From Intimate Moments To Grand Gestures: Five Women Share Their Dream Wedding Proposals

Five women tell us about their dream wedding proposals—that made them go weak in the knees as their other half went down on one knee.

Karmaa Dhingra

Digital creator

Who Proposed: Shaurya Dhir

Date of proposal: November 24, 2025

How They Met

“Shaurya [Dhir] and I have known each other since 2019. We were introduced by his best friend (now, best man). Nothing came of it then, as I wasn’t looking to be in a relationship at the time—but we continued to remain friends, and would sporadically wish each other on birthdays, occasions, etc, and have brief chats over social media. Many years later (last summer, to be precise), we connected online again over a political conversation, which then led to exchanges about life. A few weeks down the line, we decided to meet. Our first date was a meditation session at 7 am.”

The Moment She Knew He Was The One

“Right after the first date, we both knew we wanted to spend forever with each other. We, of course, didn’t tell each other that right away, but we did tell both our best friends individually.”

The Proposal

“After six months of dating, Shaurya proposed. We went on a holiday to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to get away from the pollution in New Delhi’ as Shaurya had told me. He got my best friend, Pranav [Goswamy], in on the plan to ensure that the smaller details were taken care of without me getting suspicious. So, very smartly, Pranav took me for a ‘long overdue’ haircut and a nail appointment. Additionally, given that he is a fashion stylist, he even helped me pack my looks. Even then, I didn’t suspect a thing!

Shaurya and I spent the first two days of the trip exploring the city. On the third day, Shaurya took us horse riding. He enjoys such adventurous activities (especially on holidays), so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. We drove to the stables, which were further up from the city, closer to the mountains. Our riding trail carried on to the top of a mountain, from where we could see the panoramic view of the entire valley. Shaurya dismounted first and helped me down from mine. As I got down, he asked me to hold his phone. When I turned around to grab it, I found him down on his knees with a ring. My dream ring! I was taken by surprise, and instantly screamed ‘Yes!’ three times, even though the words ‘will you marry me?’ were never said! In true Shaurya style, he simply said, ‘I guess you’ll have to marry me now. It was just the way I’d want it to be!

There’s a backstory to why it was done the way it was. Of the many tales from my childhood that I had told Shaurya, a lot were from the time my dad had a stud farm, because he was passionate about horses. So, from the young age of five, I was on horseback before I learnt how to ride a bicycle. These stories stuck with Shaurya. The reason he proposed in the mountains also holds meaning, too. For Shaurya, Manali is a second home. His younger years were spent hiking in the beautiful valleys of the Himalayas. He still hikes enough for his friends to lovingly call him ‘Mountain Boy’. So in a way, the proposal had a piece of both our childhoods, and honoured it beautifully.”

Karma’s Top Tips

1.      “Definitely get inputs from someone close in your fiance’s life.”

2.      “Keep it simple—and don’t overcrowd it. Go for smaller details and thoughts, as opposed to overbearing signage.”

3.      “Invest in a great photographer. It’s a moment you and your partner would want to remember, cherish and tell your story through—forever.” 

Shyma Shetty

Designer, and Co-founder, Huemn

Who proposed: Dushyant Dwibedy

Date: July 21, 2019

How They Met

“We met on a dating app. He was visiting India on vacation (he hadn’t lived here since high school), and we met and really liked each other. After a few weeks, we decided to go steady and exclusive, and made it work. We set timelines, planned our meetings, and saw each other every couple of weeks. Long-distance, but very, very intentional. I feel incredibly lucky we found each other—especially because the odds were so random.”

The Moment She Knew He Was The One

“I knew he was special the day I met him. After our first date, I remember I went home, and I told my friends something wildly dramatic like, ‘I met the one!’. I didn’t think in terms of marriage back then, but it’s amazing how the universe works. Dushyant is an absolute gem, and we are so alike.”

The Proposal

“I didn’t remember the exact date of the proposal, because it was just a regular, ordinary day—which, in hindsight, is exactly why it worked. It was about a year and a half into dating. At the time, Dushyant and I were long-distance, meeting every few weeks, wherever life happened to place us. That week, he was in Thailand, so we met in Hua Hin. We were staying at the InterContinental Hua Hin that weekend, and he’d planned a gorgeous dinner on the beach—a breezy candlelit tent, and a private chef cooking my favourite seafood. We had talked about the future, but I didn’t expect a proposal that day. I thought it was just one of the cute gestures I knew him to do. I’m also not someone who enjoys surprises, which is why this stands out—it was intimate, unperformative, and just deeply meaningful. I was wearing a silk shirt, beach-y lace pants, and flip-flops—entirely unplanned, very on-brand. There was no photographer, no production. When he pulled out the ring, it was engraved with the coordinates of where we were sitting on that beach. That detail was the kicker! I think I have just one or two photos of that evening, and just one teary selfie after I said yes, before calling our parents and closest friends. It now sits framed on my desk.”

Shyma’s Top Tips

1.      “Make it authentic to your relationship. Don’t borrow ideas from social media if they don’t fit.”

2.      “Personal beats performative. The goal isn’t to impress, but to create a moment that feels deeply familiar and true to the two of you. Choose privacy or scale, the location and details, based on your partner’s personality. Would your partner value an intimate setting or an audience? The best proposals feel considered, not choreographed.”

3.      “Permission from their family is also a beautiful gesture—you’re marrying all of them.”

4.      “Say something meaningful—those words will outlive the moment itself. Get the ring size right (*borrow* one they wear), know the kind of metal they love, and if you can, add an inscription. It turns object into memory.”

