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- Nearly 200 000 marriages are recorded each year in South Africa.
- But before wedding plans begin, there's the special occasion of a partner popping the question to their loved one.
- How the couple met and got engaged will become stories told to friends and family for years to come.
- Here we look at this season's engagement trends and related activities.
Love is always in the air, whether we know it or not. Whatever happens each year, it's guaranteed that somewhere, somehow, star-crossed lovers will enter into new agreements to spend their lives together.
And for each, this starts with the unforgettable experience of getting engaged. Whether you're planning to do it on one knee, shouting from the hilltops or under a starlit canopy, make sure your engagement experience is unique and special this year.
A relaxed approach
Symbolising the care and safety that will go into the union to come, this trend emphasises proposals that make you feel relaxed. At the top of the list are couples' spa experiences. This includes a half-day package of a welcome drink and snack, a couples massage and a swim in a spa salt pool before the question is asked.
Some even opt to take the relaxation element a step further by simply staying at home and cooking dinner for two, opting to get engaged in the comfort of their own homes. For the at-home trend, make sure to include a few carefully selected elements, such as a personalised Spotify playlist, roses scattered all over the house and a few scented candles here and there.
READ MORE | How shaky hands, an accidental kick in the face ruined these marriage proposals
Into nature
This trend is all about photo opportunities with proposals next to the ocean, in a forest or garden. Picture the waves crashing while the sun begins to set before your partner kneels before you to pop the question.
A seaside hotel such as Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, for instance, would be able to assist you in setting up your proposal so that you capture the sunset at the right moment. Not only that, but the team at the hotel will assist in ensuring that your post-engagement dinner, meal or drinks continue the romantic vibe.
If you don't live near the ocean or an ocean-side hotel, plenty of hotels around the country are close to nature, where you can make your engagement special.
READ MORE | WATCH | The genius way this couple got Adele to sign the bride's wedding dress
Luxury engagements
While this season's engagement trends speak to fewer frills and more privacy, popping the question with the addition of a special luxury experience is still popular. Couples like to think of doing something that they have never done before.
This can include uniquely African experiences such as hot air balloons or safari rides followed by romantic private dinners and a stay at a hotel. If you're based within driving distance of the Kruger National Park area, consider a hotel such as Kruger Gate.
The viewing deck from this hotel makes it the perfect location to pop the question. Who knows, one of the Big 5 might even be a witness to your commitment to one another!
READ MORE | 'Small weddings, bold colours, sustainability' - Wedding trends brides should look out for this year
The element of surprise
Getting all of your friends and family involved to orchestrate a surprise experience is an exciting and novel way of getting engaged. Book a secret weekend away and get friends and family to help deliver your partner to the secret location or pack your partner's bags while they are at work.
Have staff at the property welcome your partner with a song or something special and lead them to where you are waiting for them in your room with a bunch of flowers or a special gift to kickstart a romantic weekend.
Finally, organise a romantic breakfast in bed with the engagement ring hidden inside one of the food items and pop the question once your partner discovers it.
If you're choosing to arrange your engagement this year, make sure it is one to remember. And don't forget to capture it all on your phone or video to share with friends, family and social media.
