Let’s start by stating the obvious – you can’t trick a man into proposing to you unless he really loves you. And even if there was, do you really want your marriage to be based on some trickery and not real feelings? Yeah, we thought so too. Now that that’s out of the way and we’re on the same page let’s talk about some things you can do to, perhaps, move things along quicker. Sure, you could probably just propose to him on your own, but a lot of us grew up with the idea that it’s the man’s job, so we’d prefer to plant the seed in his head, so to speak, and let the idea of marriage grow.
1. Mention It In Passing
Men don’t generally think about marriage on a daily basis. Sure, your partner might be head over heels in love with you, but that doesn’t automatically mean he’s planning your wedding in his dreams and waiting for the perfect moment to propose. Chances are he’s just living in the moment and enjoying his time with you. The idea of marriage might not even occur to him for years to come. So don’t just come out with “so when are you going to propose” out of the blue. But make sure he knows that that’s the end goal for you. Perhaps talk about your future and how you see it with him, mention friends and family that are married and how great their marriage is.
2. Be A Great Partner
A lot of men worry that marriage might ruin a relationship, but that’s just not true. If you have a good relationship, to begin with, then marriage doesn’t really change anything, it just makes your commitment to each other more official. So make sure he knows that you two make a great team. Use “we” to point out how well you two work together. Show him how well you compliment each other. Don’t fight about stupid things that don’t matter, and support him when he needs it.
3. Have A Good Relationship With His Family
You really need to make sure you’re on good terms with his family. Sure, marriage is the first step to creating your own little family, but it also means you’ll become part of his existing family and he’ll become a part of yours. So unless you’re dating an orphan you need to get along with his parents and siblings. If they like you, and you spend enough time with them, they’ll start thinking of you as family, and that’s exactly what you want. It’s much more likely he’ll propose if you’re close with his family, and you won’t even have to nag him, his family will do it for you. Pretty convenient, right?
4. Let Him Know How Much You Love Him
Do you love your boyfriend to the moon and back? Is he the best partner you’ve ever had? Is he incredibly thoughtful and caring? Does he make the best cup of coffee and the meanest lasagna in the world? Do you love how he always makes sure you’re not cold on a night out? TELL him. Sometimes we think men just know what we’re thinking, but they really can’t read our mind. So let him know how much you love and appreciate him and how perfectly he fits into your life.
5. Keep The Romance Alive
Keeping the romance alive is pretty important for every relationship. This doesn’t mean you need to go out on a date every week or bring him breakfast in bed every morning. But there are little romantic things you can do that will make him feel special and keep the mood romantic. Cuddle with him when you’re watching a TV show at home, or hold his hand when watching a movie at the cinema. Even sending him texts or occasional funny and cute selfies can do a lot for keeping the romance alive.
6. Encourage Him To Hang Out With His Friends
No one likes to be controlled, so if you want him to feel comfortable with you, and consider spending the rest of his life with you – he’s gotta have his freedom and his “me time”. Don’t fight with him over how much time he spends with his friends, instead encourage him to meet with them more often, so that he has a lively social life, and also get a chance to miss you.
7. Watch Romantic Movies
Watching a couple of romantic comedies or dramas never hurt any guy. If he’s not the biggest fan of these, you can always barter with him, by agreeing to watch a horror or an action movie that he’ll enjoy. But romantic comedies and dramas will definitely put the idea of marriage in his head because relationships are usually the main theme in those movies.
8. Domestic Bliss On Occasion
You don’t always need to dress up and go out on a date with your partner. Sometimes it can be good to have a quiet night in, or cook a meal together and have it with a glass of wine. It’s a fun domestic activity that will show him that you two don’t need anything but each others company to have fun.
9.Hang Out With Married Friends
If you have married friends or really cool married relatives that are around the same age as you, some cousins perhaps, it might be a good idea to hang out with them. This way, your boyfriend will see that marriage can be a good idea and that it really doesn’t change that much. Good examples and positive associations are a great way to make him think about proposing to you.
10.Monthly Anniversaries
Usually, we have anniversaries once a year, but that way it’s easy for people to forget about it. It also puts the pressure on both of you to do something super big and special for the day. Why not have small casual anniversaries every month? You don’t have to get fancy gifts for each other or go out every time. Just having a chill time together and talking about your relationship and how well everything is going is enough. Or you know, an anniversary text or a little card to remind each other how much you love each other is also a good idea.
11.Don’t Be Like His Ex
Everyone has a bad ex in their life who made a really big impression and perhaps put them off the idea of marriage altogether. Try not to be that person. If your guy has mentioned some things about his previous relationships that really upset him make sure to not repeat those mistakes.
12.Compliments Aren’t Just For Girls
It’s common for girls to expect compliments, but few of us remember to return them to the men in our lives. But why? It’s not like men don’t like compliments. So make sure to remind your man about how awesome he is and how attractive he is on a regular basis. It’ll make him feel appreciated and will encourage him to keep you in his life for good.
