National Proposal Day- March 20th

National Proposal Day is here! Whether or not you’re planning to propose marriage on that date, it is a time for reflection on the idea of marriage and, just maybe, a good reminder to start planning your own proposal. To help you with your cogitation, we’ve put together a few fun engagement facts.

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Photo by Petronella Photography

The date of March 20 was chosen for Proposal Day  because it falls on the Vernal Equinox, the day when day and night are equal in length. This symbolizes the equality of two partners in a relationships, and the way their differences complement each other.

The use of an engagement ring dates from ancient Judaic culture, where tradition demanded a valuable gift, and rings were often chosen. However, these rings were more likely to be nose rings than finger rings!

Ancient Romans exchanged rings as tokens of love, and it is from them that we inherited the tradition of the ‘ring finger’. It was believed that the ‘vein of love’ ran through the fourth finger, and so rings that were romantic gifts were often worn there.

In some cultures, a different gift was given to signify a proposal. In Wales, a hand-carved wooden spoon was given to the woman in question, and if she accepted, she would tie a ribbon around the spoon. Elsewhere, a young man would present a pair of gloves to his intended, who would wear then to church to signify her acceptance.

Diamond engagement rings were extremely uncommon until the 1930s, when aggressive marketing from the De Beers diamond cartel created a new worldwide tradition.

Throughout Western culture, it has traditionally been the man who proposes. However, there is one exception to this rule- in a leap year, February 29 was traditionally the only day on which a woman could propose. If the brave woman was refused, the man was expected to buy her enough fabric to make a new skirt.

Are you ready to start planning your proposal? Contact the Heart Bandits. We can help you navigate all of the trials and traditions of a marriage proposal, and make sure that your proposal is perfect for you and your sweetheart.

Michele

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Phoenix Marriage Proposal

When Mike contacted us to plan his proposal to Laura, we knew it had to be comical and over the top.  Just reading his questionnaire had my side hurting from laughing so hard.  Mike and the team at The Heart Bandits worked together to create the perfect proposal.

We rented out a theater and  Mike invited all of their friend’s to the comedy show.  Laura thought that it was just a regular night out with their friends and that they would just be enjoying a unique improv stand up comedy show.  After all, they frequently went out on the town with their huge group of friends.  When she arrived to the theater, there was a concession stand, staff, a bar, and everything seemed normal.  But little did she know, the improv team that we hired, would be telling the story of Mike and Laura throughout the whole night.  The improv team asked for audience suggestions throughout the evening, of course, already knowing what the answers would be.  And slowly but surely, Laura realized that this show was focusing a lot on her and Mike.  At the end, Mike took Laura on stage and proposed in front of all of their friends.  We couldn’t be happier for the couple and are honored to have played a part in their special day.

If you want a proposal like no one else has, contact The Heart Bandits today.  We specialize in creating unique proposal ideas and then bringing them to life.   Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

Venue: National Comedy Theater, Mesa

Videographer: Something New Media

Michele

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Ojai Proposal Ideas

When planning to propose marriage, you may first think about big cities and famous places, hustle and bustle and sightseeing. Your proposal will be a romantic and intimate time, however, and it may be better to set your sights on a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. One good possibility for a sweet proposal trip is Ojai, California, an underrated little valley town near the Santa Ynez Mountains.  It isn’t too far from Los Angeles and could be the perfect proposal getaway.

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Cycling Holiday

If you and your sweetheart enjoy getting out in the fresh air, consider coming to Ojai for its beautiful 16 mile bike trail, which winds through the countryside between Ojai and Ventura. Suitable for all levels of fitness, the bike trail is popular with geocachers and sightseers, and offers an easy and relaxing way to get into nature for a quiet moment together. There are several scenic locations along the trail, any of which might make for a picture-perfect proposal spot.

Amble on the Avenue

Ojai Avenue, one of the main streets in this charming town, is filled with art galleries, shops, clothing stores, wineries, and even an outdoor bookstore. This is an opportunity to take a leisurely stroll together, sample some of the finer things in life, and then propose in a quiet and intimate setting at a fine restaurant or winery that evening.

