You have been dating your girlfriend for some time and feel you are perfect for each other. So much so that you have decided to propose marriage to her. You want to do it right, but have never proposed marriage before. What should you do, and not do, to ask the special woman in your life to be with you forever?

Things you should do

First off, you should never propose marriage unless you and your girlfriend have already been discussing getting married. You want to know your girlfriend feels the same as you in regards to marriage, children, and even religion. Finding these out after being married will only make things more difficult.

Be respectful and talk with her parents first. While you do not need her father's permission to marry, asking their permission will go a long way to showing you are serious about marrying their daughter and becoming a member of their family.

Know your bride-to-be. Is she someone who would love any engagement ring you would buy, or would she like to help pick it out herself? Which ever kind of woman she is, you want to choose a ring that compliments her and is one she will treasure all of her life.

If you are going to buy the ring yourself, consider taking your girlfriend's mother, sister or best friend along when you go shopping. They would be very helpful when choosing the perfect ring. Also take one of your girlfriend's rings along with you so the jeweler can size it.

When choosing the location to ask for her hand in marriage, pick a spot that hold special meaning for the two of you. The restaurant where you had your first date at or a beach you love to walk along are some places you might consider proposing. But take your girlfriend's personality into consideration when planning the location. If she isn't someone who likes a public display, propose in a more private location.

When you ask her to marry you, ask on bended knee. Yes I realize this is not our grandparent's time, but proposing on bended knee is charming and romantic. Also, tell her why you want to marry her. It is not enough to just say "will you marry me". You need to tell her why you want to spend the rest of your life with her.

Things you should not do

Hiding the engagement ring in food or drink sounds like a wonderful surprise, but in reality it could be a recipe for disaster. A chipped tooth or swallowed ring are real dangers with this. No one wants to end their engagement night with a trip to the emergency room.

When choosing your location, try to stay away from loud, public places. Concerts and sports events might sound great when planning, but in reality they are loud places that will make talking, and asking, even more difficult.

Never propose in front of your bride-to-be's family. This is a special moment between you and your girlfriend and should be treated as such. Even if they know in advance you are going to ask, it is best to ask her when you two are alone.

Keep your proposal simple. Planning too many things will just keep your mind everywhere but where it should be - proposing to your girlfriend. That is where your focus should be.

Give your relationship enough time for you to decide you are ready to marry your girlfriend. Marriage is a lifetime commitment two people make.

Finally, don't expect her to give you an answer right away. Even if you two have been talking about it, and you feel she is more than ready to marry, it might be a bit of a surprise. Let her know, when you propose, she doesn't have to give you an answer right away. Let her think about her decision before she says yes.

Proposing to the woman you love is an important step in your life, and one that you should be sure you are ready for before you kneel down.