A new study of recently married couples has revealed that half of all proposals happen at home in front of the TV.
The study, by Beaverbrooks the Jewellers, found only a third of men stick with tradition and go down on one knee to pop the question.
Asking the bride’s father for her hand in marriage is also considered outdated with 63% of married males claiming they “didn’t bother”.
Even the idea of picking a romantic location to propose has fallen by the wayside, with the typical ‘Will you marry me?’ now most likely to take place at home, for 49% of couples.
Only 6% bothered to take their partner abroad on holiday, however the same number of men proposed in the local pub and 5.5% popped the question in the car.
The study also found the average amount of time in a relationship before a proposal is now three years. But British women are taking matters into their own hands in a bid to get a traditional and more romantic proposal.
Almost a third of women (29 %) now end up choosing their own ring, rather than letting their partner decide.
The typical bride to be will also enlist the help of at least one friend to help speed up a proposal – as well as dropping two major engagement hints to encourage their partner to pop the question.
Casually asking, “Who would you want as your best man?”, commenting on celebrities’ engagement rings – and jokingly suggesting you apply for the TV show “Don’t Tell the Bride” are the most common tactics.
Lorna Haddon, diamond ring and jewellery buyer at Beaverbrooks, commented: “The stresses and strains of modern life mean we don’t always have the time to be as romantic as we would perhaps like to be.
“Busy lives and hectic schedules mean we have fewer hours in the day for romance – however our study shows women do still want the ‘picture perfect proposal’ – and it’s not only picking the perfect engagement ring that counts.
“The location, atmosphere and little details that mean a lot to them really make a proposal personal and truly special, and as it’s a once in a lifetime occasion it’s well worth making the effort.
“To prove that romance isn’t dead and help inspire some of the nation’s least romantic Brits, we’ve pulled together some of the country’s most inspirational proposal pics from Instagram.”
The national jewellers is also hoping to inspire romantic proposals by offering couples the chance to win a pair of wedding rings worth £2,000. Loved-up pairs simply need to post their #engagementselfie to @beaverbrooksthejewellers on Instagram or @beaverbrooks on Facebook and Twitter before September 23.
For more information on the competition and to see a gallery of Instagram engagement selfies visit www.beaverbrooks.co.uk/picture-perfect-proposal
TOP PROPOSAL DESTINATIONS
1. At home – 49%
2. On a day out – 7%
3. On holiday abroad – 6%
4. The local pub – 6%
5. On holiday in the UK – 5%
6. In the car – 5.5%
7. At a restaurant – 4.5%
8. In the garden – 2%
9. On the beach – 2%
10. In a hotel – 1%
Image courtesy of X Factor USA via YouTube, with thanks.
