Popping the question

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.

And remember to tell the waiter about your plans so you can relax, safe in the knowledge that the dessert menu isn't going to turn up at the crucial moment and interrupt the crucial proceedings.

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.

Paris, Venice and New York are all still popular and romantic options.

If staying closer to home is more your thing, why not consider the Scottish Highlands, Peak District or even the Lake District, staying in a cosy old castle or a snugly little cottage?

Proposing atop a mountain or on a beautiful lake is sure to take your spouse-to-be's breath away.

For a really grand attention grabbing romantic gesture, a hot air balloon trip or fly-by by an aeroplane could be just perfect.

You could even see if it's possible to project a huge 'Will You Marry Me?' onto a nearby very tall building.

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 helicopter.

You want them to agree to marriage because they love you and want to spend the rest of their life with you, not because they're afraid for their life and blurt out a panicked 'yes' just to get back on the ground as soon as possible.

Another commonsense point is to get the timing of it all right.

Dragging someone off for a romantic weekend away in the back of beyond when they're on-call for dealing with problems at work is not the best way to show them how considerate you are, and will only breed resentment and cause arguments - both now and in later years.

Similarly, showing up at the office with a rose between your teeth and a card saying 'Marry Me' is not a good idea if the company is in the throws of some major business trauma or other, with your beau or belle right in the thick of it.

Nuptials, weddings 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.