After only 7 years of dating, I popped the question. I know what you’re thinking – it’s a bit soon – but I’ve spent more than ¼ of my life with her, so I figured it was about time. Is 7 years the sweet spot? Well she said yes, so maybe. But I’m an engineer so I don’t believe in luck and I like approach things in a more analytical sense. I express things like “emotions” and “tears” in terms of pie charts and graphs. Here is my strategy (recipe) for proposing to that special someone. I like to call it “The Master Plan”.
Print
The key to this theory is to bring her down a few notches before proposing; This makes the proposal seem astronomically better! One way to do this is to get her angry/confused about something. Try to convince her that you truly want to live under the sea, or insist that you can’t live with someone who eats cheese frequently. However you do it, bring down her level of happiness for a few minutes (or hours/days, if you’re daring).
Why does this work? Look at the variable X1 on the chart above – it represents the difference in happiness before and after the proposal if you DON’T “bring her down a notch”. Not so great. Now look at X2, which is the difference in happiness if you first convince her of something abnormal. Much better, right? Get it? Now for the ingredients to get you through this….
Ingredients:
1 Meaningful Ring 1
1 Phone call to her father 2
1 Memorable place 3
Cojones (a.k.a Courage) 4
Notes:
1 Most important part
2 Scariest part
3 Optional
4 It only took 7 years for me to find it
Directions:
1. Find the perfect ring. The size of the rock is important to some women, but meaning is important to all women. I designed the ring above online at Gemvara.com. It’s patterned with peridot (my birthstone) and white sapphire (her birthstone). You can mess with her head and her feelings, but DON’T MESS WITH THE RING.
2. Call her father or ask him in person. Not everyone does this, but it’s a nice gesture. Luckily her parents live on the West Coast, so I only had to make a phone call. Still, that was the most nerve-wracking phone call I’ve ever had to make. The only advice I have is to consume a stiff drink beforehand.
3. Choose a location. If it’s too picturesque it might be borderline cheesy and she’s probably expecting that. You want to keep her on her toes. However, if the location is too boring it might lack the “luster” she’s always dreamed of. I did it behind a hospital, which was no-frills and all surprise.
4. Wait for the right time, drown out the sound of your racing heartbeat, make your eyes all beady like a puppy, soak up all the courage you can muster and bend the knee. You can practice and rehearse what you plan to say, but you have no control over what will actually come out of your mouth. If it doesn’t make sense, just push the ring closer to her face.
Additional Info:
Here we are, a happy couple indeed! (the photo is from my sister’s recent wedding)
Print
Email
Congrats, Nick!
Thank you!
Congrats, Nick! Love this recipe for engagement. I’m so happy and excited for you both. My husband and I had been together for 7 years when we finally tied the knot. Perhaps it truly is the sweet spot. :)
Thanks Jenn! It’s confirmed then. 7 years is the sweet spot!
Congratulations! My husband and I were together for five years before we got engaged and six by the time we got married. Hooray for love!!
Good, so I’m not the only one who took a long time to pull the trigger! All that matters is that it’s perfect.
Congrats Nick!
Thanks man!
Congrats!
Thanks Chuck! It feels good, mostly to be over and done with it (it really weighs on your conscience after a while)!
Congrats Nick, sounds like you’ve got a great recipe here :)
Haha, thanks. I’m not saying it will work with every girl….but it might….
Congratulations Nick! My hubby and I have been together for 37 years.
Wow, congrats on that! Only 30 years to go….and I plan to do it!
congrats!!!
Thanks Kristen!
Congratulations! You make a very lovely couple and you look so happy.The ring is beautiful, I’ll bet you swept her off her feet. Wishing you many years of love and happiness!
Thank you Donna! I guess I swept her off her feet…she never really said “yes”, she just kept saying “what!?” repeatedly. She does love the ring though. It’s getting re-sized right now and she’s freaking out without it!
Ha, love it! Congratulations!
Thank you Katrina!
Okay, that was seriously the cutest thing ever! Congratulations to the soon-to-be Peanut Butter Girl. Sounds like you had the opposite of the seven year itch. I like how you didn’t make a huge to-do about the proposal. My husband proposed to me on the side of the highway in Wyoming three years ago on a road trip. Not at all your typical, storybook or fairy tale type of proposal, but exactly what I would have asked for. I wish you and your lady all the best!
Side of a highway? I think he’s got me beat!
Thanks =)
PBB –
LOVED your post and Recipe for Engagement success!! CONGRATS to you both! What a beautiful couple you are!
Thanks Deb! It’s much appreciated!
You are the best! I truly can’t wait to be Peanut Butter Girl.
Ahh, massive congratulations! The ring is so pretty too :-)
Hungry Jenny x
Thanks Jenny =)
Sorry it so long to check this out. Very sweet and unique. I like the post about Peanut Butter Girl! All the best to the two of you.
Where is my beer? From the scary “father”
Shouldn’t you have put “scary” in quotation marks and not father?
Wow, I’m late, but..Congratulations!! What a beautiful couple you make! I guess you are now Peanut Butter couple? Many warm and happy wishes to you both and lots of peanut butter babies ;)
Haha, thank you! I guess so, although she’s not the fanatic that I am. But I’m pretty sure it’d be illegal for any woman besides mine to claim the name “Peanut Butter Girl”!
LOL – very true! That said, how is your delicious peanut butter coming along? I’m dying to see it on the shelves of all the markets!
It’s comin! Working on distribution and finalizing the website. Also considering waiting a little bit until peanut prices dip down a little!
Hey, dude, this is fantastic! May God bless your life together, and all your culinary endeavors…
Thanks Rachel, it’s greatly appreciated!
Congratulations Peanut Butter Boy. Very happy for you :) I love your website……Your proposal chart is fantastic :)