Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Morning all.

When it comes to romantic gestures I am pretty useless. In this particular field my creativity extends no further than dinner, flowers and the occasional weekend away.

With all of my girlfriend's close friends married and settled with children, the focus and speculation surrounding our engagement has been rife for the past year.

I'd like to give my partner the special proposal I know part of her longs for and a "story" for her to tell her family and friends that will do our engagement justice and that she can reminisce over for years to come. Let me make it clear that that is my choice; if I was to get down on one knee in Subway on a Saturday morning with a hangover she would still be utterly thrilled. She's a good girl.

I appreciate its difficult to make meaningful suggestions without knowing either of us but I would really appreciate some general ideas to get me started...! If not specifically in Dubai, suggestions on locations a short international flight away are also welcome...

Some background info that might help:

Both lived in Dubai for 5 years
Both travelled extensively "locally" (Maldives, Goa etc.)
Hobbies include diving, animal welfare, eating and we are keen travellers
Both recently turned 30
Both on good salaries
Both fit and healthy (ish)

I already have the ring and almost proposed in Malaysia last week, but the timing just wasnt right (much to everyone's dismay!) due to her falling sick with mild food poisoning.

Some of you may think its weird to ask strangers on the internet but I find the impartial advice refreshing and this forum has been really boring lately so get involved if you have any suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

KPD

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

congratulations on deciding to take the big step.
do you want it to be an elaborate surprise plan where all your friends / family show up just as she says yes or you just want it to be the two of you with no one around?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Thank you.

It would be just the two of us; I'd like us to enjoy the moment as a couple initially and as a family later.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Firstly congratulations it sounds like you have the right girl and your both at a good age. I was apprehensive about marriage but after 7 happy years I am glad I went for it.

Now I am not romantic at all, but if it was me and money wasn't a problem I would talk to the Burj Al Arab and book a nice suite, organise the white limo service and see if I could get access to the helipad. Maybe a bit cliche but I find most romantic gestures are.

Edit - I notice you both dive, have you considered doing it under water either in a tank or out at sea? Proposing that is.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Well there are only 2 ways to go if in the UAE :
1. The desert
2. The beach

Everyone has their own preference I guess but I think few things are as majestic as a sunrise in the desert. If you can manage to sneak a high quality camera with a tripod and set it up without her knowing it, leave it on so it can capture the moment, now THAT would be a coup!

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

underwater proposal?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

veeeeeeery difficult to stay on ones knees underwater my friend, veeeeeeehehehery difficult ;)

and NO, I am NOT talking from personal experience!! :rofl::rofl:

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Definitely take her up the Burj Khalifa.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Go and do a freefall/parachute jump at Sky Dubai.

Make sure your the first one at the door - teeter on the edge, pop the question and then fall/jump out without hearing the answer... she then has to catch you up on the way down and say (hopefully) yes.

Have champagne and flowers waiting at the bottom along with someone with a camera.

oh and the ring of course.
________

As mentioned above, you both dive... go and bury a note with the question... tell her you two are going on a treasure hunt, make sure she finds the buried note.
______

Go for a romantic walk along a beach somewhere - throughout your travels do you have a favourite place? Get someone (or you) before hand to strategically place a 'message in a bottle' - this bottle is lapping against the shore line as you walk along - point it out, get her to read it... actually wasn't that in a film?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

isn't that illegal in this part of the world? :ohmy:

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

bit of extra weight in BCD. no worries except she may drown from shock!

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Banyan Tree / Bab Al Helmet / Zighy Bay, over dinner?
Underwater sounds tough but pretty cool?
Sunset / Sunrise in the desert?
Somewhere (hotel / restaurant / beach / bar etc) that you two go together or went years ago and haven't been back to?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Rockafellas, Blootered, 2AM Saturday morning. Not to dissimilar to my own engagement...

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I would prefer a simple lets get married...would hate any elaborate stuff!

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

This is how I proposed to my wife!

In St Lucia - scuba diving. All pre arranged with the dive master. I had it photographed too - would have sprung for a video but the chap let me down at the last minute...

