My friend is getting married in October and the last time we spoke, she told me about the moment when her longterm boyfriend proposed. It sounded magical – he went down on one knee, he confessed his undying love and she was presented with a princess cut diamond ring. Nice work.

Now, my friend had been waiting for QUITE a while for this to happen (10 years in fact) and I was half hoping that she would take it upon herself to ask him – you know, in the name of equality and all that.

However she didn’t, she waited. And if I am completely honest – I would have done the same.

A woman proposing to her man is a strange concept to most of us – we learn from television, movies, stories, and maybe our own parents, that the typical way of things is for men to propose to women, in much the same way as it usually falls on men to ask women out on dates, or to the prom.

But in an age of increased gender equality, is it time to finally get rid of this standard and allow for equal responsibility for proposal? The truth is that there is certainly more to consider than just equality….

Who buys the ring!??!?

I know that it would be wrong of me to hope that a man should still be expected to pay for and present me with an engagement ring, if he has not actually proposed. However, I just can’t think of an alternative. For a traditional male-to-female proposal, there are also certain expectations of a ‘big moment’, perhaps kneeling down on one knee. Taking into account that I will probably be wearing something amazingly glamorous, kneeling is absolutely out of the question.

I have been known to check out engagements rings at 77diamonds.com, you know, just in case. This is because to be presented with a beautiful ring by the man that I love as he kneels before me, would be a memory that I would treasure forever.  Would it be such a treasured memory if I were the one presenting the ring to him?…erm, probs not.

If I ever choose to utter the words “will you marry me”, I think I will have to think be very inventive.  As with no ring, without the grandiose proposal and with nothing much to offer in the way of worldly goods I can only hope that he loves me enough not to care…then again, maybe a nice tie will suffice?

*Would you propose to your man? Let us know what you think.