EVEN if you aren't really into the whole romance thing, there's absolutely no excuse for not treating your partner like the shining star that they really are just prior to popping the question - or for the rest of the time for that matter.

The build-up to the big proposal is just so incredibly important when you think about the true gravity of what you are really asking.

Lifelong commitment and responsibility is not something to be taken lightly, after all.

But that's not to say a hefty dose of good old-fashioned seduction shouldn't be used at will when persuading your beloved to spend the rest of their natural with you.

Show your other half just how charming, considerate, caring, thoughtful, and generally adorable you can really be and they'll be swooning all over the place like a giddy teenager in no time at all.

Better still, if you get the whole thing right, then the love of your life will swiftly fall into your arms for all eternity, while gasping an ecstatic "yes, yes, yes".

So, forget about casually dropping into the conversation something as blase as 'what do you reckon to getting married then?' and plan something with a sense of occasion instead.

The classic "wine and dine" approach is a sure-fire way to bring out the very best in Cupid, but don't fall into the trap of going somewhere that serves up complicated posh nosh neither of you will actually enjoy, just because it's expensive.

Waving goodbye to your entire fortune at that French/Thai/Somalian fusion place that's just opened in town is all well and good, but only if you are not going to spend the entire evening fretting about the cash-vapourising prices, or both end up going home hungry because the food was so horrid.

Booking into a romantic hotel or whisking your lover off for a weekend is a great way to help you really focus on each other, plus it will show you've put a lot of thought and effort into the whole thing.

The best advice with proposals is to make sure you choose something appropriate to your partner's character and personality.

Surprising the shy, bashful type with a Tannoy message at a fair or even in a supermarket (yes, it has been done) is likely to make them either totally freeze, or scarper from the scene pretty pronto.

Conversely, underplaying the event for an outgoing extrovert, who likes to show off a bit and enjoys being the centre of attention, might make it look like you don't really care and haven't put a lot of effort in.

Nice though it may be to leave a treasure trail of petals and messages around an atmospherically candlelit house, which lead to the bedroom and you down on one knee, this type of wooing isn't everyone's glass of champagne. Also remember to check for any phobias, such as vertigo or fear of flying, before insisting that your loved one follows you up the Eiffel Tower or into a helipcopter.

Nuptials, wedding and all they entail, in terms of emotions and practicalities, are notoriously tricky things and can be pretty stressful as well. But popping the question in style will help get things off to a good start, put you both on the right footing and set you well on your way to blissfully treading the path of married life together.