Meet the Woman Who Charges Up to $10k to Plan Your Proposal

Courtesy of Sarah Pease

Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Pease

"What's her favorite color?"

"What fascinates her?"

"What would be her ideal vacation spot?"

Most men would hate this type of Dating Game quiz, but some actually pay for the experience. They're clients of Sarah Pease, a New York City event expert who plans proposals as well as weddings. And Pease has gotten so good at helping men pop the question that she's now officially The Proposal Planner™.

We caught up with Pease to see how she ensures each engagement goes off without a hitch, whether it's a fairy tale proposal, a flash mob, or even one with a Harry Potter theme. (Yes, really.)

How does the proposal planning process work?
Men come to me after they have the ring—I don't get involved in that part. But usually they buy the ring and then they have this freakout about the proposal. So first we have an initial consultation; that's when I ask a lot of questions about the couple, from concrete things and relationship history to the more nebulous ones. My team and I then draw up a blueprint for a unique proposal based on all that information. That's $500, and some people only do that option. But most go onto the second step, which is the complete building out of that blueprint, tweaking it to their feedback —maybe it's pink roses instead of red, or getting a Ferrari instead of a limo —then hiring a photographer, reserving an event space, etc. The base rate for that starts usually about $1,900, but in the busy holiday season, it's more, around $2,900. For special requests, it can go way up, even to $10,000.
What are your clients like?
Some are getting engaged the first time around, others are not. Half of them are from outside the United States. There's a real smattering.
Blue Daisy Weddings

Photo: Blue Daisy Weddings

Are there any misconceptions about women that many men have in common?
So many guys start off saying that their girlfriends like candles, dinners, tablecloths, as if those are their most important, unique interests. And I'm like, "Look, there will be food at some point, there will be eating, don't worry!" But think outside the box and don't base it all around a standard bended-knee-at-dinner type of proposal.
What are some of the crazier requests you've gotten?
One guy called me at 9 PM on a weeknight. I was tired, leaving one of our proposals we'd planned, getting in the cab to go home. And he left me a voicemail saying he was at the airport in Dallas walking onto a plane to New York and wanted me to have a proposal ready by the time he landed! I've turned around proposals in 48 hours before, but I'm gonna want a little more than 3 hours to orchestrate a truly life-changing moment.
Do men ever ask you to keep your involvement in the proposal a secret?
In all my years of doing this, I've really only had one or two people that have asked me to be completely confidential. Of course I'm happy to do it at the client's request, but 99% of the time, after they hear the "yes," they're excited to introduce me as their accomplice.
Has anyone ever canceled their proposal planning?
Only one person. He emailed mid-way through the process and canceled the whole thing, saying his intended fiancée "had a change of heart."
Blue Daisy Weddings

Photo: Blue Daisy Weddings

What trends are you seeing in proposal requests?
I think proposals are starting to be really heavily influenced by whatever's hot in social media and pop culture. People want something current, something of-the-moment. We've had things like flash mob proposals and Harry Potter proposals.
What other projects has your business expanded into?
I launched a site,, which suggests creative proposal concepts for people on a budget. Not everyone can afford a giant elaborate marriage proposal, I know! I'm also consulting for some resorts, because so many people are traveling when they get engaged, and I want to help the proposal be perfect no matter where they are. And I'm working on a contest with to give an over-the-top proposal to a couple who met on their site. It's a lot.
And how are things going right now?
This is my busy season, Thanksgiving straight through Valentine's Day. Right now it's the holidays and people are with their family and they want to propose; and then it's Valentine's Day and it's romantic and they want to propose. But then it slows down afterwards when it's just cold and there's not much special going on, so I'll have a bit of a break. Nobody wants to get engaged in March!
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