Asking someone to marry you can be a nightmare of organization, complicated plans and heaps of anxiety—how do you ensure the scene is set, where should you go down on one knee and will your proposal be memorable for all the right reasons? Here, international travel experts Mr & Mrs Smith help your sweetie keep it heartfelt with some tips on where and how to pop that all-important question.—Tamara Heber-Percy
Reykjavik, Iceland
Where? On a lava-black sand beach (considered one of the world’s prettiest) with waves crashing, bringing small icebergs ashore.
Why? For natural drama: Southern Iceland’s surreal monochrome landscape, like a cool black-and-white movie set, and the possibility of seeing nocturnal Aurora Borealis displays from September to April make this an unforgettable backdrop.
Where to stay: Celebrate your engagement with a couple of hip harborside nights at Reykjavík’s metropolitan and art-filled 101 Hotel.
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San Pedro, BelizeWhere? Underwater: Ask German, Cayo Espanto’s very own dive instructor, to take you out on a private guided dive on Ambergris Caye’s barrier reef and pen “Will you marry me?” on a whiteboard. Don’t drop the pen or you might have to wait till you surface for your answer!
Why? It’s adventurous, it’s original, and it offers the ultimate in privacy—there are only the fish to share it with. (OK, so German the dive guide might be there too, but you could ask him to hover behind a rock.)
Where to stay: Check into a beach house on the private island of
Cayo Espanto, three miles off the coast of Belize—each of the six villas there comes with its own “houseman.”
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Belize
Miami, FloridaWhere? Reserve a private beach cabana at the Delano for a backdrop of endless white sand, and then get your timing right to look to the heavens for a fly-by proposal towed by a
biplane.
Why? Miami is all about glamour and excess, so it’s the perfect place to make a big statement in sky-high lettering!
Where to stay: Retreat to the ultraromantic, super-private five-bedroom
Casa Tua, a Mediterranean-style villa with a renowned restaurant in South Beach’s art deco district.
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Miami
Rome, ItalyWhere? Make like Anita Ekberg and create a splash by Trevi Fountain. Or follow Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck and scoot over to the Spanish Steps or to the Bocca della Verità on two wheels; ride aboard a vintage Vespa or polished Piaggio with
Happy Rent. Early morning before the tourist crowds arrive is the best time for some privacy.
Why? For a pure Hollywood moment, why not organize your own paparazzo like Fellini’s to capture it in style?
Where to stay: Salvatore Ferragamo’s discreet designer den,
Portrait Suites, just off fashion-store-strewn Via Condotti.
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Rome
Smoky Mountains, TennesseeWhere? Turn back time with a pony trek for two through the magical Smoky Mountains. Arrange delivery of a very special private picnic with jaw-dropping scenery along the trail. If you’re not really the sporty type and don’t find sore behinds conducive to romance, you could opt for a horse-drawn carriage ride instead.
Why? “Love and marriage, love and marriage…” Now try to get the tune out of your head while you picture mist-wreathed streams, leaf-dappled sunlight and dense forests: nature at its romantic best.
Where to stay The impeccable nouveau-farmstead
Blackberry Farm, set in pristine Tennessee countryside, will give you one of the warmest welcomes imaginable (and set you up with horses, carriages and other proposal paraphernalia).
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Smoky Mountains
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilWhere? Hot, hedonistic Rio—where lush mountains plunge into tropical seas, Latin beats throb, pulses race and the view is unforgettable. Take a cable-car ride up to the granite dome of Sugar Loaf Mountain, more than 1,000 feet above Rio, to see a dazzling vista of the whole city and Guanabara Bay. Or for the ultimate view, take a helicopter ride along the coast and swoop around
Christ the Redeemer.
Why? This is one of the world’s most exciting, thrilling and inspiring destinations—it’ll be a vacation you’ll never forget.
Where to stay: Chic cliff-hanger
La Suite is located in Joatinga, the Beverly Hills of Rio, and has great beach views of its own—book the Black Suite to make the most of them.
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Rio de Janeiro
London, U.K.Where? Book a ride on the
London Eye, the iconic riverside big wheel for a proposal with vertigo‑inducing views of five counties. You can rent a pod to yourselves to guarantee privacy. Other options include a champagne picnic in the 791‑acre expanse of Hampstead Heath—spread a rug out to enjoy panoramic views or sneak into secret woods; or if the weather isn’t on your side, test out the Whispering Gallery in St. Paul’s Cathedral with a softly spoken “Will you…?”
Why? London, baby! Lend the moment gravitas in Britain’s most historic and multicultural city.
Where to stay: Check into a pretty pied-à-terre at witty British bolt-hole the
Haymarket Hotel, located in the heart of central London’s theater land.
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London
New York, New YorkWhere? The top of the Empire State Building or the middle of Central Park is too predictable, so try something lower-key and totally unexpected. Ask a friendly barman at Grand Central’s upscale city bar the Campbell Apartment to add a “will you marry me?” message to the perfect manhattan—scrolled around the cocktail stirrer. Alternatively, take the subway to Brooklyn’s Dumbo or Williamsburg and walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge, where you can pop the question with a gorgeous view of the city.
Why? The element of surprise in film-familiar surroundings.
Where to stay: Head to Robert De Niro’s designer den,
the Greenwich Hotel, for a grown-up getaway in trendy Tribeca.
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New York
Napa Valley, CaliforniaWhere? Start with a meal at the acclaimed restaurant the French Laundry (landing a reservation is a coup in itself), but be patient and don’t pop until you ride the sky tram at
Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga. At 300 feet above vines, the view of the mountains is the perfect backdrop to your big moment and where to wait for that all-important “yes.”
Why? This is a food and wine heaven for all gourmet lovers—perfect for whetting love’s appetite.
Where to stay: Head for the hills and book into one of
Calistoga Ranch’s ravishing wooden cabins—we love the one-bedroom lodges with outdoor jacuzzis, where you can bubble away under the starlit sky.
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Napa Valley
St Bart’s, the CaribbeanWhere? Arrange a private yacht or speedboat to take you to a secluded beach on a castaway island coast. Have a surprise seafood and chilled champagne lunch waiting, then spell out your intentions with shells and pebbles in the sand.
Why? White sand, swaying palms, sun-kissed skin…what could be more indulgent?
Where to stay: St. Jean’s star-approved
Eden Rock has more luxury accessories and celebrity credentials than the red carpet on Oscar night.
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St. Bart’s
Yucatan Peninsula, MexicoWhere? In one of the area's cenotes—underground pools connected by a network of limestone caverns and rivers. Once regarded as sacred sites by the Mayans, cenotes are accessible for swimming (and getting down on bended knee): Dzitnup cenote just outside Valladolid is one of the best places for a dip with a difference. You could also try your luck as the sun rises at the ruins of one of the temples.
Why? The limpid aquamarine pools and their dazzling ceiling reflections will light up your partner's skin and create a wonderfully atmospheric watery underworld for your proposal.
Where to stay: Chill out at beautiful beach resort
Esencia on the peninsula's east-coast Riviera Maya: It's a tropical jungle and Caribbean beach two-for-one, as well as being close to the ruins of Tulum.
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Yucatan PeninsulaFor more Brides.com travel tips from Mr and Mrs Smith, click here