Pretty in Pink

Photographers and lovers of natural beauty should try to make it to Ojai in December or January. Not only is the air cooler and the prices lower in the off season but this is the window in which the  famous Ojai “pink moment” occurs.  During this time, the light from the setting sun hits face of Topa Bluffs, and the sky and mountains turn a startling, stunning shade of pink. This is a breathtaking natural display, and it will produce a romantic and unforgettable sunset proposal.

Trying to figure out the best proposal idea? Contact the proposal planners at The Heart Bandits. Our professional experience and knowledge will guarantee that your proposal is intimate and unforgettable, no matter where you propose.

Michele

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How Much Will My Proposal Cost?

Proposals such as this can vary in cost depending on what you add.  Photo courtesy Chloe Moore Photography

Very romantic marriage proposal. Photo courtesy Chloe Moore Photography

Budgeting is a big part of the proposal planning process, and when you’re getting ready to pop the question, you may be worried about the financial aspect. How much will you need to spend?

The truth is that every proposal is individual, and the amount of money required will vary drastically depending on the type of proposal and the way it is planned.

Simple

A simple proposal such as a picnic, restaurant meal, or day trip will usually be a very economical choice. Beyond the ring, expenses will depend on what you choose to buy. If you go out of town, factor in transportation costs. If you’re going to a restaurant, choose a venue within your budget and plan on ordering from the more expensive end of the menu. Overall, expect a smaller, more private proposal to run around $200-$300.

Spendy

Perhaps you want to propose at an upscale club, on a private New York rooftop, or on a weekend trip to a ritzy resort? This is obviously going to require you to bring a little more money to the table. Although a frugally-minded person may be able to bargain hunt and create a stunningly luscious proposal for $500, a more reasonable expectation may be in the $1000-$2000 range, especially if you want to rent a private venue or travel far enough that train tickets or airfare may be in order.

Sumptuous

For some, only the best will do- and the best can mean anything from renting an entire building to hiring a team of actors or professional dancers to create fantasy-turned-real for their sweetheart. Even if you’re planning a more homegrown proposal, such as a flash mob or lip-synched musical number featuring your friends and family, it’s good manners to provide your helpers with a meal to celebrate after the proposal is done, and this can really add up. If you’re planning an unforgettable event of this caliber, plan to spend more- sometimes a lot more. A stunning proposal in this category will probably cost upwards of $2000.

If you want the ideal proposal, but don’t want to break the bank, one area you definitely should not skimp on is the proposal planner. An experienced proposal planner will help you find exactly what you need at the best price, and can recommend trusted affiliates that will do the job right. Winging it on your own can be expensive, and a few mistakes will cost far more than a couple of hours with a competent planner.

If you’re ready to start hammering out the details of your marriage proposal- financial and otherwise- contact The Heart Bandits. They’ll make sure that your proposal is perfect– and that it comes in under budget.

Marvin

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Toronto Proposal Ideas

Looking for the perfect place to propose?  The frosty north may not be the first place to come to mind when planning a marriage proposal, but the city of Toronto offers some amazing opportunities for a proposal that will be worth remembering.  Check out our top 3 Toronto Proposal Ideas:

Casa Loma

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If you’ve ever dreamed of a majestic medieval proposal, complete with a castle, you might have thought you were out of luck in North America. Quite the contrary! Casa Loma, designed by the famous architect E. J. Lennox, is a little piece of the medieval majesty in the middle of Canada. Although it was built in 1911, the castle is a gorgeous not to the dark ages, with turrets, crenellations and immaculately maintained grounds.

Distillery District

For a more modern and relaxed proposal, spend a day in the Distillery District. This charming neighborhood is for pedestrians only. No cars allowed! Also forbidden are any chain businesses or franchises, so you can spend the day strolling the streets in peace and enjoying some real local charm at the historic pubs and other businesses. If you time it right, you can catch the Distillery Blues Festival in June and enjoy some world-class music after you propose.

CN Tower

If a breathtaking urban vista is what you want, then look no further than the CN Tower. Although it is no longer the world’s tallest building, this needle-like tower rises 1,815 feet over Toronto and offers a stunning view of the urban landscape.  This amazing view is a great way to inject a little adrenaline into your proposal.

To get the perfect Toronto proposal, or anywhere else in the world, contact the Heart Bandits. They have the experience and the resources to fine tune your marriage proposal until it’s perfect, and they can help you get the location of your dreams.

