Ask The Kit Weddings is our wedding etiquette column. Wedding expert Alison McGill tackles the pressing—sometimes uncomfortable—questions that everyone from almost-marrieds to attending guests have on their minds. Send your Qs to ask@thekit.ca.

I’m going to propose to my girlfriend this summer, and of course I want the event to be perfect. I am not great at organizing things; I am little overwhelmed at the prospect of planning such a milestone event in our relationship—maybe we’ve been watching too many rom-coms! It needs to be personal, special, wow and totally us. I know there are wedding vendors who specialize in proposal experiences; should I work with one to help me create that magic moment?  —James

Ah, the season of love is upon us, which means loads of engagements are currently in the works! James, I love that you are already thinking of your proposal in terms of a movie moment. When I think of some of my favourite cinematic engagement scenes—Love Actually, Four Weddings and Funeral, Pride and Prejudice—what makes them so impactful is the emotion and that intimate, intense and deep connection between the couples. Fun fact: It seems a moody rainy interlude is also part of that mix!

As we can’t control the weather, what we can control is the environment of your proposal, and I absolutely think if you want to make it shine extra-bright, working with a proposal planner is a fabulous idea. The proposal planner is not a totally new vendor but a service category that began growing pre-pandemic and has exploded in popularity as we’ve come out the other side. Just like the wedding content creator, a proposal planner is there to make life easier for you, and to help you put your dream engagement into play.

To help answer your question about how professional proposal planning works, I connected with Anna Katherine Kruusi who is a luxury wedding planner and the founder of Niagara Proposals. She tells me she expanded her business in 2021 to include engagements because she recognized a need that she says has really been driven by, you guessed it, social media.

“The demand for proposal planning has been incredible and absolutely I credit Instagram and TikTok for this,” says Kruusi. “I help people dream big, find the resources and meet their expectations for this milestone. Capturing a picture-perfect moment is important for many, and that doesn’t mean the proposal has to be public or huge in scope, just incredibly personal.”

Read on for how Kruusi works to plan proposals for her clients, the cos, and a few favourite experiences she’s planned to inspire you, James.

How far in advance do you need to book a proposal planner?

“I find there are two ends of the spectrum in my business when it comes to timing, and there is no middle ground,” Kruusi explains. “I either have a proposer panic call me less than two weeks before they plan to propose once they realize how fast it’s coming up and they need help putting it together and pulling it off. On the flip side, I have people who book with me six to 12 months out from the day they plan to pop the question and know everything they want and need but are looking to have a professional finesse and manage this process—that’s what we do best! You tell us what you’re looking for, we do all the planning, contracting, decorating, collecting, set up and tear down. All you have to do is get on one knee!”

Is the current trend for proposal planning grand and glorious or a little more intimate and enchanting?

“I find my clients today are wanting a balance between the two moods, actually,” says Kruusi. “People are looking for something intimate—it’s very family and friends are on site for proposals now—but they still want it to be a grand, enchanting and luxurious event and to have content to share with their networks ASAP. Every client is unique in how they want to share their love story and bring it in as part of the proposal. It could be the location for the proposal, a specific flower, the view but people want a photo-perfect takeaway from the proposal. We are on site to make sure everything is set up, runs smooth and of course is beautifully photographed!”

Do you have a few favourite proposals you have planned?

“They’re all so magical to be honest, so it’s hard to pick favourites, and I still get teary-eyed every time a proposal happens,” says Kruusi. “One that always stands out in my mind was a rooftop patio proposal we planned last summer for Devonte and Trudy, which has stunning views over St. Catharines and the surrounding Niagara area. From every step of the planning process, Devonte was on top of all the details and knew what Trudy wanted. We created a seven-foot heart arch and had it on site. It was gorgeous weather and Devonte worked with us to create a beautiful soundtrack. Trudy had no idea what was happening that day and when they arrived and saw the set-up she was just blown away, and the joy in that moment was so incredible.”

What is the cost for proposal planning services?

“For our services, we create an all-inclusive package that covers all the angles—photographer, musicians, decor, flowers, champagne and your proposal planning professional,” reports Kruusi. “These packages can range anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the scope. It’s a once in a lifetime moment, so investing to ensure it’s exactly as you imagined it is money very well spent.”

Engagement rings as unique as your proposal

We love the bold settings and unconventional stone shapes of these five incredible rings

Vrai ring, from $1,710, vrai.com. Photo: Vrai
Shop Now

We adore everything about this ring: the statement trillion shaped lab diamond, the warm rose gold setting and the sparkly micro-pavé diamond band. The price point is also incredibly accessible, which means you can play with customizing the stone shape to create a truly bespoke piece and and still keep on budget.

Brilliant Earth ring, from $1,530, brilliantearth.com. Photo: Brilliant Earth
Shop Now

The Haiden bezel-set diamond solitaire is a sleek, modern style with major dazzle. The east-west stone setting (you can choose an emerald or radiant cut diamond) is what makes this one a standout.

Mejuri ring, $2,300, mejuri.com. Photo: Mejuri.
Shop Now

The pavé diamond Soft Charlotte ring is a a Mejuri fan favourite, loved for it’s sparkle factor (this beauty has 72 diamonds!) and chunky design that makes it a perfect stacking piece. Consider this one a fresh take on the timeless eternity band.

 

Paris Jewellers ring, $2,199, parisjewellers.com. Photo: Paris Jewellers
Shop Now

Black diamonds, just like black wedding dresses, are having a moment! The iconic pear engagement ring gets a fresh twist thanks to Canadian brand Paris Jewellers who make a one-carat black diamond the star of the show surrounded by a halo of white round brilliant stones.

Maison Birks ring, from $6,500, maisonbirks.com. Photo: Maison Birks.

 

Shop Now

Birks Dare to Dream stackable engagement ring is such a stunning choice because it comes complete with an iconic brilliant round cut solitaire paired with three other complimentary stacking bands in mixed metal tones and textures to create a truly personalized piece.

This article contains affiliate links, which means The Kit may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by advertising. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.

    More Wedding Advice