For a girl who wants to know whether her man is going to propose this Summer, there are only 2 options. The first is to interrogate him and watch a boyfriend shaped hole appear in your front door as he runs away faster than you can say “Princess Cut Diamond”. The second is to look for the top 10 subtle and not-so-subtle signs he is going to pop the question.
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He makes space for you in his life
Men who are thinking of proposing have most likely already fallen into the habit of spending a lot of their free time with you. They are creatures of proximity. They flock to what interests them. You will also find that they include you on other decisions be it career choices, what car to buy or your thoughts on a new place they want to move into. This indicates they value your opinion. All relationships need the 3 fundamental foundations one of which is respect of opinions and values.
His language changes
When your man starts using “we” and “us” in place of “I”, “me” and “mine” you know that he considers you a more permanent fixture in his life. When he refers to his bachelor pad as your home or he lets you borrow his car saying what’s his is yours anyway, he is giving clear signs that you are not temporary. If he has started calling you by his surname, liken that to you going to Selfridges and trying out the latest designer handbag. Once it’s adorned your shoulder you know you want it.
He’s on his best behaviour
If you have seen changes in his outward behaviour, for example he cooks you dinner, becomes more romantic, maybe he has had a mini makeover (in the form of a haircut!) this is him flourishing his feathers like a peacock, putting his best foot forward to reduce the chance of you saying no. Nobody likes rejection. Proposing is nerve-wracking for most men so as a goal-orientated species they will want to reduce the chances of failure by upping their original attraction to you in any way they can. Enjoy this phase as it doesn’t last long!
His specialist subject is you
If your man becomes detail orientated about your likes and dislikes he is most likely trying to acquire information as to what your perfect proposal would incorporate. Questions to look out for include your favourite restaurant, locations or flowers. You might also notice he becomes obsessed with the price of things as he is busy trying to save his pennies to buy you that bling.
He becomes a wedding watcher
If you’ve been invited to upcoming weddings look out for him engaging in unusual behaviour, for example taking an interest in the floral arrangements, cake choice, location or the menu. If he taps you on the shoulder when it’s time for the bouquet toss or flashes you a genuine smile if you catch it then it won’t be long before he pops the question.
His friends are married
They say you can judge a person by their friends. If he gravitates towards friends who are all settled or have children, it shows less resistance to commitment than if his friends’ circle is full of single men wanting to go to the pub every Friday night. The stage of life his peers are at can push him forward to propose quicker as no one likes to be left behind. Look at his friends to get an indication of where he is at.
He spends time with your parents
This applies more to the traditional man, but if he asks to spend time with your parents, he could be checking to see if they approve of him or going the more clichéd route of asking your father’s permission. Even the more modern man who is contemplating proposing will spend more time with family as he is laying down the foundations for his future.
He talks about the future
Another classic sign is when he talks about the future with you. His hopes and dreams for your wedding, children, schools, and places you may live in the future. Some men’s mothers might even mention that they want children or the dress they might wear at your wedding. If he doesn’t flinch in horror at such a conversation he is pleased of his parents’ approval and is considering proposing very shortly.
He becomes interested in your jewellery
Men know that the ring is important to you as they hope you will be wearing it every day of your life. Often they will test the water as to ring size and shape, your favourite stones (normally referred to by them as colours!) and some will even mention the family heirloom that they wonder if you will like. Alternatively if one of your rings goes missing and then mysteriously re-appears he was most likely getting your size!
His body language gives him away
You may notice your boyfriend might play with your hand, your left hand in particular, or stroke your fingers. Closer to the big day you will notice he gets nervous like when someone is going for an interview. On the day itself, watch out for sweating, clammy hands, fidgeting, nervousness, checking his watch for the time to make sure his plan goes off smoothly.
By the time he is on one knee you don’t need an expert to tell you what is now obvious… he is not tying his shoelace!
Your proposal is the foundation of your married life. It’s the story you tell yourself, your friends, your children and other loved ones. Great proposals make for a great marriage. It’s one of the few times your man can be your hero. If you use these signs to know he is going to propose, help him make your story the best it can be by acting oblivious to what he is doing while giving him all the information he needs.
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