Are You Getting Engaged? 13 Signs Your Partner's About to Propose

Have you got a sneaky feeling your partner is about to propose? It’s helpful to know what the signs your partner is about to propose are because, although it’s amazing to have a surprise proposal, you also want to be as ready as you can be!

There are a few things you can do if you’re suspicious your partner is about to propose to help them along, like leaving similar sized jewellery in an accessible place so they know your ring size (instead of just going for the average ring size and hoping for the best!), and subtly hinting about the kind of things you like (and don’t like!). If that jewellery moves at any point, you could probably take that as a sign they’re buying an engagement ring...

You can also do a few things for yourself if you have an inkling they’re about to pop the question, such as have your nails freshly manicured ready for that all-important engagement announcement post. You could also read up on the most popular ways to propose and start dropping some hints...

Here are the key signs you’re about to get engaged!

13 Signs of an Impending Proposal 

1. They’re Suddenly More Budget Conscious

A key sign that your partner is planning on buying an engagement ring is that they suddenly become much more cautious about what they spend money on. 

If they are normally the first to suggest a Domino’s on payday or a pub lunch on a Sunday, but now they’re trying to convince you that a supermarket own brand margherita is just as good, it could be a sign that they’re funnelling money into a secret ring fund!

And if you're wondering how much they need to save, you can find out how much an engagement ring costs right here. 

2. You Get Encouraged to Go for a Manicure

At best, your nail care is sporadic, and you’ve never been for a mani with a pal before, but suddenly your brother is telling you your nails need a tidy up, or your bestie is suggesting a shellac session together. 

What’s going on... Could it be a sign your partner is about to propose? Or maybe your nails do need a bit of TLC. Either way, take their advice...

3. Your Partner Plans a Trip 

This is a big marriage proposal sign! Especially if your partner doesn’t usually take charge in planning your holidays. 43% of wedding proposals take place on holiday, according to the results of our National Wedding Survey, so if they suddenly decide to arrange a trip and take charge of all the details, you’re probably right to have an inkling that there’s an impending proposal coming your way…

4. They Start Acting Strange

Planning a secret proposal is a lot of pressure and stress - your partner might start acting oddly and awkwardly ahead of the proposal.

If they are suddenly being quite secretive, check the rest of their behaviour against the other signs they’re about to propose. If it all matches up, there’s nothing to worry about. 

5. They Start Getting Nostalgic

Do they keep talking about when you first met, or how far you’ve come together? Perhaps they want to go back to where you had your first date? The sentimentality and urge to revisit the past could be a sign that they’re making big decisions about your future. 

6. You’ve Got an Anniversary Coming Up

10% of couples get engaged on their anniversary. If you have been nodding along to these proposal signs and you’ve got an anniversary coming up, it’s likely that you might get engaged then!

7. Your Partner’s Suddenly Very Interested in Your Style

They might have never paid any attention to your jewellery tastes before, but suddenly they’re asking you very loaded questions about certain celebrity engagement rings and faux-casually enquiring about the size of your wedding ring finger.

Why do they want to know? Is it because they’re secretly planning to propose? It’s a pretty good sign, isn’t it…

8. They Start Talking About the Future

Maybe they’re suddenly waxing lyrical about their grandparents’ 60 year marriage, or idly wondering where you’ll spend your retirement or name your kids. These are signs that they’re thinking of the big picture, and marriage could be a part of that. If you want them to propose, make sure you’re clear about that - talking about the future is a great way to discuss what’s important to you and make sure you’re on the same page. 

They might be looking for reassurance that you’re looking for the same things and if that’s the case, you need to be clear with them so they know where they stand.

9. Some Jewellery Goes Missing

Maybe there’s a ring you wear on your ring finger sometimes and it vanishes for a little while. Don’t immediately jump to the conclusion that you’ve been robbed (unless everything in your jewellery box has suddenly disappeared, that is). It could be a sign that there’s an impending proposal - they might have borrowed that ring to give a jeweller your ring size. 

10. They Take Your Parents For a Chat

Asking for the father’s permission is an old tradition that not everyone chooses to follow when proposing, but they might decide to. Your partner could choose to put a modern spin on it by speaking with both of your parents, or giving them a heads up instead of ‘asking permission’, but regardless of what they do, if they head off for some alone time with your family without you, that’s a sign they’re about to propose…

11. They Start Discussing a ‘Friend’

A good way to sound out ideas and subtly find out what you might like is to tell you about their ‘friend’.

If they say something like, “My friend is thinking of proposing, but said they’ll let their partner choose the ring. Don’t you think that’s sweet?”, you can tell them exactly what you think, knowing they’re mentally taking notes. 

12. Your Fridge Gets Fancy

Is there suddenly a random bottle of Champagne in your fridge? Play. It. Cool. It might be that they’re just planning Fancy Friday. But it might also be a sign that they’re planning to ask you to marry them, and they want a chilled bottle of bubbly on hand to celebrate with. 

13. They're Suddenly Super Into Weddings

Everyone likes a wedding, right? But now they've become something of a wedding critic. If they're nudging you at your friends' weddings and whispering 'I love that idea!' or 'I would NEVER do that', then it's a safe bet that they're thinking about marriage. 

If you can tick all of these off, then congratulations! It seems pretty likely your partner is about to propose - all the signs are there! Now you need to think about what to wear when they propose - joggers aren’t going to cut it, are they? These cute outfits are ideal for an engagement party, but they’d work just as well as a proposal outfit too, and it’s more eco-friendly to wear your clothes more than once, anyway...