My husband often asks me why I watch "The Bachelor." He thinks it's just a bunch of women in cat fights backstabbing each other and desperately trying to get attention. And while he is right about all of that, there is a deeper reason that I watch it. Because I, like many others, love the thought that there might be a true fairy-tale ending at the end of it all. And when there isn't one, we are disappointed.
This year, we are all waiting to find out if Ben is going to pick controversial Courtney or Lindzi. But as a proposal planner, I also wonder, how is he going to propose? Here is my advice to Ben, "The Bachelor," on popping the question without boring his future bride:
Know the Answer
While he can never be 100 percent sure if the person he proposes to will say yes, he should make sure he has evaluated the relationship and made an attempt to figure out if he and the woman he chooses are the same page. We all watched in horror last season as Ben proposed to Ashley and she said no. One sign he can look for is if the woman talks about a future together with him after the show.
Pick a Meaningful Location to Propose
I understand that the proposal site on "The Bachelor" is likely prearranged and chosen by the producers, so maybe they will listen when I say pick a meaningful location for Ben to propose. No matter which woman he chooses, he should propose to them in the city that he fell in love with the woman. So if Ben feels like he knew Lindzi was "The One" in San Francisco, he should propose to her there. If he felt like he fell in love with Courtney in Puerto Rico, he should propose to her there. But just picking some random beautiful country or city to propose in is not sentimental. If it is reality television, why not make it a little closer to reality?
Propose in a Special Manner
Just as you should do in real life, Ben should propose to the woman he chooses in a way that is relevant to their relationship. Some ideas for proposing to Courtney would be to set up a mock ceremony in his vineyard the way she did for him when she first said I love you. He could propose first with the fake rings they had exchanged back at her house, and then he could propose with a real ring. Another idea would be for him to recreate their first date; a picnic in the redwoods. For Lindzi, I think a San Francisco proposal would be great because they shared their first date there. A super romantic proposal for her would be to go back to the empty music store where he first played the piano for her. But for the proposal he should transform the entire room with hundreds of candles, Lindzi's favorite flowers, and just one piano in the middle of the room. Ben should sing a song he prepared for her and then get on one knee and propose. These options are far more romantic than proposing on a cliff overlooking a random sea. Granted, the producers would have to rework the show a bit, but think how much more of an emotional connection that would have to the woman getting proposed to, and the viewers!
Hire a Proposal Planner
Yes I am a proposal planner, so of course I am biased in suggesting that Ben or the show "The Bachelor" hire a proposal planner. But it isn't just for me; it is for all the people in the world that are sick of seeing the proposal on a cliff season after season. And most important, it is for the woman being proposed to. Yes, it is a television show, but that woman is still really being proposed to and she deserves a sentimental, thoughtful proposal.
Michele is a Romance Expert, who specializes in Proposal Planning and Romantic Date Coordination. She owns The Heart Bandits and has been featured in the NY Times, Globe & Mail, Daily Mail, Fox News, Houston Chronicle, and Orange County Register. Contact The Heart Bandits to have them plan your romantic date or marriage proposal. For more information about The Heart Bandits, visit www.theheartbandits.com