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“That’s It, I’m Proposal Shaming”: 30 Times People Couldn’t Hold Back From Roasting Tragic Proposals
Everyone’s relationship is different, so the amount of surprise and thoughtfulness of a proposal will, inevitably, vary. Many prefer a private moment, while others like a lavish, public event. But there are those strange few who seem like they have chosen to just wing it even with many people and cameras around.
The “That’s it, I’m proposal shaming” Facebook group, besides a wonderfully descriptive name, gathers user stories and pictures of the most cringe-worthy proposals, both successful and unsuccessful. So upvote your favorites, however you might define that, and share your own proposal stories in the comments section.
More info: Facebook
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Man slapped after proposing with a Ring Pop at baseball game
I assume he hid the ring in his luggage, for proposing with on vacation. However, a TSA search uncovered the ring and, surprise ruined,he had no choice but to propose in the line.
Despite marriages existing in one form or another across basically the entire globe, the act of broaching “the question” has nuances across the entire geographic, religious, and economic spectrum. For example, same-sex couples might have multiple proposals, so both members get their chance to ask. Though the first one still runs the risk of rejection. Unfortunately, homophobia still exists even in more developed countries, so many same-sex couples prefer to propose in private or a more secluded area, something many of the people featured in this article could have benefited from.
But, it could be worse. At least these people were asked directly. Traditionally, many marriages were just arranged. This has the silver lining of allowing a more nervous person to avoid a proposal, but it also often leaves the choice of partner up to the parents. Personally, I’m not sure if I would delegate restaurant plans to my parents, so letting them (hypothetically) choose my partner would be a bridge too far.
The stereotypical proposal is done by a man, but consumer trends indicate that women are increasingly posing the question themselves. Jewelers are making engagement rings designed for men so their potential partners can pop the question with a nice ring. These are sometimes called man-gagement rings, since, as usual, men seem to need a special category. Judging by some of the stories listed here, husbands and wives-to-be alike should count their lucky stars if it’s a real ring and not some candy. At this point, receiving it from a prospective partner and not, say, a cow or a chicken nugget (?!?) is already a luxury.
The idea of an engagement ring possibly goes back, like many things, to ancient Egypt, though with limited evidence. There is stronger evidence that it was practiced in ancient Greece. The Romans, true Hellenophiles, regularly copied Greece’s homework and also used rings to designate engagement. In a twist on the modern practice, ancient Romans would wear two rings, a golden one in public and an iron one at home.
Here’s my ex husband and his new fiancée. He left me with our four year old at the end of April in the middle of the quarantine over TEXT because he was cheating on me with this girl (last in a long string, come to find out). Announced their engagement not even five minutes after the divorce was settled, but according to both of them he *definitely* wasn’t cheating. Since when do we wear high school prom dresses to get engaged? Yeesh. Class act
Wow. She's literally bragging how she stole a man from his wife and child. Shame on her, and shame on him.
I hate captions like this. Side note- I also think “finally” is kind of ironic for 22 year olds.
The people-groups that inherited the ruins of the Roman empire, naturally, copied the Roman’s homework and also used rings to signify marriage or engagement. The Visigothic Code of Laws designated the acceptance of a ring as sufficient evidence of engagement even if there was no written agreement. The peoples of Dark Age Western Europe also mandated making the proposal known to the public, as long as it was accepted of course. The purpose of this process called the banns of marriage was to allow members of the community to raise any possible issues about the wedding.
Now, gold rings have been the norm since before Christ, but Medieval suitors were the first to introduce that more modern element, the diamond. The first recorded use of a diamond engagement ring was from the Archduke Maximilian of Austria to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. As usual, the nobility followed the trends and norms set down by the aristocracy and also started demanding diamond rings.
Despite social norms and pressures, roughly a quarter of couples just didn’t bother with engagement rings, and many preferred to pay under 2000$ for them. Researchers have even found an inverse relationship, where the higher the price of the ring, the higher the divorce rate. A common throughline is the stress caused by wedding expenses “exploding” after the event. Many couples go into debt and once the excitement of the event dies down, the marriage often dies with it.
Proposal at Walmart
While women proposing is a more recent social development, some cultures did create certain allowances for it. In the UK, Ireland, and Finland, some folk norms “allowed” women to propose to prospective husbands on leap days. This came out of a Medieval statute allegedly established in 1288. The woman did have to give the man some warning, however, by wearing a red petticoat, presumably so he could identify it at a distance and mentally prepare himself. Or plan an escape route.
It wasn't her husband's funeral it was her father's - the pastor was proposing in front of her father so he'd know she'd be taken care of - different cultures people, different cultures.
I'm sorry but a few of these were fine. You don't have to wear fancy clothes, and you don't have to go somewhere pricy, in order to propose.
I'm guessing a lot of them are probably places that meant something to the couple too, like the place they were working in when they met, or an inside joke that only they get. I would rather have a proposal which means something specifically to me, than just spending a lot of money for the sake of making it "special"
Load More Replies...I had to stop reading these. The people shaming the couples' special moment are plain mean. So what if the proposal's not in a fancy restaurant, or if the ring isn't from Tiffany's. It's special to them, and that's all that matters.
Do you want to get married, or do you want an expensive ring and a candlelit dinner? Screw the haters, all of these are absolutely fine. Any form of ring at all, at any place is fine. People often say that there was this moment whilst cleaning the pig-sty or vacuuming that they knew they were the one, so why not decide to propose at that moment? Ugh. Too little romance in the world and these chucklefucks want to sneer. Boo this list.
I agree. My husband proposed to me while he was taking a shower. I was already wearing a ring from a quarter machine, that he gave me in a jest proposal. That ring was the place holder until we got our matching gold bands. As for short "courtships", my sister and her husband had only been dating a couple weeks before they got engaged. They've been happily married for over 30 years!
