While a destination marriage proposal might sound luxurious, there’s no reason to feel pressured into something that doesn’t fit your relationship. We think a marriage proposal should be done in a sentimental place, and we can’t think of a better place for that than at home. Whether it be inside your partner’s home or in their backyard, we think every location can be transformed into an intimate proposal space. Not sure how to alter a backyard into a romantic wonderland? From white lights, to candles and rose petals, we’re sharing our 13 favorite backyard marriage proposal ideas.
13 backyard marriage proposal ideas
Sara and Seth
“When I arrived at my parent’s house, I opened the door and at that moment I knew what was about to happen.There was a pathway of lights from the front door through the house that led to the backyard where it formed a heart around him. As I walked outside, I saw my fiancé in the middle of the backyard where he stood with our families. Time froze and he got down on one knee and made me the luckiest girl in the world. It was one of the best moments of my life! I’m so excited to marry my best friend!”
Danielle and Bradlee
“Our yard goes right down to the river with the Niagara bluffs right behind it. Getting our families friends together was the easy part. I asked AJ if he would mention to Danielle that we should have a cookout at our house. Well she loved the idea and better yet didn’t suspect anything. Everyone already knew the plan for holding up the letters that spelled out, “Will You Marry Me?” With everyone at the house I asked Danielle if we could take a picture together down by the river. As we walked down, along with her best friend that was taking the pictures, everyone got their letters together. When we were done my sister yelled, “Danielle we have a question for you.” When she looked there it was spelled out, “Will You Marry Me?”
Samantha and nicholas
“I was totally clueless and believed the excuses that they gave me. I never once second guessed them. He even went to my parents and asked for permission to marry me. Something I always felt strongly about. Once all of this was done my fiancé popped the question. He did so on Christmas Eve in his backyard. Having lined the steps with paper lanterns and strung lights up along the gazebo. It was beautiful! As soon as I walked through the backyard and saw the decorations I froze…”
adam and cynthia
“I called Adam after fainting in the doctor’s office after I had just been given the news that we were expecting! Although it was a complete shock and a huge surprise, we both knew that this relationship was where we were meant to be. I thought this night was going to be special because we would open an envelope from our doctor to find out the gender of our baby and have a date night. Adam had other plans. I met him at home and was greeted to him at the door saying, “let’s go sit outside, we have some time before our reservation.” We walked over to our spot out in the front yard and I noticed that he had brought something outside with him…”
RYAN AND KRISTA
“I tried to think of different locations, but I just kept going back to the same spot. My parents backyard! The place where all my childhood thoughts and dreams of being married and having a pretty woman all started! I remember so many days of rolling hot wheels around in the dirt while playing the male version of “House”. So I knew it was going to be at my house. I knew my backyard. I knew her brother was going to photograph. I knew our parents would be there. But what would make it memorable?…”
The dreamiest backyard proposal: ever!
“I got home and was exhausted so we napped for a few hours and when I woke up, he was all of the sudden in this huge rush to get up and start doing things so I got up and got ready for dinner. We went out to one of my favorite restaurants and drove to the Capitol (one of our favorite places) after. Just when we had gotten there, Aaron got so weird and was hiding his phone from me and was in such a rush to get home and couldn’t remember how to get home. So we sped home and he was silent the whole way there. Right as we were driving up the hill to my house he undid his seat belt like he was going to James Bond it out of the car at any second. When we pulled into my driveway there were candles all up the stairs and I could see lights and a movie screen and a teepee set up in my front yard…”
stephen and michele
“When Michele pulled into the driveway, she saw her name in lights and the entrance way lit up. When she walked up to it there was a hand written letter to the right beginning to tell her how much she meant to me and how I felt about her, followed by directions to flip the light switch next to the letter. When she flipped it on, it would light up the first hallway section of lights. At the end of that, there was another light switch to flip, which led directly to me.”
arika and matt
“The proposal was everything I hoped it would be. He totally surprised me! I had no idea it was coming. I was told we were going out to a birthday dinner, so my twin sister and my best friend and I met up after work and were getting ready together. They were driving and I thought we were headed to the restaurant when they made a sudden turn towards my parent’s house. They handed me a card and it was from Matt. The card explained how much he loved me and how he had been waiting his whole life for this moment. I was riding in the car as I read it and I remember looking up and seeing my twin and my best friend Brooke both sitting there crying, and I was in shock! We pulled into my parent’s house and they told me to go inside, the doors were open leading to the backyard….”
jessica and bao
Read their full story here“The concept was based off a book I gave Jessica for graduation, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss. The book is about the adventures one would see in the next stage of their life. The trials, learning, growing, laughter, joy, peace and love that we experienced…all led us to “Where We Are”. These 5 amazing years that has taught me how try to love her as Christ love the Church and that’s something I pray will never stop…”
shelby and colbe
“I knew the question was coming soon, I just didn’t know where or how. He had his little sister pick me up from my house and drive me to his. When we got there she told me to go straight to the backyard, and this is what I found…”
jordan and justin
“I left work on a Friday afternoon to find one of my dresses laid out in my car and a card on my dashboard that said “If you open this it means you are up for whatever happens next.” I ripped it open and it gave me a list of instructions, the first being to head to the nail salon and that they were expecting me. After my mani and pedi I was told to head to my apartment and get dressed in the dress he picked out and be ready at 8:15. I received a text from him at that time saying a car was waiting in the lobby. I walked out to find my parents waiting. I got in their car and immediately began firing questions! They just smiled and ignored me! We pulled up to his house and my mom led me to the side of the house where he has a beautiful yard and huge field behind it…”
britni and stephen
“I had been waiting, for what felt like FOREVER. Then one night, I thought we were just grabbing dinner with friends and having a game night, but it turned into the best night of my life. After dinner, we went back to Stephen’s house and he asked me to come check out something downstairs. When I met him down there, the back door was open to his deck and all I could see were candles, photos and flowers…”
taylor and jason
Read their full story here“He told me to go buy a new dress because he wanted to take me out to eat at a nice restaurant near my hometown. I had my suspicions that something was going on, so throughout dinner I was very excited, thinking that it was going to happen then. I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappoint when he said, “lets go home”, right after dinner..” Hmm…
Ready to plan your own perfect backyard marriage proposal? Find out what your partner’s dream engagement ring is, here!