12 Surprising Signs He’s About To Pop The Question

You might think you’d know if your long-term boyfriend is about to pop the question, but there are some subtler signs that you might just have a ring on your finger really soon. If your guy’s behavior changes in any of these ways, a proposal could be right around the corner.

  1. He’s weird about your schedule. You can’t get out of work on the weekend but he insists that you need to spend some time together. You’re probably thinking, “But we spent last weekend together!” even though you don’t say it. Meanwhile, he could seem impatient because he really, really wants you to clear up your schedule so that he can whisk you away to the beach or mountains and ask you to be his wife. You never know!
  2. He’s making big changes. He wants to buy a house and he’s amping up his efforts at work by getting a promotion and earning a bigger salary. While those changes probably seem to be all about his personal growth, he might very well be working towards something greater—a secure, happy life for both of you.
  3. He’s snooping. No, not snooping through your phone or email—that’s a red flag! But if you catch him sniffing around your jewelry drawer or box, maybe he’s trying to get an idea of the size your engagement ring should be. Same goes for if you notice him paying much more attention to the style of jewelry you love to wear when he was never all that interested before.
  4. He’s become a total Scrooge. He never used to worry so much about money but now he’s saving as many pennies as he can. A guy who’s thinking about proposing marriage will want to be sure that finances are on his side, not just for the big day but for your future as a couple.
  5. He doesn’t want to hang with his friends. Although a guy obviously shouldn’t be cutting out his friendships just because he’s got marriage on the mind, it is quite telling when your guy just wants to chill out and have deep conversations with you on a Saturday night instead of hit the bars with his bros all night.
  6. He’s suddenly interested in weddings. He used to mock his friends who tied the knot, but now he’s showing a more romantic side. Hmmm. Don’t worry—he hasn’t hit his head or anything, he’s just warming up to the idea of getting married and having a romantic wedding. The guy’s madly in love with you!
  7. He wants to hang with your folks. You tell him you’re not in the mood to go to dinner with your family but he says he definitely wants to go. Huh? He might say that he really likes your family or that it’s important to spend time with them. Yup, the guy wants to make a good impression on them before asking for your hand in marriage.
  8. He gets emotional. When talking about your relationship, he gets tears in his eyes and doesn’t try to write them off as allergies. If he’s letting you see a more emotional side to him, perhaps even a little sappy, then it’s a huge sign he’s ready to take that big step in your relationship.
  9. He looks distracted but not in a bad way. It’s obviously a no-no if the guy you’re dating keeps looking like his mind is elsewhere when you’re on dates. But if he’s staring at you with a dreamy look on his face, it could be that he’s imagining the moment when he’ll ask you to be his wife.
  10. He’s getting dressed up for dinner. He never used to worry too much about looking amazing when going out on the town or to grab a quick dinner, but now he’s suddenly paying much more attention to how he dresses when asking you out. It could be that he’s hoping to make the evening perfect so that he can propose in the best, most romantic way.
  11. He tells you to dress up. If he’s dressing up and telling you that you should wear your favorite LBD to dinner, that’s a huge sign that he’s up to something, especially if that’s not usually his style or he doesn’t ever really care what you wear. Dinner at the corner restaurant is probably not where you’re going tonight. He’s got much bigger, more exciting plans and he knows that you’ll want the moment to be perfect, which is why he’s giving you a heads-up that you should dress up.
  12. He asks questions your BFFs would ask. These can include things like, “Did you like Miley Cyrus’s wedding dress?” or “What do you think of this jewelry?” He’s not making conversation, he’s trying to feel you out so that he knows what your wedding style and engagement ring preferences are all about. Now’s not the time to sound indifferent or act mysterious. Let him know your real thoughts so that you get the ring and wedding that you’ve been dreaming of forever!
Giulia Simolo is a writer from Johannesburg, South Africa with a degree in English Language and Literature. She has been working as a journalist for more than a decade, writing for sites including AskMen, Native Interiors, and Live Eco. You can find out more about her on Facebook and LinkedIn, or follow her on Twitter @GiuliaSimolo.
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