A little chivalry can go a long way for the ultimate proposal
Before the white dress, guest list and exchanging of “I do’s,” the big moment every couple dreams of is the proposal of their lifetime. Big or small, asking those four words can be enough stress for anyone. So in a market where there is a planner and vendor for every detail of the big day, many event planning companies are capitalizing on the new trend of proposal planning.
Kirstie Horton, owner of Le Fleur Events in Shreveport, has added this venture to her wedding and event planning business. She said the idea came to her after several people reached out asking if she offered a proposal planning service.
“I had been getting some requests from guys who had seen our Facebook page,” Horton said. “They wanted ideas just for [planning] dates at first, but then they were asking about ideas for planning a proposal. So I said, ‘We plan everything, so of course we can plan a proposal!’” After investigating this new trend in the wedding market, Horton was amazed by some of the information she found. “In my research on [proposal planning], I found a statistic that said, ‘80 percent of women said they were disappointed in how they were proposed to due to the lack of thoughtfulness,’” she said. “What’s a beautiful wedding without a beautiful proposal?” When researching this new idea, she realized it was gaining popularity throughout the field and wanted to bring the trend here to Shreveport.
“It’s been very popular in places like California and Texas but hasn’t quite reached here yet,” Horton said. “So, we wanted make this our niche market and start to focus on that.”
Horton has already begun planning her first proposal with a client who wanted to do something really special for his bride-to-be but had no ideas of his own. Starting from Square 1, Horton was excited to plan something unique and exciting.
“The [client] had no idea what he wanted to do,” she said. “He said they’ve dated on-and-off for over 10 years. He’s been married before and wanted to do something special [for this proposal]. It was perfect timing because we had just started to [market this service].”
Horton said she had always wanted to plan a rooftop proposal, and through some connections with the Remington Hotel downtown, she had the perfect spot. In collaborating with the client, Horton inquired as many details about the client’s partner’s personality as possible.
“We have a personality quiz that we offer, and he answered all of the questions [about his fiance-to-be],” she said. “He said that she’s very simple, but that nobody’s ever done anything really big for her, so he wants to do something grand.”
Horton said the trick is to make sure the event is the proposal of her dreams and not just his. In this case, she’s making sure even in the grand scheme of things, the woman’s preferences and personality traits are still reflected in the fine-tuning details.
Le Fleur Events is offering two packages in their proposal planning services; one is just to provide some assistance in coming up with ideas and consulting with a client in popping the question, and the other is a full-service planning package. Planning a proposal from start-to-finish can include vendors for photography and video to venue and location rentals.
Horton said some of her favorite proposals she heard of while researching were the rooftop engagements and one in particular that took place in a national park on a suspended bridge. In any event, whether the moment is big or small, she offered some simple do’s and don’ts to popping the question.
When proposing to the special someone, do make it a point to surprise them and make sure it’s customized to reflect her personality by considering her likes and dislikes. Always take a creative approach and consider beforehand if the person-of-the-hour would be up for a public proposal or something more intimate for just the two of you. Horton suggested that the venue be a place that’s special to both parties and that the ultimate tip is to hire a planner in covering all your bases.
Asking the question of marriage can be nerve-racking, but Horton said to make sure whatever you say is from the heart. Don’t Google to get help in writing the words. One of her biggest don’ts is to plan a proposal of only your dreams; it should be all about the other person. She warns also of waiting too long and to never be afraid of asking for help from a professional planner. The moment doesn’t have to be big or expensive, Horton said, all you need is thoughtfulness and a touch of chivalry.
–Katie Ho
