February 29th comes around just once every 1,461 days so ladies, if you’re dreaming of a diamond ring and a fabulous wedding, perhaps it’s time to take the plunge and propose yourself.
The centuries-old tradition that enables women to propose to their boyfriends on 29th February once left any man that refused a marriage offer on this day having to pay a hefty fine!These days there’s no obligation to say ‘yes’, but pick the right spot and he’ll be powerless to refuse.
Here are VisitEngland’s top romantic proposal packages and special locations. Now all you need is that diamond…
Propose to your lover at Lover
There is no more romantic setting than the New Forest for women to make the most of their traditional leap year rights and pop the question to their Valentines. The outstanding natural beauty – with idyllic woodland glades, charming towns and villages and miles of golden, sandy beaches – make it the perfect backdrop for any marriage proposal. It is also home to a place named Lover. You’ll find this peaceful forest hamlet at the northern tip of the New Forest. Lover Post Office used to do big business with cards sent from here in order to get the ‘Lover’ postmark. Why not get down on one knee and propose to your lover at Lover?
Woo at the zoo
Walk on the wild side and take your man to London Zoo, if you want somewhere unusual to propose. Check out the Titi monkeys at the ZSL London Zoo Rainforest, who really know what love is all about. They have incredibly strong bonds with one another, live in pairs and spend most of their time with their tails intertwined. Now that’s love!
Meanwhile, Blackpool Zoo is offering ladies a chance to pop the question at the sea lion show. Book a slot and at the end of the show stand up in front of the crowd and declare your love! If you’re shy, choose a little more privacy by venturing into the beautiful Lemur Wood to go down on one knee in the idyllic surroundings, if you don’t mind an audience of lemurs!
Be a Lady in Shining Armour
Create your own fairytale – complete with knights, damsels and jousting, at Warwick Castle. Its new proposal package offers loved-up lasses the chance to pop the big question on Leap Day, at one of the site’s most romantic spots – The Mound, commanding views over the Castle, historic Warwick and the Warwickshire countryside, or The Waterwheel on the River Avon. The package costs £29.02 per person and includes a glass of Champagne each and and two standard daytime admission tickets.
Don’t tell the groom… propose on a sand dune by the sea
Imagine this… a crisp spring day, the sound of the sea and golden sand. If you’ve dreamed of declaring your love on a beach, The Gallivant Hotel and Beach Bistro in Camber Sands are urging ladies to stop the prodding and take over the proposal duties themselves by popping the question. Every couple that gets engaged on the dunes can claim a complimentary glass of champagne at the hotel on the 29th when the big question has been asked. If you fancy getting married on the spot where you propose, surprise the groom with the venue as well and you can get a whopping 30% off your wedding. Continue with the beach theme and organise your wedding at the hotel where you can take your vows on the beach and enjoy a chic beach wedding at the hotel.
Take a loveboat for lovebirds
London RIB Voyages are transforming their famous speedboats into loveboats. Declare your love in style as you travel down the River Thames at 35 knots. Feel the wind in your hair, drop to one knee, pop the question and grab a kiss under Tower Bridge as you experience a quirky river tour of London’s historic sites. To make it extra special why not have a celebratory meal and book the River to Restaurant experience? Hightail it through London before a super swish drop off at a riverside restaurant for that perfect celebratory meal.
Cost of rib voyage from £60 per couple. The River to Restaurant service runs by private charter and is available all year round. The flat fee is £365 per boat, per hour.
Extreme romance orchestrated by cupid
The Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall will be pulling out all the stops for the 29th February and has recommended three memorable proposal packages plus ‘cupid’ will be on hand throughout the day to make sure that any proposals go smoothly and will be giving a bottle of natural fizz to every lady that proposes on the 29th. Choose from:
· Soak in a log fired seaweed hot tub overlooking the beach with a glass of fizz in hand. The team will leave you in peace for you to pick your moment to pop the question.
· A delicious, fire-side private dinner in a cliff top bell tent. The hotel chefs will prepare a three-course meal and arrange a bottle of fizz for you to enjoy in this special location.
· A candle-lit serenade for your loved one to guarantee a memorable proposal. The hotel’s cloister garden will twinkle with candles under the night sky and a talented acapella singer will help to set the mood with songs of your choice.
Prices start from £390-£430 per room depending on your choice of proposal package. Price is based on 2 people sharing a room on a dinner bed and breakfast basis. N.B Proposal packages are subject to availability and are dependent on the weather- there is a Plan B if the weather does take a turn for the worse!
Enjoy some exclusivity in a luxury country retreat
Any lady planning to propose at The Feathers hotel in Woodstock, Oxfordshire on 29th February will have exclusive use of the cosy Winter House, where they can snuggle-up under reindeer furs and indulge in a romantic candlelit dinner. The three-course dinner will be accompanied by a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne and served by the couple’s personal butler. During the dinner, a rolling photo montage of the couple’s favourite memories will play on a large screen, so they can take a dreamy trip down memory lane to warm up their loved one before popping that all-important question. Guests can then cuddle-up in one of the Romantic Feature Suites for an overnight stay and wake up to a full English breakfast in bed the following morning.
Overnight package is £265 per person (including overnight stay, three course meal, Champagne, and breakfast). This package will be running throughout the year, from 29 February. It will be limited to one couple per night obviously to ensure “exclusivity”, but the package can booked any night of the year for 2012.
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Win a Cornish garden break for two! Courtesy of 
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