Your mouth is dry, your stomach’s in knots, and your heart is racing. Your hands tremble as you fumble to find the right words. It’s easily the most nervous you’ve ever felt. But here’s the twist… it’s not a danger you’re facing; it’s a different kind of life-changing moment. You’re about to propose. Proposals are beautiful moments to be remembered for a lifetime. Yet, while we often pour our energy into perfecting every detail—from choosing the right ring to finding the ideal location—one key aspect tends to be overlooked: nerves.
However, surprisingly, little research exists on the stress and anxiety that come with proposing.
That’s where Diamonds Factory comes in. We understand that the perfect proposal isn't just about the engagement ring or the speech—it's about managing the emotions that accompany getting down on one knee.
To help calm those nerves, we surveyed 500 Brits who have been through this exact experience. Our goal? To provide you with insights that will ease your anxiety and let you focus on what truly matters: enjoying the moment.
How nerve-racking is it to propose?
The results are in: for one in six Brits, proposing was the most nerve-racking day of their lives, with 59% ranking it as one of the top three.
We also asked proposers to rate their anxiety on a scale from one to ten (with one representing a day in bed, and ten equating to encountering a bear in the wild). Surprisingly, the average anxiety level for Brits when proposing sits at a solid seven—an adrenaline-fueled ride, to say the least.
How do proposal nerves impact us?
Our survey revealed the most common physical symptom was a dry mouth, affecting half of the proposers we surveyed. More specifically, the top pre-proposal physical symptoms were found to be:
1. Dry mouth (50%)
2. Unsettled stomach (43%)
3. Trembling/shaking (33%)
4. Heart palpitations (33%)
5. Twitchy & checking for the ring multiple times (29%)
6. Speech problems (25%)
7. Sweating (22%)
8. Nausea (21%)
Speech issues were also common during proposals. Nearly a third of soon-to-be-fiancés reported that their voices were shaking, while 29% struggled to articulate their carefully planned words.
The pressure didn’t stop there—31% experienced trembling hands and 18% admitted they completely forgot to get down on one knee.
Additionally, another 18% confessed that they were so swept up in the moment that they veered off their planned timelines and proposed earlier than intended.
Why is proposing so nerve-racking?
Proposing involves a lot of thought, and it’s no surprise that many Brits find themselves burdened with worries.
The most significant ring-related concern for nearly half of the proposers surveyed (42%) was whether their partner would like the ring. Close behind, a third (32%) worried about the responsibility of keeping the ring safe, while 30% questioned their ability to keep both the ring and the proposal a secret.
Additionally, a quarter of proposers (26%) expressed anxiety about dropping the ring during the big moment—no surprise given the tendency for shaky hands that many Brits experience when proposing.
We’ve created a guided meditation to help
Clearly, nerves are a natural part of the proposal experience. But to help you pop the question without worry, we’ve partnered with Patience Chigodora, a qualified hypnotherapist and meditation facilitator, and founder of
The Inner Verses.
Patience has worked with our findings to create a guided meditation that proposers are advised to listen to 30 days ahead of the big day to calm pre-proposal nerves.
Listen to the guided pre-proposal meditation below or on Spotify here
Patience commented: “If you’re planning to get down on one knee soon, don’t worry - there’s no need to let nerves steal the spotlight. Techniques like meditation can help shift nervousness into excitement, letting you stay grounded and enjoy the moment without tension.
”If you opt for guided meditation, set aside time in a quiet spot where you can bring your focus to your breath without interruption. Make sure to maintain good posture, whether that be sitting comfortably cross-legged on the floor, in a chair, or lying down. Meditation can range from five minutes to 20, with some sessions just one to three minutes.”
With Diamonds Factory, one thing you needn’t sweat about before your proposal is the ring. Browse our collection of engagement rings for every taste and style here.
Methodology
This campaign was created in collaboration with Bottled Imagination. Data was sourced from a 2024 survey of 500 Brits who have proposed at some point in their lives.
Your mouth is dry, your stomach’s in knots, and your heart is racing. Your hands tremble as you fumble to find the right words. It’s easily the most nervous you’ve ever felt. But here’s the twist… it’s not a danger you’re facing; it’s a different kind of life-changing moment. You’re about to propose. Proposals are beautiful moments to be remembered for a lifetime. Yet, while we often pour our energy into perfecting every detail—from choosing the right ring to finding the ideal location—one key aspect tends to be overlooked: nerves.
However, surprisingly, little research exists on the stress and anxiety that come with proposing.
That’s where Diamonds Factory comes in. We understand that the perfect proposal isn't just about the engagement ring or the speech—it's about managing the emotions that accompany getting down on one knee.
To help calm those nerves, we surveyed 500 Brits who have been through this exact experience. Our goal? To provide you with insights that will ease your anxiety and let you focus on what truly matters: enjoying the moment.
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How nerve-racking is it to propose?
How do proposal nerves impact us?
The pressure didn’t stop there—31% experienced trembling hands and 18% admitted they completely forgot to get down on one knee.
Additionally, another 18% confessed that they were so swept up in the moment that they veered off their planned timelines and proposed earlier than intended.
Why is proposing so nerve-racking?
The most significant ring-related concern for nearly half of the proposers surveyed (42%) was whether their partner would like the ring. Close behind, a third (32%) worried about the responsibility of keeping the ring safe, while 30% questioned their ability to keep both the ring and the proposal a secret.
Additionally, a quarter of proposers (26%) expressed anxiety about dropping the ring during the big moment—no surprise given the tendency for shaky hands that many Brits experience when proposing.
We’ve created a guided meditation to help
Patience has worked with our findings to create a guided meditation that proposers are advised to listen to 30 days ahead of the big day to calm pre-proposal nerves.
Listen to the guided pre-proposal meditation below or on Spotify here
”If you opt for guided meditation, set aside time in a quiet spot where you can bring your focus to your breath without interruption. Make sure to maintain good posture, whether that be sitting comfortably cross-legged on the floor, in a chair, or lying down. Meditation can range from five minutes to 20, with some sessions just one to three minutes.”
With Diamonds Factory, one thing you needn’t sweat about before your proposal is the ring. Browse our collection of engagement rings for every taste and style here.
Methodology