The world watched in awe during the awarding of Olympic medals when one young man proposed to his athlete girlfriend, while she was on the podium in front of the entire world. Chinese diver He Zi was proposed to by her boyfriend of 6 years, fellow Olympic diver Qin Kai just moments after receiving her silver medal. She seemed completely taken aback, clearly not expecting such a public display – but she said yes.
Being America’s foremost proposal planning company, we were interviewed by many media outlets after this public proposal with people dying to know…..what makes this proposal such a disaster? Here are the top 3 reasons we consider this a proposal fail.
Stolen Thunder
This was HER big moment to shine – to win an Olympic medal is one of the greatest honors one can ever achieve, and instead of letting her bask in the glory of that, he draws all of that attention away from her to propose. Even worse, he gives a thumbs up to the crowd – he should have kept his attention on her, where it belonged. He took away a beautiful moment from her, one that she will never get back.
Never Combine Two Huge Moments
It’s like cheating, you don’t turn two separate life-changing moments into one – it takes away what is special and unique in each and combines them into something that is less than the sum of the two parts. Just as we would never advise anyone to propose during someone else’s wedding, its not okay to ruin one moment because it seems easier or convenient. It’s not, and it should never be done.
Little Effort and No Romance
If he was going to steal her thunder, he should have done it with a little finesse and forethought – simply dropping to his knee in front of her without anything leading can be perceived as lazy and inconsiderate. A proposal should be well-planned and suitable for the occasion and the person being proposed to.
While it’s great that the couple is in love, and are now happily engaged, the proposal could have been so much better. A little effort can go a long way – a romantic proposal shows class, caring, and consideration. If you want to plan a beautiful, unique proposal for your partner, let the proposal experts at The Heart Bandits assist you. From custom proposals to all-inclusive proposal packages, The Heart Bandits are here to facilitate the proposal your partner dreams of.
Regardless of when you propose, you should always give your partner the best experience that you can. Surprise your partner by using a non-traditional ring box like the compact engagement ring box from Ring Stash. The slim design easily allows for the ring to be hidden, and your partner won’t suspect an imminent proposal until you’re ready to pop the question.
Christina Clawson