venue
• ✦Sky Lounge — a rooftop with the downtown skyline in front of you, $700 paid to the venue, for dates within the next month

Step 5 — Get Her Dressed Up Without Giving It Away

She'll look at these photos for the rest of her life, so give her a reason to dress up. Tell her you booked a photo session for the two of you, just to finally have beautiful pictures together — or a table at an expensive restaurant she's been wanting to try. Either one explains the dress, the hair and the exact time, and romance never looks suspicious. Our separate guide to cover stories has more ideas.

Step 6 — Decide Who's There

Just the two of you is perfect. So is her family watching from a little way off and joining you after the yes. In our proposal packages, anyone who comes to watch is free — we don't set anything up for them, so there's nothing to charge. Tell us where they'll be standing and when. And never tell the group chat.

Step 7 — Plan the Photos and the Little Film

In She Said Yes and The Forever Yes we shoot the moment: a 15-minute photo session and a little film of it — 30 to 60 seconds, on a tripod with a microphone, edited, so her words are in it. The Forever Yes also brings a second, professional photographer for 30 minutes (with She Said Yes, that's a $600 add-on). With Will You, photos are $125 for 15 minutes and the film is $80. We shoot it ourselves, with light editing, and send every good frame within 10 days.

Step 8 — The Moment

Walk her in and let her take it all in. Say her name, go down on one knee and ask it plainly: "Will you marry me?" Then let her answer. Our guide to what to say has four short speeches to borrow and the kneel, step by step. Just remember: if the ring takes two tries to go on, that's normal — and usually the sweetest photo of the day.

Step 9 — What Happens Right After

Hold her first; the calls to her mom and best friend can wait a minute. Then sit down together: add the picnic to any proposal package for $200, and a little decorated table with cushions is waiting for you. Bring your own champagne and we'll set out the flutes — free, just tick them in the form. Want to linger? Extra time is $45 for 30 minutes or $80 for an hour; the form simply moves your latest start a little earlier.

• ✦Will You — $1100: the moment itself. The 8 ft heart arch of white roses, candles all around, two round towers of candles and a small white aisle. Add the neon sign ($80), photos ($125), the film ($80) or long-stem roses (25 for $220, 50 for $320)
• ✦She Said Yes — $1800: Will You plus the "Will You Marry Me?" neon sign in the middle of the arch, a 15-minute photo session, the little film, 50 long-stem roses on a small table and two bags of fresh petals. Separately that's $1980
• ✦The Forever Yes — $2700: She Said Yes plus a second photographer, two more tall candle stands and cold sparks rising behind you the second she says yes. Separately that's $2950
• ✦Add the picnic to any of the three for $200
• ✦The deposit is $500 and holds your date; the rest is due at least a day before, by card or by Zelle with no fee. The second pair of hands is already in the price

You bring the ring and the question. We'll have everything else standing and glowing before she walks up.