The new trend in marriage proposals

Once you just went down on one knee with a ring and hoped for the best
But today’s couples are taking a marriage proposal far more seriously
The new trend is in “proposal planning” – and popping the questions is on a whole other level

When taking a stroll around Sydney Harbour this Valentine’s Day, you might spot a nervous groom or bride-to-be standing in a carefully-designed array of flowers, candles, pillows and adornments, with the dazzling words ‘Will You Marry Me’ lit up behind them.

But they’re not just waiting for Romeo or Juliet to pass by. It’s all been carefully planned.

The flowers, carpets, champagne and canapes have all been laid on by a professional proposal planner. And the cost of popping the question can be an eye-popping, ardour-dampening $20,000!

Sydney is seeing a boom in pre-planned proposals, and as Valentine’s Day approaches, these businesses see an influx of requests from local Sydney-siders and international romantics.

Megan, a proposal coordinator at My Proposal Co, stated that these proposals can range in price from $1,500 to $20,000, depending on how extravagant their client wishes to go. The proposal backdrops take roughly 2 hours to set up, and if the client wishes to propose in the City of Sydney council, a permit will have to be obtained for construction approval.

Megan attributes some of the success of the business to the growing popularity of the big social media engagement announcement. Some 80% of her clients opt to have professional videographers, photographers and content creators present, ready and waiting to catch the couple’s fairytale moment.

Claire’s proposals business

Claire runs the small business ‘Surprise Proposals by Claire’, which she started in 2013, and has since assisted with over 1000 marriage proposals. She first came across the role of ‘proposal planner’ on a Japanese dating show, and saw the popularity of the big, lavish proposals sweeping through Asia and America. She then decided to bring this industry over to Australia, with her business booming after being featured on the Today Show. She states that her clients are mostly local to Sydney, with about 20% being international, travelling to Sydney for the perfect backdrop to their big question.

After over 10 years in the industry, Claire has a number of stories from her time as a proposal coordinator, from organising video projections during Vivid of one couple’s happy memories, to decorating the top floor of Sydney Observatory.

However, she maintains that Blues Point Reserve remains the most popular location for a proposal backdrop, due to its view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Claire has played a variety of roles to keep the surprise from unsuspecting partners when planning the proposals, including a tour guide, a real estate agent and even a spy!

Not only does the proposal coordinator risk ruining the surprise, weather can also be a problem for proposal plans, especially with the heavy rain that sometimes plagues Sydney. Luckily, both Claire and Megan said that a wet-weather back-up location, like a hotel room or function space, is always an option if needed.

So, has anyone ever said no to these lavish proposals?

Claire insists that no one has ever said no to any of the proposals that she has organised. She often follows these newly-engaged couples on social media, meaning that she can see their journey through married life, adding a personal touch to a job that she describes as delightful.

Megan also said that no one has ever said no to a proposal that MyProposalCo. has coordinated. However, she added that this does not mean that all of these couples ended up tying the knot, despite the initially positive start to the engagement.

Contact Proposals by Claire