Rutvi Chaudhary

Creative Director, Jaipur Rugs

Who Proposed:

Date: September 4, (will tell the year, have asked her)

How They Met

“We met organically through mutual circles. He is my brother-in-law’s best friend. What started as easy conversations slowly grew into something much deeper. There was an immediate comfort and familiarity that made everything feel effortless.”

The Moment She Knew He Was The One

“It wasn’t one dramatic moment, but a series of quiet realisations—how they showed up consistently, respected my individuality and passion, was always there. I knew this was someone I wanted to grow old with.”

The Proposal

“We hadn’t been dating for long; this was more of an arranged marriage scenario, so to say. It felt like a very natural next step rather than a rushed decision. It’s a day that’s etched in my memory because it felt calm, intentional, and deeply personal. The proposal was beautifully intimate, thoughtfully planned, and incredibly meaningful. It happened in a setting that holds meaning for both of us—at my farmhouse. It was simple, elegant, and away from distractions. I was dressed comfortably yet effortlessly, completely unaware of what was coming... It wasn’t about grandeur; it was about intention, emotion, and sincerity.

The proposal reflected us—our journey, our conversations, and our shared values. And the quiet moment that we shared right after was most precious...when it was just the two of us, soaking it all in. No words were needed, just a shared sense of certainty and happiness.”

Rutvi’s Top Tips

1.      “It is important to make it personal and reflective of your relationship. Be present in the moment, and speak from the heart.”

2.      “Remember that a proposal isn’t about the act itself, but the promise behind it. Make sure it comes from a place of honesty, respect, and readiness for partnership. Everything else will fall into place.”

Srishti Guptaroy

Artist

Date: I am terrible with dates. I think it must have been in September or October, 2019

Who Proposed: Sujoy Banerjee

How They Met

“We met in August 2014—we were probably the first users of this new, edgy app called Tinder. Since we were the only 10 people on it, we knew that we had to date each other!

The Moment She Knew He Was The One

“When we broke up and were miserable—and got back together again. I think it fundamentally made us realise how much we enjoy each other only when we were apart. That time off cemented our relationship in the best way possible. (My pro tip is to break up with your boyfriend once!)”

The Proposal

“Sujoy proposed after about five years of dating. I had travelled to Delhi to meet my college friends. Delhi is a very special place to me—I studied there, and my entire crew was still based out of the city. So a few yearly trips were the norm. Sujoy had flown to Delhi to propose—and was in cahoots with my friends. He had booked a fancy restaurant and my friends had to get me there, dressed up. We were all pre-gaming at a friend’s place, from where I was to be escorted to the restaurant under some false pretence. Now, I had spent the day out shopping and was tired, and I refused to dress up. I was also so broke that month and couldn’t understand why my friends were proposing such an expensive place! Finally, Sujoy had to propose on the terrace of my friend’s house, while I was in my sweatpants! The chaos of the day perfectly captures our couple spirit. Perfectly curated proposals in perfect outfits in exotic destinations are not how we roll. I love that it was surrounded by all my favourite people, comfortably kitted out in casuals, in a friend’s house!”

Srishti’s Top Tips

1.      “Your proposal should be meaningful to you and your couple story—the idea of making it look Instagram perfect is so done.”

2.      “Definitely take photos, unlike us. You’d want to hold on to those photographs!”

3.      “Remember that marriage is beyond the grand proposal and wedding. It’s the icing on the cake—but the cake is still commitment. So only go down on that knee when you feel ready and filled with joy about the future and your shared life.

Sahar Mansoor

Co-Founder, Bare Necessities

Who proposed: Mehul Manjeshwar, but, actually, I did, too

Date: October 28, 2022

How They Met

“Mehul first wrote to me while he was living in Canada. He was running a blog on positive, purpose-driven stories. That email is how we connected. A lot unfolded after that, but that’s where it all began.”

The Moment She Knew He Was The One

“Honestly, quite early. After we decided to date, we had just one week together before he had to travel. In that week, we went on all these lovely dates around Bengaluru. Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Cubbon Park, Blossom Bookstore…all the classic spots. Somewhere in those seven days, I just knew! It felt calm, clear, and certain, something I’d never experienced before.”

The Proposal

“After about two years of dating, we decided to get engaged. It’s a meaningful date in Mehul’s family—his parents and his older brother all got engaged on that day. Those were big, formal family moments, whereas ours was just a quiet dinner for the two of us: simple and very us. (Mehul had, of course, asked my mum beforehand.) We didn’t do anything flashy. We went to the same restaurant in Bengaluru where we had gone for our first date, and revisited some old letters we’d written to each other during the pandemic, as part of a gratitude activity. Those letters weren’t written for a proposal…it was a simple exercise we had picked up from The Science of Happiness Podcast. But reading them again—aloud—in that moment was incredibly grounding and sweet. That was it. No rings, no big gestures—just intention, clarity, and the two of us.

Mehul’s thoughtfulness around the ring. He was very clear that it should be ethical, so he decided on a lab-grown diamond—something I care deeply about. We actually went together the next day to choose it, which felt very ‘us’. It aligned beautifully with our shared values around sustainability and mindful choices, and in many ways set the tone for our zero-waste wedding that followed. It felt like we were starting this next chapter consciously and together.”

Sahar’s Top Tips [we should use only one for each as a blurb or something]

1.      “Be yourself. Do something that reflects both of you; not what you think a proposal should look like.”

2.      “Remember to have fun…it’s such a joyful moment. I didn’t realise how much fun it would be, and honestly, had I known, I might have done it sooner!”