What do you say in a proposal speech? If you’re thinking of proposing, here are the best proposal speech ideas with templates and examples of how you can structure a speech that anyone would be saying ‘I do’ to. We’ve got seven proposal speech topic ideas for every couple. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or prefer to provide a bit of comic relief, we can help you create the best proposal speech anyone’s ever heard to accompany that dream engagement ring. If we sound confident, that’s because we are! Here are some tried and true ideas…

How to craft the perfect proposal speech for every kind of couple 

Proposal Speech Topics 

Consider us your friendly wedding genie because we’re here to grant your every wedding wish from getting that ‘I will’ to ‘I do’! If you have an idea of how you want to propose but are completely stuck on what to actually say, here are some real tried and true proposal speech topics that we can recommend. Let’s go! 

How you met 

It may sound obvious, but starting your proposal with ‘Ever since we met at…’ is always a winner. Start your speech literally at the beginning with the story of how you two lovebirds met. Talk about that special moment you first laid eyes on each other. This will work especially well if you have a particularly good story of how you both met. Love at first sight? A funny meeting? You hated each other at first? They all will work. Nostalgic and funny memories that only you two share are the key to unlocking anyone’s heart. 

"Ever since we met at __, I knew you were The One."

"The moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew in my soul that my life was about to change. When we met at..."

What you love about your partner 

Try not to list here (it’ll just sound like a checklist) but mentioning qualities you really adore about your partner will just make their heart melt. A good ol’ bit of flattery never goes amiss. Whether it’s something physical you find attractive like their smile or their eyes, or something to do with their personality traits like their ambition, kindness or bravery, telling your partner exactly why you love them and why you think they’d be the one and only lifetime partner for you is all you need to say. 

"I’m not sure how I could have survived without your encouragement and joy, without listening to you sing and watching you dance when you believe no one is looking."

"You inspire me to get out of bed every morning, to accomplish amazing things for you, and to strive to improve. You are my motivation, my inspiration, and my aspiration." 

"You understand what happiness is and where it is concealed better than anyone else."

Our personal favourite is this Buffy The Vampire Slayer wedding reading, just see how perfect these lines are..

"When I say "I love you", it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do, how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you. And I understand, with perfect clarity, exactly what you are. You're a hell of a woman. You're the one."

Treasured memories 

Unless you’re proposing 3 months into your relationship, then you’ll have a whole bank of treasured memories to delve into. Talk about the biggest adventures you two have been on or the biggest achievement you’ve made together. Whether that’s extravagant holidays, nights in with home-cooked meals, creating a family or helping each other reach your dreams. 

"The best night of my life was when we___. It showed me exactly what our future could look like and I wouldn't want anything else." 

"Do you remember that time when we ___, it was the moment I knew you were The One." 

"(Mention the earliest memory you had of your partner). I can’t help but be blown away by how magical it is that you are the person I’ll be spending forever with." 

THE moment you fell in love

If you can pinpoint the exact moment you realised you were in love with your partner, then there’s no better time to say it. Some couples don’t have a specific moment they fell in love and it’s more of a build-up over time. But some couples, have an exact moment in time when they fell in love. Of course, you might be one of the lucky ones and be able to say it was love at first sight, although it could also have been because of the little things. When they came to pick you up when your car broke down or when they met your parents, when you had a deep conversation and you felt more understood and seen by someone than you ever have in your life. Whatever it was, let them know in your proposal speech! 

"During the lowest point of my life, you were there (tell the moment where you realised how you can’t see another person as your lifetime partner) ." 

"When I think about you, I know that no one else will ever hold my heart the way you do."

Experiences to look forward to 

The best thing to include in a proposal speech is something about the future. If you decide to talk about how you met and all the reasons you love them, that’s the past and the present covered. But the whole reason you’re proposing in the first place is because you can see a future with the other person. So, give them a glimpse into what your future together will look like. Are you going to travel the world together, be the ultimate power couple and climb your career ladders, create your own family, or move to a new country? 

"I can’t wait to do ____ for the rest of our lives. We'll get to share every breathtaking moment and live the best days of our lives. Life offers many challenges. I know I can meet them if you're willing to face them with me." 

Funny moments

If the super lovey-dovey poetic and romantic proposal speeches aren’t for you, then talking about some of your funniest moments together is a good place to start. If you’re a well-known jokester and your humour is one of the reasons why your partner loves you, show it off! 

"I got down on one knee for you, and whether you say "yes" or "no," I'm going to need your help getting back up." 

"I was hoping one of these days you'd propose to me. But since you haven't, I thought I better ask before you get the chance to decide you'd rather propose to someone else."

"I don't really know what I'm supposed to do if you say "no," so could you save us both the trouble and say 'yes?'"

Quotes from your favourite movies, books or songs

Do you and your beau have a favourite movie? A favourite book? A song that just describes your love perfectly? Why not include a quote or some lyrics in your proposal speech? Nothing brings people together more than shared love and interests, so make a point of including it in your proposal speech. We’re aware this can come off a little cringe if not delivered correctly. So starting with a quote or ending with one seems like the best way to go.

"As Leo vowed to Paige, ‘I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love.'" - The Vow

"When you put your arms around me, you let me know there's nothing in this world I can't do." - Keith Urban, Somebody Like You

"I didn’t fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way." - Kiersten White, The Chaos of Stars

What makes a good proposal speech?

Here are our top tips to nail your proposal speech. 

1. Handwrite your speech. Ensure you handwrite what you want to say. Handwriting takes longer than typing, so you actually have time to think about what you’re saying. It’s just more heartfelt all around. 
2. Don’t try to hold back emotions! You and your partner are probably going to cry on the day, it’s so much more beautiful when you let how you really feel show. Be loud and proud of your feelings, you can never go wrong when you’re speaking from the heart. 
3. Be true to yourself. Don’t try and tell your partner things you think they want to hear. Speak from the heart and the rest will follow. 
4. Practice in a mirror. Saying those all-important words is very necessary practice. Just remember that whether you’re able to recite your speech word for word or it all goes out of your head, your proposal will be perfect either way! 
5. Stick to tradition or completely deviate from it? If you know your partner is traditional, ensure you do things the proper way. That includes asking for permission, speaking their full name when you ask the question on one knee etc. If they’re not traditional, you might want to keep things short and sweet, maybe you’ve even planned the whole thing together. At Rock My Wedding, we believe it’s Your Day, Your Way! 

We've got all the proposal speech topics and ideas you need! 

Now you know how to nail your proposal speech! Are you capturing your proposal on camera? Then we also have all the advice you’ll need on acing your engagement shoot. What do you even do after you’ve proposed? These five things to do immediately after getting engaged should be saved for when you’re in that utter engagement bliss bubble. Cheers to you!