Proposing in Houston: From Engagement Ring to Champagne

By Devorah Isenberg, Saturday, April 02, 2011 4:47 AM

Whether you live in Houston or are just here visiting, you may have noticed that Houston has a special energy all its own. Laid-back without being sleepy, exciting without being frenetic, with a small-town atmosphere and big-city amenities, Houston is the kind of place you don’t always appreciate until you see it for yourself. After Hurricane Katrina, Houston became known as the Big Heart for the way its citizens opened their homes and communities to refugees from Louisiana. We think that nickname still applies, because Houston is the ideal place for love to blossom. With balmy winters and steamy summers, the weather in Houston always beckons you outside for fun. And once you’re out, there is so much to do—from parks to zoos to biking and hiking, No matter what your preferred activity style, Houston has the Southern ambience and friendly attitude that will make you feel at home.

Proposing in Houston should come as naturally as everything else in H-Town. All you need to do is buy an engagement ring, find a pretty spot, and you’re all set. But if you want to use this opportunity to show her your sentimental, romantic side, you came to the right town. There are enough options for proposing in Houston to suit all 2.1 million citizens.

Engagement Ring

Unless you already have your grandmother’s tiffany ring in your back pocket, the engagement ring is the first thing you need to choose when you are planning to propose. Luckily, there are dozens of jewelry stores in Houston, and hundreds of choices of engagement ring styles. For affordable, simple diamond rings, try the locally-owned jewelry stores in Rice Village. For brand-name designer engagement rings in Houston, visit Houston’s world-famous Galleria Mall, with its exclusive collection of high-end boutiques. If you have your heart set on an antique engagement ring, Louis Tannenbaum Estate Jewelry has an astonishing range of pieces from the twentieth century and even earlier. And if you dream of custom-designing your own engagement ring, you can’t do better than Whiteflash, a Houston-based online vendor that specializes in top-of-the-line loose diamonds and superb custom design work.

Romantic Dinner

Once you have your engagement ring safely in your pocket, it’s time to start planning the night itself. An elegant dinner out is a tried-and-true romantic option, so you really can’t go wrong with a romantic dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in town. Use a site like Yelp.com to help you figure out which of Houston’s hundreds of dining options best suits your tastes and budget. Here are some highlights of the Houston dining scene: Masraff’s, located uptown, is a New American seafood establishment known for its classy yet casual atmosphere, cool vibe, and killer wild mushroom ravioli. If she loves lobster tails and sea bass, this will be the night of her life. If she has more traditional Southern tastes, Brennan’s is a Houston landmark that is perfect for an intimate, romantic dinner. Brennan’s serves up Cajun and Creole classics like turtle soup and gumbo in an intimate, quiet and exclusive ambiance. Plus, you can pop the question over their world-famous bananas foster.

Champagne

If you are planning to pop the question in a quiet spot, whether at home or outdoors, you will want to bring a bottle of bubbly to celebrate the moment together, before the congratulations descend. Don’t make the same mistake many other people do—if you want to celebrate with champagne outdoors, make sure it’s legal in your area, and make sure to pack a no-fail corkscrew, two unbreakable flutes, and plenty of napkins. That being said, the best place to score great wines in Houston is Spec’s Liquor Warehouse in Midtown. The selection is unbeatable, the prices are great, and the knowledgeable staff can help you pick out the perfect bottle, whether you want a sweet sparkling wine or a sophisticated dry white. Not only that, but if you are planning a romantic picnic, Spec’s is also a full gourmet food emporium, with imported cheeses, cured meats and fresh-baked bread.

Roses

It may be somewhat of a cliché, but clichés got that way for a reason. A giant bouquet of fresh red roses say “romance” in a way that nothing else can. An engagement ring is important, of course (if you can’t figure out where to buy one, sites like yelp.com and weddingwire.com can be a great help) but a dozen deep-red roses show that you are the kind of guy who will go the extra mile to make the night perfect. Bomma Flower Shop in The Heights is known for attentive service and unique arrangements, while John Friedman Flowers has some of the freshest flowers in Houston.

Romantic Spot

Once you have all the details in place—you bought the diamond ring, you made the dinner reservations, and the champagne is chilling—it’s time to find the perfect romantic spot to pop the question. The best romantic spot is the one with personal memories for the two of you—maybe the site of your first date or first kiss, or the place you were when you realized you were in love. There are plenty of gorgeous places that are conducive to an intimate moment in Houston—from the sculptured gardens of Hermann Park, the sweeping vista of William Tower, to the starry sky of the Burke Baker Planetarium. If you are up for a little day trip, the Ferris Wheel on the Kemah Boardwalk in Kemah, Texas, is a cheerful but romantic spot you will both remember for a long time.