A marriage proposal can be one of the most memorable and special moments in someone’s life.
So why not share that moment with the audience?
Well, because you can fall flat on your face and be left humiliated.
People tying the knot is a multi-million pound industry, but a new, fast-growing business is in marriage proposals.
People spend an average of $2,500 on proposal planners to help set up and record their social media filings.
A couple spent £165,000 to rent Disneyland Paris and project their faces onto the side of a castle, The Times reported.
The well-intentioned gesture sparked outrage online as people accused the man of stealing the bride and groom’s attention
A Melbourne man proposed to his girlfriend as she received her diploma at a graduation ceremony
Commentator Clementine Ford, pictured, accused the Melbourne man of ‘stealing a woman’s moment’ by proposing to his girlfriend as she received her graduation certificate
But there are times when it can all go wrong and your public appearance can even cause people to turn on you for trying to steal attention.
Sometimes people propose at other people’s weddings or graduations, which can infuriate their fellow guests.
For example, someone posted a photo on Reddit of a man proposing at a wedding, in front of the bride and groom.
The photo was viewed by more than a million people, causing outrage.
Someone with the username Alliewonka said, “Honestly, I feel more sorry for the girl being proposed than the bride. She’s being proposed to on someone else’s big day, he didn’t make it personal for her at all but I think she seems to be okay with it haha.’
In October last year, a man was humiliated after proposing in front of thousands of people at a hockey match in New York.
During an NHL game between the New York Islanders and the Florida Panthers, the ‘kiss cam’ focused on a man who then got down on one knee, without wearing a top for some reason, and popped the question.
The crowd around him began chanting “just say no.”
The man proposed in the middle of a hockey game with the words ‘PLZ SAY YES’ written on his shirt
The crowd around him started chanting ‘just say no’ and it seemed to have an effect on the blushing girl
Absolutely cringe-inducing: the woman quickly escaped, leaving the man dejected
After a few moments of deliberation, the girl whispered in his ear and ran to the top of the stairs, leaving her friend dejected.
NHL journalist Dan Rosen tweeted: “Kiss cam time and a guy takes off his shirt and on his chest it says “PLZ SAY YES YES YES.” He gets down on one knee and proposes.
‘Camera cuts away. But I could see them from the press box. The girl got up and left. She turned left. And the Panthers scored. I can’t make it up.’
An Australian man was also criticized for ‘stealing’ his girlfriend’s moment as she graduated from LaTrobe University in Melbourne.
In a video posted to social media, the unnamed man took the stage right as his girlfriend celebrated her graduation while holding her scroll.
The man said, “I love you with all my heart,” before dropping to one knee and proposing.
People online were outraged when feminist commentator Clementine Ford said: ‘People are quitting this. Stop this,” she said to the camera in one piece.
‘That’s her moment. You robbed her of a moment she can never get back. Why do men do this?’
LaTrobe University said it made “an error in judgment” and that the proposal “detracted” from students’ academic celebration.
In another excruciating incident, a man was left red-faced after his romantic proposal in the McDonald’s queue at the fast food chain’s Sandton branch in Johannesburg, South Africa.
While proposing at a restaurant is a classic method, a greasy fast-food burger joint doesn’t necessarily have the same impact.
A man got down on one knee as his girlfriend stood in front of him in the Maccies queue and filmed the whole thing with more than 3.7 million views.
But it went viral for all the wrong reasons as it was a spectacular failure as she simply shook her head and waited for him to get back up.
He refused and she ended up ditching her order and walking away in a rage.
A selection from the video shows the man trying to propose before being rejected
Footage shows the man on one knee holding up a ring box as the woman orders at the cash register of the fast food chain’s Sandton branch in Johannesburg, South Africa
Psychologist, sex and relationships consultant Barbara Santini told Mail Online that the rising trend could be a ‘commodification’ of what an intimate moment between two people should be.
She said: ‘Public proposals carry the inherent risk of turning an intensely personal moment into a performance, which can come with unintended consequences, both emotional and psychological.
‘The rise of ‘proposal planners’ and the increasing amounts of money spent to make public proposals more extravagant could also indicate a shift in focus from the relationship itself to the spectacle surrounding it.
“This can inadvertently commoditize a life-changing decision, reducing it to a moment on social media rather than a thoughtful, intimate connection between two people.”
Ms Santini warned that there are also darker psychological aspects to public proposals, as they bring enormous social pressure.
She added: ‘There is a dimension of social manipulation in public proposals, whether intentional or not. By asking such a life-changing question in a public setting, you could apply social pressure to encourage a “yes.” This complicates the consent that is part of the marriage contract, which should be free of coercion.
‘Public proposals also raise questions about emotional authenticity. When an intimate moment is shared with an audience, it introduces the opportunity for behavior and responses that are performative rather than authentic.
‘This can be troubling when applied to something as serious as a marriage proposal, which should ideally be a transparent and sincere exchange between two people.
‘For those who feel that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, public proposals can indeed be a joyful, momentous occasion. However, the couple must have mutual understanding and agreement about making such a private decision in the public sphere.
“Like any grand romantic gesture, public proposals work best when they are the result of thoughtful consideration and mutual enthusiasm, rather than an attempt to meet societal expectations or create a viral moment.”
Meanwhile, Tautvydas Sutkus, lawyer for Glow Bar London, warned that there are legal implications for a public proposal.
Speaking to Mail Online, he said: ‘A public proposal is not just a personal or emotional decision; it is one that carries with it a number of legal implications that you may want to think carefully about. Balancing law and love may not be the most romantic idea, but it is a pragmatic idea that can save you a world of complications in the long run.
‘When you engage ‘proposal planners’ or book a public venue, you enter into a legal contract. If things don’t go as planned (let’s say your intended flees the scene), you could still be liable for any costs or even damages, depending on your contractual obligations.
‘Imagine making a public proposal and getting a ‘no’. Then imagine this video going viral and affecting your social and professional life. If the other party decides to speak negatively about you, a defamation lawsuit may be possible, especially if the statements are false and damage your reputation.
‘If a proposal is made publicly and is rejected, the question of who keeps the engagement ring can become a contentious issue. In some jurisdictions, engagement rings are considered ‘conditional gifts’, provided the marriage takes place. A public denial could muddy these waters, especially if the denial is caught on tape.”
Even novelist Jilly Cooper is against the idea, describing it as ‘terrible’ because it puts pressure on the person being introduced to.
But the increase in the number of public proposals is increasing. In fact, even the Port Lympne Hotel and Animal Reserve in Kent is offering a proposal package.
For just €550, you can propose to your loved one in a zoo.
A spokesperson said: ‘At Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve we offer a proposal package that provides an unforgettable and special moment for the happy couple.
‘We guarantee that the proposal will proceed as smoothly as possible in the total privacy and tranquility of the Moroccan courtyard or garden pergola.
‘Creating the perfect, beautiful backdrop to pop the question. The package includes a one-hour rental of either private site, a bottle of Gusbourne sparkling wine and a private Ranger Safari for two around the 600-hectare wildlife safari savannah.”