He Said Yes: 11 Women Reveal What It Was Like to Propose to Their Men

Weddings are full of traditions and expectations, and it all starts with the proposal. No matter how creative, simple, romantic, or extravagent a propsoal is, it is always expected that a man is the one who will be getting down on one knee to pop the question — even in 2017! 

However, there are some women who decide to say 'Hell with tradition' and take fate into their own hands. Here are 11 women who decided to propose to their man first.

I Win!

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"[Before] I proposed, I searched and searched the net for ideas or experiences of women that proposed and I feel like I found nothing. I proposed because my fiancé and I are a little competitive, so that meant I won for life.

"But, more seriously, it's because I love him more than anyone else in the world, and I was ready to tell him and everyone else that I wanted to commit the rest of my life to being one unit with him. I proposed really casually one night after he got home from work. I made dinner, we were just cuddled on the couch watching TV and I just told him how happy I was with him and popped the question." — Meagan Wilson, Denver, CO

More from CafeMom: 16 Women Get Real About How Marriage Changed Them

If You Want It, Go For It

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"We met and fell in love four years ago in the mountains of Norway where we both worked as biologists. I recently went away for four months to Antarctica, and while away, [I] thought of us getting married. And when I came home, it dawned on me that there was no reason that I should wait for him to do it; if I wanted it too, then it was as much on me to take charge of our lives as it was him.

"Funny enough, he had already picked a ring for me, as he was planning on proposing soon himself — I just beat him to it and am glad I did. I teach at university and always tell my students to try to not let life be something done to you — go get it for yourself! And I use my story as an example of just that: Don't be the princess in the tower waiting to be rescued; if you want it, put a ring on it yourself!" — Jesamine Bartlett, Birmingham, UK

Taking Charge

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"… Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns. I was so nervous but HE SAID YES!" — Etinosa (via Instagram)

Breaking Away From the Norm

"I actually proposed because of a contest. Brides magazine UK held a contest for leap year (on leap day, women can propose to men in the UK). I signed up not thinking I would get picked, but a whirlwind of two weeks later we were on our way to London from Texas. My then-boyfriend thought we were doing a food review. After dinner we went back to 'review our meal.' He was shocked but beyond excited.

"If it weren't for the contest, I'm not sure I would have proposed, but I'm so glad I did. It showed me how truly hard it is and it showed him that I picked him. It showed him how much I loved him. I think traditions are beautiful, but when it comes to love and marriage, it's okay to break away from the norm!" — Heather LaLonde, Texas

Precious Moments

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"I have been on both sides of the engagement ring. I have been proposed to, and I have been the proposer. To be honest, I felt awkward and embarrassed when I was proposed to. However, I thoroughly loved proposing. It was magical — deciding how I would do it, where I would do it … I imagined what I would say and what he would say.

"It was so much FUN! It's like the very best version of party planning! A proposal is such a precious moment and I'm so glad that I made the decision to roll up my sleeves and do the job myself." — Anonymous 

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Leap Year

"Dan and I met 7 years ago when we started working together, he bought me a creme egg one day and I was hooked … 7 years on I proposed to him with it being a leap year, all thanks to @bridesmagazine who organized the most amazing proposal party." — Melissa Parsons (via Instagram)

Gotta Catch Him

"I met my fiancé Nathaniel Glenn (age 29) last year in front of my house while playing Pokemon Go. I proposed on Christmas Day at Rockefeller Center. Instead of rings, I had an artist on Etsy engrave a bracelet with the coordinates of where we met, since it is also the coordinates of the first home we lived in together. The inside has a song lyric engraved that we always say to each other." — Desiree Joy Frias, Bronx, NY

'Now Get Me a Ring'

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Courtesy of Judy Herbst

"(I proposed) on Sadie Hawkins Day back in the late '80s. He said yes and I told him, 'Now get me a ring.' And now, 28 years and three kids later, we are going to be empty nesters." — Judy Herbst, New York, NY

No Gender Roles

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"I asked my best friend to marry me. And he said yes! We are enjoying our journey and seeing where life takes us." — Alexis Rozell, New York (via Instagram)

More from CafeMom: 15 Real First Dates That Prove Even Forever-Love Has to Start Somewhere

Making Him Feel Special

"I guess I didn't like how weddings had everything to do with the woman. The proposal, the ring, the dress, the ceremony, everything is about her and I've always thought it wasn't fair that the man never got anything. I wanted to surprise my man in the biggest way possible, and let him know how much I love him and make it super special for him, especially since I get the nice dress." — Amanda Mussio, Vancouver, BC, CA

Put a Ring on It

"I proposed the weekend after I realized I wanted to marry him. Once I knew, I just had to say it out loud. I was pretty confident he'd want to marry me also, so I wanted to make it special and official by proposing. I am not one to follow traditional gender roles and would never want to marry someone who would be offended by my proposing to them, so I never considered NOT proposing. He loved it and told me afterwards that he was waiting for me to propose because he'd made all the other moves and wanted the big one to be on my terms." — Helen Pina, Houston, TX