Agreeing to marry someone is possibly one of the most important decisions you'll ever have to make.
Although some people may feel comfortable shouting out an emphatic "yes" when presented with a sparkling engagement ring, there are others who might need a minute to mull things over.
One woman, who claims she hates "being put on the spot" found herself in such a dilemma after her boyfriend of three years proposed to her at her surprise birthday party, in front of both of their families.
According to this unnamed woman, the proposal "came out of nowhere", and, as she "didn't know how to react", she felt she had to just take a minute and leave the room. Her boyfriend wasn't happy with her reaction at all.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
Taking to Reddit, the 28-year-old woman explained that, for the past few weeks, her boyfriend has been telling her "that he has a big surprise planned this year".
The poster - who goes by the username u/throawayInABind - was delighted to find that he'd thrown her a surprise party with both their families present. However, things went downhill fast when she realised what her present was.
She wrote: "I was very happy that he planned all this for me. It was all going very great until he told me that it was time for my gift. And then he proposed to me.
"The thing is, I hate being put on a spot, and the proposal came out of nowhere. Both our families were there and I didn't know how to react.
"I panicked, said 'I need a moment' and left the room. My boyfriend could tell that I was upset and he followed me to our room. He asked me what happened and I told him that I am upset that he would put me on the spot like that when he knew I would hate that."
Unfortunately, her boyfriend didn't see her side of things at all and is now so angry that he is refusing to speak to her. Her family is also displeased with how the situation unfolded, telling her that she'd "overreacted".
The poster added: "Another thing is, I am kind of also upset that he felt like proposing is a gift. I don't know if I am also overreacting here but it makes me feel like he is doing me a favour by proposing."
Although she herself feels uncomfortable with how the proposal went, she wonders whether she has in fact overreacted, given the way her boyfriend and family members have responded.
One fellow Reddit user wrote: "Public proposals are falling out of favour just for these reasons. If he knew you’d be uncomfortable for being put on the spot, he never should’ve put you in that position.
"Him being mad over it shows he cares more about his feelings and public image than yours."
Another sympathised: "A proposal, especially in public, should not be out of the blue! If someone is going to propose in public (in front of others) they better know 100% that the person will say yes and that the person likes surprises and being the centre of attention.
"Also, proposals should never be 'given' as gifts. That's just wrong. They are not for holidays or birthdays. I completely understand why you'd be upset and disappointed."
Do you have a proposal-related story to share? We pay for stories. Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
