The Indian Groom’s Dilemma – To Propose or Not To Propose?

This one’s for the grooms. Brideys, if you manage to get them to read it, you just might get what you wished for 😉

Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Boy drops on one knee and proposes to the girl. She gives an ecstatic yes! Parents meet for the first time. Wedding takes place. Boy and girl live happily ever after.

And…cut to India. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. They want to get married. Parents meet for the first time. They give an ecstatic yes! Wedding takes place. Boy and girl live happily ever after.

But wait…didn’t we skip something? Ah, yes…the mandatory “Boy drops on one knee and proposes to the girl.”

But, is it really mandatory? In India, not really. It’s something that happens “just in the movies”.

Well, not anymore. There is a small, yet significant group of men who understand the need to provide their soon-to-be-wives with a proposal worthy of an “Awww!” “But, what’s the point?” you ask. Your wedding date has been fixed – “popping the question” is a redundant exercise now. It’s a done deed. The love of your life already knows she’s marrying you, as does every other kaka, mama, tai in the neighbourhood. Why, in the name of God, do you still need to get down on one knee?

Rule #1 for you buddy: Never believe a girl who says she doesn’t want/need to be proposed to.

Now that you’ve accepted the fact, make a decision. You have one of three options:

• Go the whole hog: Go through the pain to propose to her the way they show it “in the movies” – surprise her. You must be wondering – what ring do I propose with? My family is already getting her a diamond ring for the engagement ceremony! Here’s a unique idea – buy her a Swarovski ring! They’re very reasonable, but still nice enough to propose with. I got this idea from a Peaches & Blush blog post here, where her soon-to-be-husband proposed to her on a hot air balloon with a Swarovski ring that has butterflies on it. (A note for the women reading this – do check out the post for her diamond engagement ring, it’s beautiful! She also gives some great advice on shopping for diamonds there)
• Compromise aka na idhar ka na udhar ka: If you consider this whole exercise truly redundant and there’s no way that a girl living in Delhi who’s going to get married soon can convince you of it, then atleast on the day of your engagement drop on one knee while you place the ring on her finger. Trust me, she’ll remember it.
• Do nothing: You refuse to do any of the above, because you feel you don’t need to. You’re marrying her after all, and that should be enough. That’s alright – it’s your life, your decision. But do yourself a favour and buy the book “Chicken Soup for the Indian Bride’s Soul”. Read a story in there called “Popping the Question” – it will help you have a solid answer in place for life…just in case that moment creeps up on you where your wife asks “How come I never got a proposal?” Reading that story will save your a**.

Although I may have made it sound like a really big deal, I didn’t mean to. Proposal or no proposal, the girl you’re marrying will be extremely glad to have the chance to spend her life with the one she loves. We’re not that bad 😉 Here’s to a very happy married life to all you boys, and to that day when realisation dawns on you that it’s best to let your wife atleast think she’s always right!

Note: thedelhibride is neither liable nor responsible for any unrealistic expectations that have been created in the minds of brides after reading this post.