Michele

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San Francisco Marriage Proposal

We are so excited to share this San Francisco marriage proposal that we planned with you.  When we interviewed Ruben, we learned a quirky and fun fact about his relationship with An.  Each time, before something amazing happened in their relationship, something always went a bit wrong.  Not catastrophically wrong or terribly bad, just a little bit different then how things were supposed to go.  So Ruben definitely wanted to incorporate that into this proposal.  How did we do that?  Read all about it below.

An loves to try new things so Ruben told her that he signed them up for a private dance lesson.  When it was time for the cab to come pick them up, it was a pedicab that showed up in it’s place.  That was Ruben’s nod to “things always going wrong right before something great.”  We hired the perfect pedicab driver that also played the part of an obnoxious driver.  He refused to take down the address of the dance studio from Ruben because he insisted he knew the city like the back of his hand.  But of course, “he got lost” and so when Ruben and An are finally dropped off at the correct location, Ruben asks An to wait inside so he can deal with the driver.  An walks in to the venue and the instructor tells her she has a place she can sit and wait.  That is when it happens…..

An walks into the waiting area and sees hundreds of candles and yellow rose petals.  There is one chair and she is led to it and sits there.  Along the way to the chair are signs scattered that say things that Ruben feel describe An like “calm”, “strong”, “patient”, “supportive.”  Once she is seated, the song “That’s All” begins to play, and one by one, dancers come in dancing and holding signs with the beautiful lyrics to the song.  Ruben walks in with a bouquet of yellow roses and proposes.  The couple celebrates with chocolate and champagne.

The Heart Bandits are known for their diversity in Proposal Planning and we can help make your proposal visions come to life.  Contact us today to get started planning your perfect proposal.

Michele

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How to Present the Ring

An integral part of any proposal is the ring. If you’re planning to propose marriage, you probably already have the ring, or at least know what you’re going to get. However, have you decided how to present the ring?  There’s always the quintessential ring box, which has a certain cachet because of its long tradition, but there are more interesting, creative ways to present your ring.

Feathers and Fur

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Recently a few enterprising people have trained animals to act as ring-bearers, both in weddings and in proposals. A ring tied to a cat or dog’s collar is a good way to incorporate the furry members of your family in the big moment, and can be a good way to surprise your sweetheart with an unexpected proposal. If you want something more exotic, a Proposal Planner can help you get in touch with professionals that have hawks, owls, doves and other animals that are trained to bring rings to happy couples.

Bait and Switch

As an alternative to the ring box, consider other containers. For the best effect, use something unexpected. Romantic options could be a chocolate box or a hollowed-out book of poetry; more off-the-wall possibilities would include takeout boxes, CD cases, or even the pocket of your sweetheart’s jacket. For all of these ideas, make sure to attach the ring to something, so it doesn’t fall out of an unexpected place unnoticed.

Lost and Found

With a little forethought, it’s possible to plant a ring in the place where you plan to propose, so that it can be ‘found’ when the moment comes. There are two ways to go with this- either to ‘find’ the ring, and then propose, or to propose and then produce the ring from some clever hiding place. Good spots might be in a tree near a beautiful vista for a nature proposal, or under a park bench for a nonchalant park proposal. Only do this if you have a Proposal Planner or trusted friend to stay with the rings at ALL TIMES!

If you want to forego the tried-and-true (but possibly boring) ring box, contact the Heart Bandits. They have the experience and the insight to find the perfect way to present your ring as well as craft your perfect proposal.  Contact us today.

Michele

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Date Planning by The Heart Bandits

Since The Heart Bandits launched in 2010, we have always offered Romantic Date Planning.  We help men and women around the world plan dates for their significant others and to break the dinner and movie cycle.  Check out some photos from our recent date planning client.  Jennifer hired us plan something super romantic for her husband’s birthday.  Did we hit the mark or what? Here is what Jennifer thought about the event:

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“Hope all is well with you … I’m at loss for words on how perfect and absolutely beautiful everything looked and turned out.. Everything from the restaurant , staff , decor , private room , etc was absolutely perfection … You and your staff did a spectacular job… I will definitely send you pics… Once again thank you so much for all your efforts and most of all for capturing exactly what I was looking for and wanted… Robert was very much surprised n loved everything.. I will definitely work with you again … You’re the greatest!!! “

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Our Custom Date Planning is a premium service and here is how it works:

Interview

We get to know you and your partner a little better by asking you detailed questions about your preferences, hobbies, love story, etc.