Load More Replies...best proposal was from someone I know, they just on a date at a fancy restaurant at the end of the date just said "hey, you want get married", she said yes, went to her parents house where relatives on both sides were waiting. Basically everyone knew it was happening, and she guessed it. But no ring or anything, just asked. The next day she went with her future mother in law to a jewelry store to pick out the ring because the guy said he would have no clue what to get her, and to let her pick the ring
Is it just me, or are there far too many posts glorifying "shaming" on BP?
I think shaming anyone for how the choose to propose is cringey AF
I sometimes think that the simpler the proposal, the better the marriage
In a lot of these cases, we don't know the story. The location could be very meaningful to them, such as where they met. Just because it isn't right FOR YOU, doesn't mean it wasn't the perfect way to propose to someone else. A lot of people hate the idea of a public proposal, but last Katsucon there was a proposal at the formal ball and the girl getting proposed was absolutely delighted. Said it was her absolute dream proposal. So how about we spend less time judging and shaming others?
one of my family members got engaged a little while ago. (their wedding was a beautiful small wedding in the redwood forest) He proposed to her while they were on a hike, they stopped at a little area and there was apparently a beautiful view. She said it was perfect because she didn't want a public proposal. I'm personally very happy they got married, they're both so amazing
I loved the simplicity and sweetness of some of these. I'd take a ring in a personal pizza over an over-the-top proposal any day.
I may have proposed to Nathaniel here on BP. Or was it Headless Horseman? Or both? Damn, I don't remember. They never accepted anyway 🤷🏻♀️
I'm sure they accepted. They're just busy telling their friends and family the good news :)
Load More Replies...The comments about location strike me as snobbery. My OH was talking about the future with me and I reminded him that I’d like to be married before I had a kids. He said “I know” and, at the time we were living in a total student dive, he put his handkerchief on the floor & knelt in it and proposed. That was in 1994. We’re still madly in love and living in a house where you don’t stick to the floors! If he’d chosen some statement proposal location if just wouldn’t have felt right for the our relationship. Similarly, he had no ring so we went and chose one together and I put some cash on towards it so I had one we both liked. It was cheap but we were just out of Uni’ and it was a symbol of our love not a status symbol.
I'm sorry but a few of these were fine. You don't have to wear fancy clothes, and you don't have to go somewhere pricy, in order to propose.
I'm guessing a lot of them are probably places that meant something to the couple too, like the place they were working in when they met, or an inside joke that only they get. I would rather have a proposal which means something specifically to me, than just spending a lot of money for the sake of making it "special"
Load More Replies...I had to stop reading these. The people shaming the couples' special moment are plain mean. So what if the proposal's not in a fancy restaurant, or if the ring isn't from Tiffany's. It's special to them, and that's all that matters.
Do you want to get married, or do you want an expensive ring and a candlelit dinner? Screw the haters, all of these are absolutely fine. Any form of ring at all, at any place is fine. People often say that there was this moment whilst cleaning the pig-sty or vacuuming that they knew they were the one, so why not decide to propose at that moment? Ugh. Too little romance in the world and these chucklefucks want to sneer. Boo this list.
I agree. My husband proposed to me while he was taking a shower. I was already wearing a ring from a quarter machine, that he gave me in a jest proposal. That ring was the place holder until we got our matching gold bands. As for short "courtships", my sister and her husband had only been dating a couple weeks before they got engaged. They've been happily married for over 30 years!
Load More Replies...best proposal was from someone I know, they just on a date at a fancy restaurant at the end of the date just said "hey, you want get married", she said yes, went to her parents house where relatives on both sides were waiting. Basically everyone knew it was happening, and she guessed it. But no ring or anything, just asked. The next day she went with her future mother in law to a jewelry store to pick out the ring because the guy said he would have no clue what to get her, and to let her pick the ring
Is it just me, or are there far too many posts glorifying "shaming" on BP?
I think shaming anyone for how the choose to propose is cringey AF
I sometimes think that the simpler the proposal, the better the marriage
In a lot of these cases, we don't know the story. The location could be very meaningful to them, such as where they met. Just because it isn't right FOR YOU, doesn't mean it wasn't the perfect way to propose to someone else. A lot of people hate the idea of a public proposal, but last Katsucon there was a proposal at the formal ball and the girl getting proposed was absolutely delighted. Said it was her absolute dream proposal. So how about we spend less time judging and shaming others?
one of my family members got engaged a little while ago. (their wedding was a beautiful small wedding in the redwood forest) He proposed to her while they were on a hike, they stopped at a little area and there was apparently a beautiful view. She said it was perfect because she didn't want a public proposal. I'm personally very happy they got married, they're both so amazing
I loved the simplicity and sweetness of some of these. I'd take a ring in a personal pizza over an over-the-top proposal any day.
I may have proposed to Nathaniel here on BP. Or was it Headless Horseman? Or both? Damn, I don't remember. They never accepted anyway 🤷🏻♀️
I'm sure they accepted. They're just busy telling their friends and family the good news :)
Load More Replies...The comments about location strike me as snobbery. My OH was talking about the future with me and I reminded him that I’d like to be married before I had a kids. He said “I know” and, at the time we were living in a total student dive, he put his handkerchief on the floor & knelt in it and proposed. That was in 1994. We’re still madly in love and living in a house where you don’t stick to the floors! If he’d chosen some statement proposal location if just wouldn’t have felt right for the our relationship. Similarly, he had no ring so we went and chose one together and I put some cash on towards it so I had one we both liked. It was cheap but we were just out of Uni’ and it was a symbol of our love not a status symbol.