How to Deal When You KNOW Your Partner's Going to Propose

Most proposals are a surprise, but sometimes, you already know when a proposal is coming your way. Whether you've talked about your marriage timeline, picked out your rings together, or "accidentally" found your engagement ring hiding in your partner's sock drawer, knowing that this big question is in your near future can be equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking. Don't fret—here's how to handle it.

Proposals are often a surprise, but these days, you may already know when a proposal is coming your way. 

Whether you've talked about your marriage timeline, picked out your rings together, or "accidentally" found your engagement ring hiding in your partner's sock drawer, knowing that this big question is in your near future can be equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking. 

Don't fret—here's how to handle it.

While you might want to rush ahead to the altar, savor these precious moments! Once you are engaged, your relationship arrives at its next stage, and it will mature. With this maturity comes a whole new set of feelings and responsibilities.  

You will never have your pre-engagement time back, so appreciate every last minute of it. You may also want to take some time to honor who you have been in this relationship, before you become a fiancé. In the future, you will look back on the early days of your partnership with such sweetness, there is no need to rush any part of it.

We know—you're literally bursting at the seams because you so badly want to tell everyone what's about to happen. But hold off (if you can!). First, if you tell too many people, word might get back to your fiancé-to-be, and they might feel like the surprise is ruined. 

And secondly, spreading the word before it's official will make your actual engagement announcement a little lackluster. This is a special moment between you and your partner, meant to be enjoyed. If you expend all the excitement beforehand, it may not be as exciting in the moment.

Try not to guess when it is going to happen, if you start thinking a proposal is coming on every dinner date or every walk in the park, you're going to drive yourself absolutely crazy. Sure, you might wanna keep those nails painted (just in case...), but there's no need to try and predict it, getting your hopes up only to be let down. Let it happen when it happens. 

The proposal might feel a little less surprising if you know it's in the works, but remember that you don't know everything that's going to happen, and you definitely don’t know what it will actually feel like in the moment, or afterwards. 

Maybe you've already seen the ring and have a hunch about where it'll take place, but you still don't know what your partner will say or how you'll spend the rest of the day as a newly engaged couple. Perhaps your partner is planning something super sweet, and they don’t want you to know about it. Let them surprise you as much as they can!

There’s no need to drop hints or try to figure it out, allowing there to be surprises will help you stay excited (not impatient) for the big question. 

Sure, go ahead and start daydreaming, but don't worry about logistics or specifics yet. You'll have plenty of time to plan a wedding that you'll love, but starting too soon could make the proposal and your engagement feel a little less special. Be patient! 

Even if you know a proposal is in your future, it might not be coming all that soon. There may be many things your partner is getting in order. It’s important that they are absolutely ready to take the next step. Your partner also may be trying to catch you off guard, and depending on who you are, that could be easy or hard! Let them do what they need to do, and when you finally do make it official, you'll feel more excited than ever! 

The moral of the story is try to be patient, don’t waste time trying to figure it out and just enjoy the ride!