Sometimes, even with your earnest efforts to conceal details, there’s that one time you (or a person who knows) ruined your surprise marriage proposal — your significant other saw the ring in your gym bag, or her sister unintentionally spilling the beans during one of their sibling dates.
It just happens. But hey, chin up. Even though things seem irreparable now, there are still ways to turn this botched surprise around. Here are some of the best ideas:
Know when to fix and when not to.
Before you’re able to fix anything, you need to know what exactly you should fix. Learn the extent of what your partner knows about the surprise. More often than not, they just know one aspect of the proposal, and so there are plenty of other things that would be unexpected for them.
Usually, it’s the ring that’s always found out. They wouldn’t tell you straight that they know about it, but there’s a good chance their friends might. If this is the only proposal detail they know, you don’t need to fix that much. Seeing the ring before the big day isn’t that big of a deal. It’s common. In fact, a lot of couples shop for engagement rings together.
If anything, it can give you confirmation from her friends that she loves the ring. If you haven’t decided on a ring yet, consult jewelers and Utah-based experts to know your options. The bottom line here is to learn what exactly your partner knows so you can plan your next move.
Switch things up.
If your significant other found out some details beyond the ring, like how you plan to propose at some exotic island with a “simple vacation” as your cover-up story, what you can do is to switch up the timing. Instead of getting on your knees on the shore, do it at the airport or at the plane.
That will surely be a huge surprise for her. She thinks she got it all figured out, but no. In this case, treat your island vacation as a celebration of your engagement. The only rule here is when you change the timing — do it earlier, not later. Otherwise, you’ll only make them upset and disappointed.
If a little frustration is what you’re after, although that’s a harsh thing to do, just remember not to pop the question months later. By that time, your partner may have reached the point of exhaustion from hoping and getting frustrated that she might not respond with an enthusiastic “yes” in the end. It may sound ironic, but never let your marriage proposal be the cause of your break-up.
Organize a party after the proposal.
Family and friends can also turn things around for your ruined surprise, especially if you’ll be able to fly in loved ones your partner hasn’t seen in years. That would be a huge surprise, for sure. Just remind the people involved to zip their mouths until the big day.
While you’re already at a discussion with them, ask them to take some pictures and videos from afar, as they’re hiding. This will make for memories remembered in different angles, literally. Also, you can use these in your reception video later.
It’s not too late to fix things if she already knew the details of your proposal. You can still turn things around and surprise her all the same with these tips.