I had two placards made up which read "will you marry me" on one side and "yes" on the other. (No wasn't an option :lol:)

All went swimmingly (pun intended). It needs a fair bit of planning but it's doable and different...


http://img139.imagevenue.com/loc502/..._122_502lo.jpg http://img161.imagevenue.com/loc243/..._122_243lo.jpg http://img15.imagevenue.com/loc54/th...3_122_54lo.jpg

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I popped the question in the gardens of the Royal Mirage Hotel after dinner at L'Eauzone.
was 4th July and the very moment she said yes a load of fireworks lit up the sky. That took a lot of planning!

6th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Why does it have to be so complicated?

People have this funny thing about proposals in that they should be surprising and romantic, however marriage is a pragmatic agreement between two people. In essence you are procuring a piece of paper which says you have committed to each other...

My advice. Keep it simple.

(and yes I am hopelessly unromantic...)

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Yeah, just hand her a pre-nup. If you want to be snazzy, have a fountain pen handy.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Is that a euphemism ?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Does it sound like one?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Or the mountains

Or my approach.- stand in the hallway with a job offer and say, "shit, says here we need to be married"

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Always knew you were a LAD

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

How about a night out somewhere like Al Maha, call the hotel in advance and arrange a camal ride to champagne romantic dinner in the dessert, pop the question then have a couple of nights to yourself with your own private pool.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

That would deserve a yes and anal

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

:eek:

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Talk about ****ing 1st world problems.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Scamp - you've disappointed me. Don't be nasty.

Bahtatboy - crikey, you really are in a grumpy mood.

Millhouse - lol

Skydiving idea is great. Underwater is old school now. An alternative - next weekend, fly to Muscat, then stay at the

http://www.shangri-la.com/muscat/bar...al-husn-hotel/

(arrange for them to pick you up at airport - flying much better and more romantic than 5 hour plus trip at weekend timings due to busy border crossings)

stay in this room

http://www.shangri-la.com/muscat/bar...bedroom-suite/

and just arrange for a bottle of champagne to be delivered to the room at sunset (around 7:30pm) and propose on the balcony - just the two of you :)

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I have to agree. Romance is more than flashy proposals and big wedding and it takes far more than this to make a marriage work. Real love and romance is things like buying your partner's favourite chocolate for them as a random surprise, looking after them when they are ill and being kind when they are down. It's little things like chatting amicably when out for a walk, laughing at the same things and being aware of their feelings in any situation.

Good luck with the proposal, but in the grand scale it's not that important and other things matter much more.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Mine is more like a truce. :lol:

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I'm not sure how well it will go down if he just rocks up as usual pulls out a ring and says 'look in the grand scheme of our marriage together, this bit isn't really that important so lets get married babe?', 'whilst we're at it the actual wedding ceremony isn't really that important either so may as well just keep it simple- say 500 quid should do the job- and hell who needs a honeymoon- lets just get on with it- here you do the washing and I'll sit and watch the footie'. So is that a 'Yes" I hear you squealing?

It may not seem that important in hindsight but I'm pretty certain at the time it feels pretty bloody huge! and whilst I agree it's the small things that really count, if a grand gesture isn't doable at the proposal- when you are madly and deeply in love, how are you going to pull one out when things are a bit tougher- I mean if you can't do it at the best of times it doesn't bode well for when the going gets tough. I say throw caution to the wind, knock yourself out and make her feel as special as she really is too you.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I say Al Maha as well :) they do a special dinner in the desert, no one else around and very romantic.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Let me get this right - the pair of you are simply alone having a dinner in the desert? What would there be to talk about?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Your porn dependency?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Please, get the facts right - it's midget porn.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Someone say midget porn?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

York hotel 3am, celebrate with Jagerbombs and a take out.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Just spent the weekend at the banyan tree Al wadi in RAK. that would be an alternative.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

We're Brits, we know what badger means. And we know a beaver when we see one, too.

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

Did your wife look like this?

Re: Proposing in (or around) Dubai
 

I would head down to the Qasr Al Sarab in Liwa. They will fix it for you to propose high on a dune at sunset, on the very edge of the Rub Al Khali (the empty quarter)