I will admit it, I am a Marriage Proposal Planner and I am proud of it. I help people come up with customized proposal ideas and then I execute the idea for them to make sure it goes perfectly. I watch from a distance as women cry tears of joys and men stand proud knowing that they brought on that joy by creating a sentimental proposal. After the proposal I normally talk to the woman and even get invited to the weddings. And yet some people hate what I do.
You may wonder, why would someone hate on you for doing a job that brings people together? I am not hurting anyone; I'm only trying to provide a service that people are clearly looking for. Last month, an article came out about Marriage Proposal Planning in The New York Times which of course caused all kinds of spin-off talk. While I have plenty of clients every day that love my services, I just couldn't get over all of the hate people seem to have for what I do. While I realize it isn't for everyone, I believe some people just don't understand it. Here are some of the misconceptions I have read in comment sections on all the blogs around the world -- and my attempt to clear them up. These are actual comments from users.
· "If a man can't come up with a proposal idea on his own, he is a loser."
This one I just don't understand and I think stems from an ignorance of the process of Proposal Planning. The client doesn't just give us cash and say "Come up with a great proposal idea". We interview the client and ask him a ton of questions about his girlfriend, how they met, and other special details about their relationship. The client spends a lot of time during this interview process answering questions most men probably couldn't even remember. Next, we use the interview responses to put together a proposal and tell a story about the couple in a creative way. Last, we set up the proposal. If the concept involves stumbling upon a romantic setup, we sneak down to the beach and set it up while he is at dinner. The client is very involved in the entire process.
Similarly, it boggles me that people have problems with guys asking for advice. When a guy does try to come up with an idea on his own he will most certainly ask someone for advice regarding the proposal. He may ask his friends or his girlfriend's friends and unfortunately, he may turn to the Internet to get some cheesy suggestions. Why would someone have a problem with him asking a professional?
· "I don't want an expensive over-the-top proposal. Just something intimate and special."
Some females hear about our services and I think they have the misconception that we only plan Flash Mobs or elaborate proposals. That isn't true at all. We plan proposals in homes, beautiful private rooftops, private hotels, beach proposals, etc. We plan all types of proposals.
Men that want to propose in a city they don't live in give us a ton of business. They might be flying in from London and they want a private, intimate proposal set up in New York City so they hire us to set it up.
· "I would rather be proposed to on a toilet then have my boyfriend use a Proposal Planner."
Really? Well to each their own. However, I doubt that most women would rather be proposed to on a toilet than to find out their men went out of their way to enlist professionals to give them a lovely proposal.
· "What's next? Divorce Planners?"
Those already exist. They are called lawyers.
· "This is a service for rich people."
That is not true. Most of our clients are middle-class professionals that just want to invest a little money in making their girlfriends proposal special.
While hiring a Marriage Proposal Planner isn't for everyone, and I am certainly not suggesting everyone in the world needs to hire one, it is an honest career that does help a lot of men and women feel very good about a special day.
Michele is a Romance Expert, who specializes in Romantic Date and Proposal Planning. She owns The Heart Bandits and has been featured in the New York Times, Fox News, Houston Chronicle, Orange County Register, and KTLA news. Contact The Heart Bandits to have them plan your romantic date or marriage proposal. For more information about The Heart Bandits, visit http://www.theheartbandits.com
