You bought the ring, you asked her parents, and you've decided the right time to ask her is now. You open your mouth to speak … and nothing comes out. You've decided the setting isn't right, after all. You'll wait for the perfect moment. When weeks have passed and perfection has yet to present itself, what's a groom to do? Two words: Chill out.

Perfection Is Sometimes Overrated

If you're an idealist and you want everything to be just so all the time, you've probably been told that you're too hard on yourself — and on others. While it's completely understandable that you want this moment to be as perfect as possible, you need to realize that “almost perfect” is sometimes as close as you'll get. You can't control certain things. If you plan to ask her to marry you on the terrace of your apartment and a monsoon blows in out of nowhere … you can't stop the rain. Move your plans indoors.

Obviously, you want certain factors to be in their right places when you propose. If you take the ring box out of your pocket and drop it, don't tell her, “Never mind. We'll try this again later.” Remember that the entire point behind this proposal is asking her to spend the rest of her life with you. Everything else (Is the champagne cold enough? Why is that door slightly ajar? Are her fingers a little puffier than usual?) should be of little concern in comparison.

Picking a Spot

If the two of you have a spot that means everything to both of you — or to one of you — your proposal will be doubly romantic if you pop the question there. Were you standing on the bridge in the park when you realized you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her? Did you bump into each other for the first time at the beach, or did you meet while you were both working in a restaurant?

Swept Away

Men sometimes get a bad rap, portrayed as being completely unromantic. Nothing could be further from the truth for men on the verge of popping the question, though. When the feeling strikes you, go with it. Don't question it, don't fight it, don't ignore it. Keep in mind, this is one of the biggest things you're going to do in your lifetime, and it's also going to be one of your girlfriend's most vivid memories — something she'll be asked about, something she'll tell your children and grandchildren. The more romantic instinct you have to work with, the better.

You want to plan a weekend in Paris — because it's a kind of crazy, wildly romantic thing to do, and the two of you have always talked about seeing the Eiffel Tower? No time like the present, then — and don't forget to pack the ring.

Of course, you don't need to spend a small fortune to be romantic. Chances are, if you make the smallest effort — to clean yourself up, plan a nice evening, and express your deepest feelings to her before presenting her with the ring — she'll be swept off her feet.