How to Nudge Your Partner Down the Engagement Path

OK, men aren’t all bad. There’s enough to love there, even if sometimes they make you want to tear your hair out. One point in which they’re not particularly “on it” is when it comes to marriage. It’s not that they’re against the idea, it’s just that they’re not always as proactive as you’d like. They take way too long to get down on one knee, while all the while you’re just sitting there, waiting to be asked. While you can’t rush him along, you can nudge him in the right direction! We show you how to do it below. Take the advice, and you might just be engaged sooner than you think!

Have a Marriage-Worthy Relationship

There are no guarantees in life. Just because you’re both fully committed to each other now, there’s nothing to say that it won’t all come undone tomorrow, or some other point further on down the line. Relationships take work, and if you’re letting yours run on autopilot because you assume a proposal is inevitable, then you might be waiting a long time. If you want to get married, then have a marriage worthy relationship. If you make it impossible for him to think of marrying anyone other than you, he’ll get the message sooner rather than later.

Talk In Terms of “We”

When you’re married, you’re a bona fide team. But you don’t have to wait until you’re hitched to start thinking in terms of “we”; that can happen as soon as you feel it. A marriage is a union of two people, but the actual union happens well before the proposal; that’s just a natural evolution of the love. If you’re loyal to him and he’s loyal to you, then the engagement will naturally follow. The team aspect doesn’t just apply to here and now, either; it can apply to when you’re talking about the future, too.

Big up the Love at Other Weddings

If you’re getting to that age when everyone around you is getting married, then you’ll have the perfect opportunity to let your partner know that you’re ready. In any given year you’ll likely go to seven or so weddings. When you’re there, bask in the love; the affection that flows through a wedding is contagious. You don’t have to sing Elton John’s classic track “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”: he’ll just get it. (But let’s just hope he doesn’t propose at someone else’s wedding!)

Subtle Hints

It’s likely that he’s already thought about marriage, and that you’re already lightly discussed the possibility before. But if you think he’s in any doubt about your readiness, you can drop subtle hints into conversations about your commitment to him and the type of engagement you’d like. You can gently mention that you prefer more classic styles of rings, or the location that you think is the most romantic in your neighborhood. As you’re mentioning all these things, an image will slowly form in his mind about what you’re looking for: and he’ll know, in no uncertain terms, that marriage is not a terrifying proposition for you.

Know His Friends and Family

When you get married, you’re not just bringing your beloved into your world. You’re also bringing with them their closest friends and family. They won’t just be connections you know through your partner; they’ll be your nearest and dearest, too. But you can’t go from barely knowing them to knowing them inside out. As such, if you want your partner to get down on one knee, you’ll want to make an effort with his friends and family. If you fit in seamlessly into his world – as in, you enjoy spending time with the people who are the most important in his world – then he’ll know your marriage material.

No Pressure

You might be eager to get married. But there’s more to an engagement that just the shared love; it can be expensive, or the timing might not be right and so on. Just because he hasn’t asked you to be his wife just yet, that doesn’t mean that he won’t one day, or that he doesn’t already see you as the love of his life. So be happy. If you’re thinking about marriage, then you’ve already won the lottery of love: the ceremony and party is just the cherry on top of the delicious cake that is your love. Sometimes, your eagerness to get married might just detract from the happiness you should be feeling. Focus on the good times, and the rest will inevitably follow.