Looking for marriage proposal ideas? It seems today there’s a million and one ways to say, “Will you marry me?” But simply blurting out “Will you marry me?” while watching TV isn’t enough. A marriage proposal should take place at the right, precise moment — whether it’s while having a romantic dinner or while canoodling at your favorite hangout spot. There are countless marriage proposal ideas to choose from. Below are 12 picks of the best marriage proposal ideas:

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Big and showy

Proposing on top of a mountain

When we think of mountains we think of “large,” “majestic,” “triumphant” — the kind of adjectives you hear being referenced to strong, solid relationships. Grab your girl and take her on a hike up a mountain (but only if she’s outdoorsy). The long hike itself represents the journey the two of you have traveled together in your relationship. The crowning glory — reaching the top — can then be celebrated with a beautiful view and then a beautiful proposal.

Spell it out

If you like big, bold proposals, a good idea is to write out the proposal in something large and have her view it from somewhere else (either up high or from afar via binoculars). A more concrete example is spell out “Will you marry me?” using candles on a beach and have her view it from the top of a beach house or restaurant. Another example is to have some friends help you make a large banner and display it somewhere up high. Then, while having a romantic dinner, tell her to look out the window to see the banner. There are tons of ways to pull off this proposal idea

Whisk her away

Find an excuse to get her to take a few days off from work and plan a surprise romantic vacation for her at an exotic locale, preferably a place she has never been before or a place she has always wanted to visit. Wine, dine and pamper her throughout the entire trip, and then conclude the trip with a romantic, intimate proposal.

Sweet and clever

Psyche her out

Most couples know when a proposal is about to happen. So when you start booking tables at nice restaurants or scheduling romantic getaways at resorts, most likely she’s going to know what’s up. A good way to still have a traditional proposal while still keeping it a surprise is to “psyche” her out. Give a long winded speech that sounds like it’s leading up to a proposal but then make some kind of insignificant proposition instead. When you see that her hopes are down, move in with the real proposal. Make her think you’re about to propose but don’t. This might backfire, so this is only recommended for couples who have a good sense of humor.

At the place where you first met

Philosophers say life travels in circles — we often end up in places where we began. So there’s no better place to pop the question than at the place where you two first fell in love. Not only is it romantic, but that hint of nostalgia really makes the marriage proposal romantic and personal.

Through a clever game

Now it’s time to get creative. If you’re having game night, play a type of game that will get her to either spell out “will you marry me” or have her guess the question in some way. Charades is a good example, or you can completely make up your own game to cater the proposal. There are countless ways to do this — adapt it in a way that makes the game not seem too obvious and the proposal not seem too cheesy.

At her favorite spot

People like to be surrounded by familiar locations they enjoy. If your bride-to-be has a favorite hobby or a favorite spot she likes to spend her free time, then that’s an ideal location to pop the big question. Tell her you’re going to take her out on a date. Once you get to the location, have her friends and family waiting there for her for a surprise engagement party.

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Intimate and Romantic

Spontaneously
This one doesn’t necessarily have to be perfectly planned, but during a really romantic moment that you know is absolutely perfect and can’t be recreated, pop the question right then and there. Just make sure it comes from the heart. Oh, and you should definitely have an engagement ring.

Create a proposal video

Grab your tech savvy friend and have them create a nice, professionally edited engagement video for you. The video can contain pictures and old videos of the two of you together. Pick an inconspicuous evening to sit down and watch TV together. When she turns on the TV, the engagement video will play. Once it ends, turn to her and propose.

Treasure hunt

Send roses to her work with a note attached giving her a clue. Have the note clue her to check her car, and have the car note clue her to go home. As each note leads her along, have the last note clue her to go to the bedroom. Have the bedroom decorated with roses and a bottle of wine, and then, on one knee, show her the engagement ring and propose.