Honeymooning in your married name
If you are dreaming of jetting off to sandy shores with your sparkling new ring, spouse and matching...
Thinking of popping the question on February 29th? Grace Flynn, events manager at Suffolk wedding venue Ufford Park Woodbridge shares her top tips on leap year proposals and more.
She says, "There's a traditional mindset that proposing is mainly the responsibility of the man but, according to research by dating app TrueView, the truth of the matter is a whopping 69 per cent of men rather like the idea of their girlfriend getting down on one knee. So, when is a good time to do it? That's tricky, after all in the spirit of female empowerment I'd say anytime is a good time to take control, but if you've got your heart set on tradition, February 29th is historically the day for women to take the plunge.
"There are various theories about where this concept originated from. Some suggest that it dates back to Scotland, in 1288, when Queen Margaret supposedly enacted a law allowing women to propose on leap year day as long as they were wearing a red petticoat to signal their intention. Any bachelors who turned down hopeful women on this day had to offer up a consolation prize, like a kiss, a silk dress or gloves.
"If you're considering popping the question, you certainly won't be the first to do so. In fact, you'll be following in the footsteps of many celebrities, pop stars, singers and famous people. Queen Victoria asked Prince Albert to marry her in 1839 and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor proposed to all nine of her husbands, although they weren't leap-year proposals. The truth is, if you're the kind of person who's happy to take over the reins, you're unlikely to be the type to be bound by convention, so really the whole year's your oyster. What is important however, is making sure the time is right to take the next step."