Words: Jemima Wilson
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Whether surrounded by your nearest and dearest or enjoying a secluded romantic escape, the Christmas break allows plenty of time for fizz-filled celebrations, therefore it’s no wonder Christmas is one of the most popular times of year to propose.
Indeed, Christmas is all about spending time with friends and family and showing your loved ones what they mean to you. So, if you’ve read our guide on making the ultimate, individual statement when popping the question, and decided to make things official with the forever person in your life, (but you haven’t been sure when’s the right time to propose), the extra magic of the festive period could provide the perfect opportunity.
Christmas at The Dorchester
The first thing to consider when popping the question at Christmas is whether you’ll be at home, or away. For some people, spending quality time at home is one of the greatest luxuries at Christmas – plus if you pop the question at home, you can celebrate with friends and family straight afterwards. Therefore, if you choose to propose in the comfort of home, with friends and family close by, there are numerous thoughtful and heart-warming ways to do it.
If you are planning to propose on Christmas day itself, why not start the day with breakfast in bed, with the addition of a stunning De Beers diamond ring such as the classic round brilliant diamond ring for some scintillating sparkling with your croissants and champagne?
Alternatively, for more of a surprise, you could wrap up the ring box and put it in your partner's stocking with other presents, or hide it under the Christmas tree. So, just when they think they’ve opened all their gifts, you present them with the extra little box containing a beautiful ring. For extra romance, choose the Aura heart-shaped design for a timeless symbol of everlasting love.
If walking is something you and your partner enjoy doing together, proposing on a Christmas walk is another way to melt their heart and get a guaranteed ‘yes!’. Choose your favourite destination – preferably with a beautiful view or a place of sentimental value - and once you’ve reached the chosen spot, find the perfect moment to get down on one knee to pop the question and reveal that special diamond. The Aura Toi & Moi ring is symbolic of two entities meeting as one, combining a pear-shape and a round brilliant diamond.
If proposing at home doesn’t provide the glitzy backdrop you have in mind for your proposal, but you don’t want to travel too far afield, you could consider whisking your future fiancé off for a lavish mini-break at one of London’s most iconic five star hotels for a truly memorable and luxurious treat in the run up to Christmas. There are certain hotels, which are renowned for their spectacular decorations at Christmas time – The Ritz, Claridges, The Dorchester and The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park among them – guaranteed to create a suitably magnificent setting for you to present a truly breathtaking ring. The Old Bond Street ring, named after the house’s flagship store, is composed around an exceptional emerald-cut diamond, and is sure to create the wow factor, as is the Enchanted Lotus Cocktail Ring.
Christmas at The Dorchester
Enchanted Lotus Cocktail Ring
If you’re really not sure which ring to choose, Andrew Coxon, President De Beers Institute of Diamonds, advises finding the ring together, and while staying in one of London’s finest hotels, a visit to De Beers on Old Bond Street to choose the ring could be the perfect opportunity to drop on one knee. “There are good technical reasons why your partners’ eyes will choose the best diamond for themselves,” Andrew explains. “Our eyes are all individual and the combination of what makes a diamond sparkle with visual excitement, fire, life and brilliance is very unique to each set of eyes. When both eyes agree it is like a bolt of lightning - you do not want to take that ring off your hand, ever. In many ways, the diamond chooses you and when that happens you will fall in love forever."
What’s more, after checking in to a sumptuous hotel, not only will you be sure to wow your partner with the opulent festive surroundings, you will also have the added bonus of access to the epitome of fine dining, with the chance to celebrate in one of the hotels private dining rooms, restaurants or bars afterwards. Plus, the helping hand of the concierge, who, no matter what your requests are, will organise and ensure everything is executed perfectly.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
A few years ago at the Mandarin Oriental, a groom secretly approached the hotel’s concierge team with a heartfelt request to help arrange a horse-riding session for his girlfriend at neighbouring Hyde Park. Afterwards, the groom seized the perfect moment to drop on one knee outside the hotel’s Royal Entrance. The concierge thoughtfully captured the magical moment with a photograph of the picturesque Hyde Park facing side, making the perfect background for such a special occasion. Soon after the proposal, the hotel’s dedicated Guest Relations team framed the photo (above) and placed it in the couple’s room.
Paul Whittle, Head Concierge at The Dorchester and an International Delegate at Les Clefs d'Or has also helped to arrange numerous unforgettable proposals at The Dorchester. “I’ve helped organise many proposals at Christmas over the years, not just within the hotel but also helping staying guests with proposals in locations around London,” he says. “Taking over a pod in the London Eye seemed to be the most popular, or closing down an entire restaurant for a proposal dinner is also a special option.
At The Dorchester we once had a guest who was looking to propose to his partner, whose grandmother had been proposed to at the hotel decades earlier. We collected the couple from their home in a 1931 classic Rolls Royce (the year The Dorchester opened) and when they arrived at the hotel we arranged for dinner within our Park Suite, which was where Prince Philip held his bachelor party before getting married to HM The Queen. Then when it was time for dessert, the couple went up to The Dorchester Rooftop, which had a winter pop-up and was exclusively theirs for the night, and across the road at our sister hotel 45 Park Lane we positioned a large luminous sign from the Penthouse balcony which read ‘Will You Marry Me?’”.
If whisking your future fiancé off for a trip abroad at Christmas is on your agenda, to inspire you, expert at luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent James Treacy recommends floating down the Grand Canal on a gondola in Venice before proposing under the Bridge of Sighs, or, taking a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara in Kenya. “As you float gently over the savannah, propose with a view of spectacular wildlife below. For extra romance, arrange for a champagne picnic upon landing,” he suggests.
Other romantic ideas are a taking a scenic railway journey through the Canadian Rockies - “book a vintage private train car and propose as you pass majestic mountain vistas,” James advises; proposing in Iceland under the Northern Lights with the truly stunning, one-of-a-kind Frozen Capture solitaire ring; or having a private dinner at the Amber Fort in Jaipur, India, on a candlelit terrace overlooking the pink city at night, where the Aura fancy purplish pink cushion-cut diamond will complement the location exquisitely.
Image by Justin Weiler
Aura Fancy Purplish Pink Cushion-Cut Diamond
One thing’s certain, no matter where or how you propose, a natural diamond combines perfectly with pure love, as Andrew Coxon describes. “Love is our finest emotion, and when matched with the most beautiful gemstone on earth - the natural diamond - it becomes a marriage made in heaven.”
Make this your most memorable Christmas yet…
Want advice on how to choose the best diamond engagement ring?
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