Thinking of proposing? Here’s how to do it in style

Christopher Cameron
·4 min read
A man proposing to a woman at the Met.
Benjamin Ellis proposed to his girlfriend at the Met.

Need a cup of courage before popping the question? You’re in luck because there’s plenty to drink in the famed wine region of Mendoza, Argentina.

Argentine winemaker Susana Balbo and her daughter, Ana Lovaglio Balbo — the owners of SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites — will loosen you up and plot out a tailor-made, four-day proposal adventure for you and your partner, who probably suspects something is afoot.

They’ll commission artwork, blend custom wine, and serve up a celebratory dinner among the vineyards, while the actual denouement takes place in the sky.

You’ll board a seaplane safari with views of the Andes, salt flats, and Uco Valley. Next, you’ll land on the water in an oasis in the middle of the Argentine desert. There will be sparkling wine awaiting to celebrate (or drown your sorrows).

Once you receive the answer, you’ll lunch and be whisked back for a private takeover of Susana Balbo Winery. Dinner is a candlelit, paired four-course among the vineyards, of course. That’s all assuming the reply was “yes.” Either way, it will set you back $14,000.

A Met tour ticket will only set you back $99 and the price of Champagne at dinner after. Courtesy Benjamin Ellis
A Met tour ticket will only set you back $99 and the price of Champagne at dinner after. Courtesy Benjamin Ellis
“Several years later, I invited her back for a special private evening tour. Through some crafty maneuvering by one of the great guides at Hack the Met, by the end of the night, we were the last ones [there],” Ellis said. Courtesy Benjamin Ellis
“Several years later, I invited her back for a special private evening tour. Through some crafty maneuvering by one of the great guides at Hack the Met, by the end of the night, we were the last ones [there],” Ellis said. Courtesy Benjamin Ellis

It all started with a Hack the Met tour (small group tours aimed at a more casual and younger art admirer). Early in their relationship, New Yorker Benjamin Ellis, who works in tech, and then-girlfriend, emergency medicine doctor Leslie had a blast going backstage at NYC’s top museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“We had an amazing time,” said Ellis. “Several years later, I invited her back for a special private evening tour. Through some crafty maneuvering by one of the great guides at Hack the Met, by the end of the night, we were the last ones [there].”

That was Ellis’ cue to pop the big Q. “It was incredible to be surrounded by one of the greatest collections in the world,” he said, noting that Leslie had been surprised that he was “so dressed up” for the tour. “As we entered the empty Great Hall, in front of the steps, I proposed, and she said ‘Yes.’ ” Ellis arranged to have a photog ready and waiting.

Sure, celebs and masters of the universe can rent out the museum for their big moments, but take Ellis’ advice — a tour ticket will only set you back $99 and the price of Champagne at dinner afterward.

At Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Ireland, the in-house falconer will make sure your ring arrives at the pivotal moment, delivered by a real live bird of prey. Courtesy of Dromoland Castle
At Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Ireland, the in-house falconer will make sure your ring arrives at the pivotal moment, delivered by a real live bird of prey. Courtesy of Dromoland Castle

The dramatic moment of the proposal—the knee drop, the flash of a sparkler in a velvet box — has to be . . . well, dramatic. At Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Ireland, that means getting affianced a la falcon, where the in-house falconer will make sure your ring arrives at the pivotal moment, delivered by a real live bird of prey.

You can start the day with a romantic stroll through the woodlands. Once you’ve arrived at the estate’s lily pond, get down on one knee and let the question fly as a falcon swoops down with the ring. Who’s that in the bushes? Oh, that’s just the castle photographer capturing your bride-to-be’s happy bewilderment.

Polish off all that excitement with a seven-course candlelit dinner in the Earl of Thomond restaurant overlooking Dromoland Lough. Then, seal the deal in your Viscount Deluxe Room ($1,900 a night).

Chartering a yacht costs $150,000 for a weeklong voyage. Jeremie Bertrand
Chartering a yacht costs $150,000 for a weeklong voyage. Jeremie Bertrand

Is your love obsessed with “Below Deck?” Then here’s how to make a splash: Head to the Med and charter this 143-footer dubbed Silver Dream. But let’s get this out of the way upfront: This is for high rollers — specifically rollers high enough to drop about $150,000 on a weeklong voyage.

But we are here to offer some minor relief. Invite your 10 richest friends (there are five cabins onboard), and that’s only $15,000 a person. Suddenly, you’ve got an engagement party.

Anyway, assuming you’ve got the dosh, this is the swellest way to secure that “yes” vote.

Starting off, there are all the perks: an onboard cinema, masseuse and spa therapist, and, of course, all the water toys. We aren’t going to tell you where or how to propose here, because the beauty of a private charter is that YOU get to decide everything. Should you stop at that stunning island to plead your case? Or maybe under the moonlight on deck? Should you be in the South of France or Greece? Craft the entire trip in your favor.