Tis' the season for proposals. Let's not make it weird...

(An honest guide for anyone about to pop the question)

Right then. We need to talk about proposals. December and New Year are basically engagement season. Mariah Carey defrosts, the fairy lights come out, and suddenly half the country is dropping to one knee like it is some kind of national sport. And look, it is beautiful. Cold noses. Warm hearts. Cosy vibes. The perfect time to ask your best mate to marry you.

But it can also feel like the most terrifying thing you have ever done in your life. You want to get it right. You want it to feel like you. You want a moment that you will tell your kids and grandkids about one day. And you definitely don’t want to panic your way into a proposal that ends up feeling like a rushed school presentation you forgot to prepare for.

Here is something important. It doesn’t have to happen under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning just because the advert people tell us that is romantic. And you are not required to wait for the clock to hit midnight on New Year’s Eve while everyone counts down and your heart tries to escape through your ribs. The magic isn’t in the date. It is in the moment. It is in what feels right for the two of you when no one else is thinking about anything other than how happy you make each other.

The best proposals are never about being fancy or going viral or planning every second like a military operation. They are about connection. They are about making the moment feel natural and honest. They are about doing something that makes your partner feel known. Not something that just looks good for the internet.

Nobody remembers the big complicated plan. They remember how they felt. They remember that you were shaking. They remember that look in your eyes right before you asked. They remember the warmth of it all.

If you are thinking about proposing over Christmas or New Year, lean into the season. You have built in romance everywhere. Fairy lights. Cosy nights. Mulled wine. That warm buzz of celebration when the world slows down for a minute. Ask yourself what fits your story. Maybe you do it during a walk when the world is quiet and the air feels sharp in your lungs. Maybe you wait until you are both home, wrapped up on the sofa watching a film you have seen a hundred times. Maybe it is right in the middle of the chaos of a family gathering. There are so many moments this season that will hit differently and still feel just as magical.

Say what you actually feel. Keep it simple. You don’t need to deliver the greatest speech in the world. Just talk about why you love them and why you never want to do life without them. If you think you are about to cry, perfect. If your voice shakes, great. That is where the real stuff is.

And if you want photos of it, let me know. Proposal photography is one of the most ridiculous joys of this job. I get to hide like a badly disguised spy with a camera, heart racing, waiting for that exact second everything changes. And yes, I capture the moment. But more importantly, I capture the reaction. The laugh. The hands over the face. The hug that feels like time stops. The first photo of you as two people who just made the best decision ever.

Christmas engagements have this magic. A little bit messy. A little bit emotional. A lot of joy. Let it be imperfect, real and completely yours. If something unexpected happens, that will be part of the story you tell forever.

And hey, if you need a photographer to help plan, hide in a bush and make sure those first moments of your engagement are captured exactly as they should be… I might know a guy. ;)