Brainstorm

With the information we gathered, we will come up with unique and custom date ideas for you and your partner.  Choose the one you love and we provide you a blueprint with how to pull it off.  OR…

Execute

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You can hire us to bring it all to life like Jennifer did.  There is no substitute for a professional planning your event.

Contact The Heart Bandits today to start planning your special date.  Whether it be a date night, or a birthday, or an anniversary, we can help plan your very special date.

 

Michele

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Boston Marriage Proposal

I get sooooo super excited when my past clients refer their family and friends to me.  That is exactly what happened with the proposal I am sharing today.  A few years ago I planned Andy’s Paparazzi style proposal which was featured on Anderson Cooper Live.  You can see it here.  Andy referred his brother Mark to me and we planted actors all around a park in Chicago for his proposal.  Check that one out here.  Both of the brother’s referred Oliver to us and we can’t wait to show you his proposal!

Photo by Longwood Venue

Photo by Longwood Venue

Oliver wanted to plan the ultimate surprise proposal for Rosie.  Rosie had no idea that he would even be visiting Boston that weekend, let alone be proposing to her! We first set out to find the most beautiful room with the best view of Boston for the proposal location.  Once we had the venue, we decided on a simple, elegant, and hip design concept.  Rosie’s favorite color is pink and since she is super trendy, we wanted an ombre style rose petal pathway leading her to the harpist and table for two.  We also had matching custom made ombre votives to match, spread beautifully throughout the room.  The final romantic touch was a harpist!

Rosie walked in the room that day and could not believe her eyes.  There was Oliver, waiting in a suit for her, not even supposed to be in town. He walked her down the rose petal path and proposed to her.  Then he gave her one more surprise.  Her family was waiting in another room and they all came out to congratulate her.  We are so happy to have been involved with this romantic marriage proposal and we couldn’t be happier for the beautiful couple.

If you want to give your girlfriend a proposal that is truly reflective of her and your relationship with her, contact The Heart Bandits today.  We will work with you to come up with the perfect proposal idea and then bring it to life.  Contact us today!

Proposal Planning: The Heart Bandits

Venue: The State Room

Florist: By Nectar

Videographer: Makayla Jade Creatives

Harpist: Shelley Otis

Michele

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Best Types of Austin Proposal Ideas

A cultural hub of the  American South, Austin is a destination for sightseers and travelers from around the globe. It may not spring to mind as the most romantic of cities, but in fact it has a lot to offer to lovebirds looking for a place to propose.  Here are 3 Austin Proposal Ideas for you to consider:

Photo Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/mckinney-falls

Photo Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/mckinney-falls

Nature

Austin is a large city, but it is surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature in the US. One only has to travel a few miles from the city to find pristine desert waterways, such as McKinney Falls, and steaming hot springs with gorgeous geysers, such as Barton Springs. Horseback riding and trails are abundant in this beautiful city. If your sweetheart is a nature lover, a little sleuthing will guarantee that you find an ideal proposal location.

Music

Austin is nationally recognized for its music scene. The television show “Austin City Limits” has brought the city a lot of attention with its televised concert series. Consider taking your sweetheart to live Austin City Limits concert, or enjoy one of the other venues that have cropped up in the shadow of the famous ACL hall. If you plan ahead, you can catch almost any renowned performer in live concert. An experienced proposal planner may even be able to help you finagle a backstage pass for an all-star proposal!

Art

If you are planning to propose to a painter, a sculptor, or just a girl who appreciates the fine arts, then Austin is a great destination for a  proposal trip. The city offers many galleries, outdoor sculptures,  statues, and also some amazing repositories of art. The Blanton Museum of Art is one of the foremost art museums in the United States, and offers the chance to dazzle your girl with amazing pieces of art before you dazzle her with a ring. For an edgier art scene, consider venturing into the Hope Outdoor Gallery, which features stunning graffiti murals on a grand scale.

If you’re thinking about proposing in Austin, or any other city for that matter, contact the Heart Bandits. They can help you arrange the perfect proposal, no matter what aspect of Austin you want to explore.  Contact us today.

 

Michele

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