7 Outdoor Proposal Ideas for the Adventurous Couple
Planning the perfect marriage proposal can be both exciting and terrifying. Some couples even admit the proposal is scarier than exchanging vows. To add to the stress, there are several things you have to do before you propose like asking her parents, telling her friends, and shopping for an affordable wedding ring. Plus, there are so many great ideas out there, it can be hard to narrow down just one. Especially if you’re an adventure junkie that loves the outdoors. So many options, only one proposal. How are you going to plan for this special moment with your partner?
When proposing, it's always a good idea to really plan out the event before you pop the big question. Remember, you are going to be telling people about this special moment for years to come. Make sure you choose the perfect place and setting that's both unique and creative. It’s important to plan your perfect wedding proposal in a way you both will appreciate. After all, this is a memory you will look back on for the rest of your lives. It might be a story you tell your grandkids someday. You definitely want it to be a good one! With that in mind, here are some of the best outdoor wedding proposal ideas we could find. While there are many ways to propose, choose a creative and memorable event that your girlfriend will love.
Plan a Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts can be a great way to pull a couple close friends or family members into the proposal, so they get to be a part of the big moment. Everyone can go out and celebrate after, which makes the whole thing extra special. Come up with a handful of places you can send your sweetheart to, places that are particularly special to you both. Maybe it’s where you first met, where you shared you first kiss, and where you first said, “I love you.” Or maybe it’s a location where you first did something together that was especially exciting. There’s no wrong way to plan a scavenger hunt, just make sure where you send her, the places mean something to you both.
You can leave clues at each location, like a card or a note, or even a little voice recorder with what the place means to you and why, and maybe drop hints about how much you love her and think she’s “the one,” just to build the suspense. At the final location, (hopefully a beautiful, romantic one with a stunning backdrop), you can appear and make your big proposal. Just make sure you have a photographer on hand to snap pics throughout the day. You might even consider hiring one, so you get some really great shots you can look back on fondly for years to come. However you plan it, scavenger hunts are a fun, exciting way to make a marriage proposal that neither of you will soon forget.
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Propose While Skydiving
Is there anything more fun for adrenaline junkies than skydiving? There might be a few but dropping out of a plane and plummeting through the sky from thousands of feet in the air is definitely near the top. The only drawback is the potential to lose the engagement ring (that would be bad!) so plan your proposal around asking her either before you jump from the plane, or once you hit the ground. One idea is to jump and have some friends and family wait at the place where you’re supposed to land, holding a sign that asks the big question. They can keep the ring safe, so that you can put it on her finger when she says yes.
Propose While Bungee Jumping
Obviously, the same rules apply with this outdoor marriage proposal idea as with the skydiving one. You don’t want your ring to go bouncing off a rock! Plan your wedding proposal for either before or after you jump. If you ask her beforehand, the jump can be symbolic of the leap into the unknown you’re both about to make together. Make sure to have a photographer on hand to capture photos of you popping the big question.
Propose While Hiking
If you and your other half love to hike new trails, why not plan your proposal around your next hiking adventure? Depending on where you live, you can propose in all kinds of romantic places that are beautiful and secluded. It’s important to make sure it’s a place you know you both will love (or already love, if you’ve hiked there before) because you want the moment to be meaningful and memorable.
If you’re hiking a trail you’ve never hiked before, try doing it alone. That way you can get an idea of where you want to pop the question and find the most scenic spot to do it in. You could also hire a photographer and give them the location, so they can be set up and ready to snap photos or take video. Or if you prefer to keep it just between the two of you, there’s no more privacy you’ll find than out alone in nature, together.
Propose While Mountain Climbing
Well, perhaps propose after mountain climbing, once you’ve reached the top. Climbing a mountain successfully is symbolic of the strength and endurance it takes to build a great marriage. Once you reach the top, you can get down on one knee and make your outdoor wedding proposal, or you can plan ahead to have a sign waiting at the summit that pops the question. There’s much less chance of you losing the ring by waiting until you reach the top!
Propose While at a Butterfly Garden
This is probably one of the most uniquely romantic outdoor wedding proposal ideas we’ve ever heard of. It will take some planning because you will definitely want to hire a photographer for this one, but what could be more beautiful than having photos of your proposal moment surrounded by real butterflies fluttering in the air and landing on you and your sweetheart? You’ll want to make sure the butterflies get released at just the right time, so you’ll have to coordinate with the garden personnel. Then you can have a personalized engagement photoshoot and get some great shots to show off to friends and family.
Propose While Camping
Some couples love to be out in nature, camping beneath the stars, cuddling by a warm fire, and sharing a nice glass of wine at sunset. If you find a scenic, secluded spot for camping, you can plan a romantic proposal with plenty of alone time to celebrate when she says yes. Make sure wherever you choose to ask for her hand, it’s beautiful.
You could even be a little sneaky and go set up a nice spot near your campsite, provided she sleeps in and you get up early enough not to get caught. Spread out a blanket, sprinkle it with rose petals, set up a picnic basket with wine and the ring, and then ask her to go for a morning walk. She’ll be surprised and you can enjoy a sunrise breakfast together to celebrate the moment.
Propose While Scuba Diving (Or Snorkeling)
Obviously, this proposal idea is predicated on the assumption that both you and your lady can swim and enjoy doing so! Beach locations are beautiful, romantic, and fun for the outdoor types. There’s something about the primal sound of the sea, salt in your hair, and plenty of sand and sun that create the perfect backdrop.
You can hire a photographer with special underwater skills if you want to document the moment and use something that’s waterproof to hold up a sign in the water. Or you can create a little proposal video using graphics to present your question and play it on a waterproof phone while you are both under water. Lots of creative ways to do it, just save the ring until you’re out of the water. It’d be a shame to lose it at the bottom of the sea!
Propose While Floating in a Hot Air Balloon
As outdoor proposal ideas go, floating in the sky surrounded by sun and clouds is pretty epic. The great thing about a hot air balloon is that you can have a little mini-picnic while floating, play some mood music, and share a glass of bubbly to build up the suspense.
This really helps to create the perfect environment around your proposal moment and make it a romantic memory you won’t soon forget. You could even enlist the help of the balloon pilot to take video or photos to capture the big moment and plan to have family and friends meet you once you are on the ground, to join you in a celebratory lunch or dinner.
There is no limit to outdoor wedding proposal ideas for the adventurous soul. Just think of something you both love to do, find the perfect place, and plan your proposal around that activity. Whatever you do, be sure to combine creativity, romance, adventure, and an element of surprise. With those ingredients, there’s just no way you can fail!