On the premiere of the Orange County Housewives, the girls are shown at Vicky’s house sipping cocktails as usual. One of the girls mentions how she didn’t really love her fiancé’s marriage proposal which took place in the Bahamas. The new feisty housewife Heather jumped in to say she didn’t really like her wedding proposal that happened on her first class plane ride to Paris. Why are these women unsatisfied with proposals that seem simply perfect?

One might argue that it is because they are pretentious snobs and can’t be pleased. While that may be true, there are many surveys out there showing as many as 80% of women are dissatisfied with their proposals. Although I know many people are going to say that if a woman cares how she is proposed to then she is just not worth marrying, but I disagree. There is nothing wrong with having hopes about way you are proposed to. I believe the reason most people are unsatisfied with their proposal is because the proposer focuses too much on where to propose vs. how to propose. And the “how to propose” is the thing women are not satisfied with. Here are some tips on creating the perfect proposal from the #1 Proposal Planners in the world:

Decide “How” Before You Decide “Where”

Often people decide to propose somewhere amazing like the Bahamas or Paris and then they try to come up with the proposal concept. In reality, the location of the proposal should be built around the proposal idea, not reversed. Once you already have your trip booked to Fiji, you may realize that there is nothing in Fiji that is relevant to your relationship or something that represents you as a couple.

Make the Proposal Idea Personal

Don’t just come up with a really cool proposal. It needs to be something personal that signifies your relationship or tells a cohesive story about your love. That is how you guarantee your significant other will be happy with the proposal. If you need help starting, think about how you met, where you first said I love you, etc.

Have a Plan

Once you have the perfect proposal idea, then you should start to plan it out. You could hire Proposal Planners to help you, or you can do it on your own. If you do it on your own, put the idea down on paper and then begin to figure out the logistics behind it. Think about where you will propose, what the weather may be like, what vendors you need to accomplish the task, and write it all down. Your partner will be able to tell that you put in a lot of prep work into the proposal.

Document the Proposal

Unless your proposal isn’t good or you are afraid she will say no, make sure you document the proposal. If you don’t want to blow the bank on hiring a professional photographer and videographer, then at least have your friends or even a stranger take pictures. A story is great, but there is a reason why people say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Keep these tips in mind and you won’t be the topic of discussion during your fiancé’s own housewives party!