Welcome, friends, to wedding proposal season! Year over year, the most popular time for engagements is November to February, due to all of the holidays and family events. Instead of wondering when your man might be planning a surprise proposal, we thought we’d distract you with some fun facts about engagement season.
- Leap Year Tradition: In some cultures, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, it is a tradition for women to propose to men during leap years, especially on February 29th. This tradition is believed to date back to the 5th century. The year 2024 is a leap year, and that’s all we will say about that.
- Most Popular Day to Propose: Christmas Eve is the most popular day for marriage proposals, followed by Valentine’s Day. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also popular choices, but don’t rule out Thanksgiving or a random day in between holidays.
- Diamond Engagement Rings: The tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring dates back to 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. The trend was popularized by De Beers’ marketing campaign in the mid-20th century. Talk about marketing with staying power.
- Proposal Hotspots: Some of the most popular places to propose include scenic locations like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Central Park in New York City, and the Grand Canyon in the USA. In Texas, the Hill Country and beaches along the coast are popular proposal spots.
- Social Media Proposals: With the rise of social media, elaborate and creative proposals are often shared online. YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook have seen a surge in proposal videos and photos, making it a global trend. Would you love this? Tell us over @diamondaranchevents on social!
- Longest Engagement: The longest recorded engagement lasted for 67 years! Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martínez got engaged in 1902 but didn’t marry until 1969.
- Unique Proposals: People have come up with incredibly creative and unique ways to propose, from flash mobs and skywriting to underwater proposals while scuba diving.
- Royal Proposals: Some royal proposals have been quite extravagant. Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton while they were on vacation in Kenya, using his late mother Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
- Multiple Proposals: Some couples choose to propose to each other simultaneously or at different times. This double proposal trend highlights equality and the shared decision-making process in modern relationships.
- Proposal Planners: There are professional proposal planners who help individuals plan elaborate and memorable marriage proposals. They assist in organizing everything from location and decorations to the overall concept of the proposal. If your man needs some help in the planning department, you might gently suggest some help (wink, wink).
- The First Proposal: One of the earliest recorded marriage proposals in the Western world can be found in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis, a servant named Eliezer is sent by Abraham to find a suitable wife for his son Isaac. Eliezer proposes to Rebekah, and she agrees to marry Isaac without having met him beforehand. This story is often cited as an early example of a marriage arrangement, but it doesn’t completely fit the modern concept of a romantic proposal.
Surviving Engagement Season
Once you get engaged, it’s a good idea to discuss what year you want to seal the deal. For most (unless you’re like Octavio and Adriana) that are planning to get married in the next 1-2 years, our BEST ADVICE is:
Book your wedding venue EARLY!
Booking early gives you the best options possible for the season, month, and day of the week that you most want for your celebration.
At Diamond A Ranch, when you book your wedding experience package, you will have access to the ranch before your wedding to take photos for your engagement and save the date albums!
Our 2,000 acre ranch has many photo opportunities, so booking ahead is a perk for your memories.
We are now booking for 2024, come tour today!
