Thinking about proposing to your partner? We know how scary and exciting it can be to get down on one knee and ask the love of your life to marry you.

The preparation for the proposal is usually more difficult than asking the question itself. You need to find the perfect ring, spot the best location to pop the question, and figure out your proposal speech, all while ensuring your partner doesn’t notice what you’re doing.

With all of these things on your mind, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re planning to propose to your partner. To make sure your special moment goes as smoothly as possible, we’ve rounded up a list of three of the most important things to do when planning the perfect proposal for your loved one.

1. Be Certain That You’re Both On the Same Page

As excited as you are to propose, it’s important to make sure that your partner shares the same views and feelings about marriage as you do. Marriage is a huge decision so you want to know that you both feel the same way.

Open up the conversation about marriage and gauge how your partner feels. This will make it much easier to plan things if you get a strong sense that they’re keen on getting married to you in the future.

Try bringing the topic of marriage into the conversation naturally so your partner doesn’t get any hints that you’re considering a proposal in the near future.

2. Find the Perfect Ring

Finding a ring is probably one of the hardest parts of the proposal process. You firstly need to determine your partner’s ring size and this is a task in and of itself.

Take a look at their current ring collection, take a ruler, and measure the diameter of the ring that they usually wear on their third finger (known as the ring finger). Make sure you figure out the size of their ring finger and not any one of their other fingers!

Then it’s time to shop around for women’s or men’s rings. There are endless options of engagement rings and wedding rings so don’t rush your decision.

Consider the style, size, and design of the ring that you think they’ll like the most. You’ll also need to decide which metal they’d prefer, whether it’s gold, silver, or platinum.

3. Decide Your Proposal Location

Location is one of the most important factors that contribute to the perfect proposal alongside a lovely ring and a great proposal speech.

Consider what kind of environment your partner loves. Maybe they enjoy being outdoors in nature or maybe there is a special place where you and your partner share a lot of memories.

It’s also important to consider whether your partner would enjoy a public proposal or if they’ve ever expressed interest in a more intimate and private proposal. The last thing you want is for them to get flustered and say no because they don’t enjoy the attention in public!