You know the question. Now, let’s get the answer! After photographing dozens of (successful, I might add) proposals, we are here to share our proposal advice to get the YES! 

First, you need to know your partner. All of our advice below is dependent on your soon-to-be spouse. Here are some questions to consider when creating your marriage proposal checklist.

Permission

Does your partner want you to ask permission from their parent or other important person in their life? Do they think that’s antiquated? The answer to this is one of the most varied that we get. If it’s important to them, then asking permission is great proposal advice to get the yes! 

Ring

Do you have a ring? Do you know the how, who, what, when, and where of a ring? What does your partner like? Can you ask a trusted friend of theirs for feedback? It’s good to spend some time gathering ideas from your partner or someone else who may know the answer. Most people expect a ring when you propose. Getting the ring takes some time, and it deserves that. A ring is a symbol of your love and will be on the person’s finger forever, theoretically, so don’t rush this step. 

Tiffany’s put together a list of How to Choose an Engagement Ring that’s a great starting point. You should also consider whether there is a family heirloom ring or if you want to customize a ring. No one size fits all for a ring! There are so many options, knowing what expectations your partner has will help get the yes. 

Where are you proposing?

This is OUR favorite part!! Does your partner love mountain tops, sunsets, or beach picnics?!

What speaks to you? Maybe one location has a special chapter in your love story that you want to pay homage to. Maybe you are ready to create an entirely new adventure together and go somewhere you’ve never been. 

Want some inspiration? Check out our surprise proposal on a mountaintop at Mt. Aeneas. We also journeyed to one of the top mountain elopement locations, Avalanche Lake at Glacier National Park. Consider us your location matchmakers!

When to Propose

OOOOO, this one can vary greatly. Is there a milestone you want to wait for, IE, a partner finishing school or after a move? Perhaps there is a time of year, such as the holiday season, when you want to get swept up in the magic. Or you want to avoid the Holidays altogether! 

There’s also a wide range of timelines on when you propose and when you wed. For an elopement, it was once expected that a wedding would follow a proposal quickly. Now, that’s not as true. 

A Quick Proposal Timeline

Case in point. Our lovely Spain couple. They reached out to me just 4 months before their wedding day. Most of our couples plan 6-12 months in advance, but these two were ready to make their dream a reality! They told me they struggled to find a photographer. I helped them with their locations, a vendor list, and how to prepare for their wedding video, as well as a 7-day elopement planning bootcamp and a 100+ page elopement guide. They had a particular vision tied to location and time. They were only in Barcelona for less than 24 hours, and they wanted to make it count! 

Barcelona Elopement in Gothic Quarter – They eloped on vacation!

I say all this because a good number of our couples want to propose on vacation. If you are in a space for a short amount of time, like 24 hours, we can make it happen!! The sooner you let me know, the better, but I’ve been known to pull a rabbit out of a hat before. 

A Longer Proposal Timeline

We have been planning this surprise hiking proposal with Dalton for MONTHS. It all started when Dalton reached out to us to help him plan a once in a lifetime Glacier National Park proposal for his girlfriend.

I scout out the best place for me to hideout to get the perfect view. He gets down on one knee, and asks her to marry him. She says YES! She says yes with happy tears and hugs! She says yes at the top of a mountain. She says yes to the epic adventure. I think the laughter and happy tears speak for themselves. So scroll down to see her reaction!

After the proposal, Dalton spoiled Janele with another surprise: an engagement photo session to celebrate!

Surprise Hiking Proposal | Glacier National Park – honeybeeweddingsmt.com

Engagement to Elopement/Wedding Timeline

The second timeline that people often consider when proposing is the period between when the couple gets engaged and when they get married. 

Our couple August & Dan are eloping in Ireland in September 2025, and they booked their package in December 2023! 

When working on a wedding timeline, there are many factors such as flights, National Park permit tickets, time of year IE many sections of Glacier National Park are closed in the winter due to freaking snooooowwwww.  Moab National Park tickets to entry open six months ahead of time and can go FAST! 

All that to say, you don’t need to stress about the elopment timeline now. Let your partner be part of that conversation after you take our proposal advice to get the yes!

Lesbian Proposal in Missoula in the Fall – honeybeeweddingsmt.com

How to get your yes!

Planning and effort are at the top of the list to get your yessss. Forethought is romantic! And foreplay! But that’s for another blog.

Many Glacier Hotel Micro Wedding – Dreamy Rainy Wedding Day

If you think it out and put in the effort to plan something special, you are more likely to get a yes than dropping to one knee in the middle of the living room after finishing takeout Chinese food, although I know that has worked before.

Planning an adventure is the best way to get a yes. It shows who you are today and how you, as a couple, will be for the rest of your lives together. If you’re on this page, I already know that a lifetime of endless adventures is what you and your honey want!

What should be said when proposing?

Okay, I’m getting on my photographer soapbox here. I HIGHLY recommend adding video for your proposal package. You’ll think of all the things you want to say. This usually included the laundry list of why your person is fucking epic, how much fun you have doing life together, and of course, ending with “Will you marry me?” Sounds GREAT! The problem is, if you don’t have a videographer, there’s a good chance you won’t even remember what you said, nor will they! This once-in-a-lifetime moment tends to get blacked out on both sides. You are both excited and nervous, and your brain goes blank! So, get a videographer so that when you say all the lovely words, you have spent time preparing, you can actually remember them.

Now if you are wondering, how do I agree to a proposal? It’s simple. Say yes. Which usually comes with a lot of enthusiastic nodding. Some people are cryers, while others aren’t. Your partner will know you well enough to know which way you’ll go, so don’t overthink it! Be yourself, that’s who they want to marry, after all!

Who and Why

The best proposal advice to get the yes is to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, not to get all bachelor on you. If you have the person you love, can’t/don’t want to spend a day without them. Laugh together, cry together, adventure together, whatever is important to you! You’ll get the yes. This is your person, after all.

Once you narrow down some of these questions, we have a whole freaking guide about Hiking Surprise Proposal Guide – 6 Tips for a Hiking Surprise Proposal

If you’re ready to bend the knee on your own proposal, let’s get to it! We are here to help you plan the ultimate surprise for your nature-loving, adventure-seeking, totally rad partner! Tell me all of your marriage proposal ideas, and let’s blow it out of the water! Or the mountain, cliff, beach, etc. Can’t wait to hear your vision and alllll about your fiancé to be.