You might think that the best way to propose would be unique to the couple itself. How and when it happens would be a reflection of their preferences, their history, and their relationship. But amazingly, a whole lot of them follow a pattern. In fact, almost 40 percent of engagements are expected to happen between November and February — also known as the proposal season, which sounds way too much like a hunting season for me. And, perhaps even more surprising, according to new survey, 43 percent of Millennials say Valentine's Day is their top day to propose or be proposed to. That's right, according to a new survey of 1,000 married adults by James Allen, an online diamond and bridal jewelry retailer, people really love getting engaged on Valentine's Day.
That seems a little on the nose to me, but I guess most people aren't going for subtly with their proposal. In fact, most people said they would prefer to get proposed to on a random day, but it's still weighted really heavy onto Valentine's Day and the "proposal season" as a whole, which means other major holidays, like Christmas and New Year's, must be getting some love.
“These survey results and our experience working with hundreds of thousands of happy couples over the past decade have shown us that the most important part of a proposal and getting engaged, both in regards to the engagement ring and the proposal, is making it your own,” said James Allen Co-Founder and CEO, Oded Edelman in a press release. “Younger people in particular prefer unique romantic experiences over what’s traditional or expected. We also see this hold true in their preference to design their own engagement ring versus choosing from a small selection in-store.”
But that wasn't all they found out, here's what the survey discovered about proposals:
1Men Were More Likely To Drop Hints
Maybe it's because they are more likely to propose and are nervous, but it's not actually women dropping hints about wanting to get married. Men were more likely to hint toward proposals and drop it into conversations, so if you're in a relationship with a man and unsure what he's feeling, you just need to open your ears.
2Couples Were More Stressed About The Ring Than The Proposal
I'd like to think that people aren't so shallow. Or maybe it's not shallow, because the ring is what symbolizes the ring and relationship, if you believe in that sort of thing.
3A Third Of Men Wished They'd Gotten A Nicer Ring
This was interesting. In addition to being more stressed about the ring than the proposal, men wish they had gone bigger. 33 percent of men wish they had bought a nicer ring. Whether they mean more expensive or just different, I'm not sure — but maybe they should have taken more advice from their partners.
4We Should Be Shopping Together
In fact, 45 percent of respondents wished they had shopped with their partner. I get that it must be nerve wracking— it's a massive purchase and people have very different tastes. But shopping together doesn't seem like a viable option. So maybe getting some hints or getting some advice from your partner's friends and families would be the way to go.
5Women Wanted More Effort In Their Proposal
Everyone's worried about the ring, but it seems like they're stressing over the wrong thing. Because while 93 percent of women said that they liked their ring, one in four respondents said that they were disappointed in the proposal. The biggest complaint? That their partner didn't put in enough effort. Actions speak louder than words, people. Or at least louder than diamonds.
How you propose should really come down to you and your partner. If you both think the holiday season would make it more special, go for it. But the bottom line here is that we can all calm down about the ring — it really is the thought that counts.
