Proposals mark the beginning of a lifelong journey, and many feel the need to make them unforgettable. But they don't always go as planned—sometimes they come in the form of a scribbled note stuck to a beer can.
While not everyone dreams of a grand, over-the-top gesture, a little effort usually goes a long way. Still, some people take unusual approaches that end up being more awkward than romantic. The real shocker? A few of these wild proposals actually got a "yes." Here are some of the most cringe-inducing proposal moments you'll ever see.
You Gone Marry Me Or Nah?
This makes absolutely no sense. It's terrible. Someone used permanent marker to write a Vine quote on a diaper as a proposal, and honestly, that's just not okay. Who thinks this is a good idea? And even more baffling—who says yes to this? Actually, never mind. I don’t even want to know.
To top it off, it happened on a birthday. I can’t wrap my head around how this played out. Did the fiancé seriously just say "happy birthday" and hand over a diaper? In what world is that even remotely acceptable? Honestly, I hope that diaper eventually got used—because that’s about all this proposal deserved.
R.E.J.E.C.T.E.D
Perhaps if he'd put in a bit more effort than scribbling with kids’ window paint on his car, she might have actually said yes. Someone please hand this guy a car wash voucher—he’s going to need it.
Nothing Says Romance Like War
"After an airsoft match last Saturday, my best friend popped the question. It might sound like a strange setting for a proposal, but we were both in our element doing something we enjoy. I'm beyond excited to spend forever with him!"
In the end, love really is a battlefield—so this moment kind of makes perfect sense.
This Disney Rule
Proposals at Disney parks are practically a tradition. You've seen the photos—couples posing in front of Cinderella’s castle, framed by a glowing sunset. It’s magical, sweet, and unforgettable. But not every story ends with a happily ever after.
According to Reddit user Lovelyladykaty, who once worked at the park, "we heard second hand about a few people that proposed and were told no in various locations. Character performers were explicitly forbidden from being part of proposals in case it went negative." Apparently, it happened often enough that even Mickey had to lay down some ground rules.
Back It Up And Lock It Down
Beyond the obvious confusion of the visual, it's hard to understand how this even happened. Did the proposer ask the other person to grab something from the truck bed? Or maybe help park the vehicle? These are all good questions, but the main one is: why did they think this was a good idea?
Naturally, they checked 'no.' This proposal definitely needed more planning and a bit more effort. Let's just hope that’s not permanent spray paint on the window!
The Obligatory Romantic
What a thoughtful gesture. It's clear this person has a clear roadmap for their life's journey and knows exactly which steps to take and in what order. If they seem a bit unsure, it's just the pre-proposal jitters kicking in.
The #CandyHeartsRejects hashtag is spot on for this romance story, because this proposal truly belongs in the trash behind a factory. It’s not sweet at all — more like stiff, chalky, and so stale that it should be forgotten at the bottom of a drawer, buried in an old bag.
The Love Inside
This is a disaster. A complete disaster. The reason this went wrong is because someone decided to put an engagement ring in a milkshake, and their partner unknowingly swallowed it. This should be at the top of your list of "what not to do" when proposing, because you definitely shouldn't be sending someone to the hospital with your romantic gesture.
The thought behind it is sweet, but the execution falls short. They should have gone for a Bloody Mary instead, placing the ring on top of the absurdly large food stack on the straw. No proposal should come with the risk of choking.
This Porta-Proposal
This proposal really caught someone off guard. I hope they felt the "loo-ve" — maybe they were flushed with joy. Alright, I'll stop with the puns. This one is a new low, but hey, at least there are colorful balloons.
We’re clearly missing some context here. There must be a reason why a simple sign wouldn't do, and instead, two porta-potties were used. Maybe the person being proposed to is the CEO of a porta-potty rental company? Let’s hope that’s the case, because otherwise, this is a pretty stinky way to start a relationship.
I Wanted Mustard Actually
This is a misstep in so many ways. First off, ordering a plain hotdog for dinner feels like something you'd expect from a broke, tipsy college student. Then, they made the questionable decision to cut the hotdog, but left the bun intact. That's just going to crumble when you take a bite and create a whole mess.
Whoever planned this, I really hope they got their fiancé more than just hotdogs for the wedding. At least the diamonds will sparkle a little more with the added shine from the hotdog grease.
You're The Cold One For Me
This worked. Congratulations to the happy couple because, by all standards, this proposal had abysmal odds of succeeding. Asking her to get him a beer and then having the audacity to waste valuable electrical tape on this endeavor? Just...offensive.
Hopefully, whatever brand beer this was offered to provide refreshments for their wedding. Or maybe not. This might not be the best marketing campaign to attach a brand name to. MinuteMaid and Kreuger might even give this lady a call to blur out their names on the juice cartons in the fridge.
Don't Let Love Pass You By. Or Drive
Jackie, how did you read this? Whoever proposed wrote this in a washable red marker at the side of a highway and then let it bake in the sun. Another question - why did the proposer sign it? Were they going to hope Jackie drives by, reads her name, comes back to write her answer, and then tell them in person?
This is just too much on every front. They definitely tried because it took effort to procure at least one red and maybe a green marker, but the rest of it is a mess.
The Produce Proposal
Reddit user craziekitty said the craziest proposal they'd ever heard of was their parents'. They said, 'they were in the produce section of a grocery store when my dad says 'all of our friends are getting married so we should too.' My mom thought he was joking, just said 'yea' and moved on with shopping.'
Later on, 'she goes to him and asks if it was a serious question. He responds with 'well yea I thought we were engaged now.' 34 years later and they're still married.' That's meaning what you say.
I Want Chew Forever
You're at the corner store picking up your chewing tobacco and you see they're offering a two-fer deal on engagement rings too - who in their right mind would say no to such a good deal?
Let's face it, this one isn't that bad if your fiance knows what you like. If they know your favorite brand then how can you possibly deny them? This is another one where you hope the product they showcase the proposal in isn't conditional on whether they say yes or not.
Ding Dong Proposal's Here
So was this the pizza guy or someone eating the pizza? I could see this going horribly wrong for some strange reason. It may be because the proposer is ambiguous, the fact it's written in permanent marker on cardboard, or there's what looks like pineapple on a meat lovers.
I hope the pizza wasn't a conditional offer. A person would have to be some sort of madman to propose on a pizza then deny their significant other the opportunity to eat the pizza if they said no. Like they say, waste not, want not.
This Grandma Who Wouldn't Let It Be Bad
If you want something in life, you have to ask for it, and this Grandma knows the value of asking for what she wants. In this case, it's a proper proposal gosh darn it, and she better get it. This is a true cool Grandma.
I love the noncommital 'if you want it' from the Grandfather. What a cool way to vocalize your desires without imposing them on other people. The only pointer is that he should've opened the car door, got the ring, and stood up while being his considerate self.
This Parking Lot Raincheck
Reddit user AllergictoCake says that the weirdest proposal they'd heard of happened to their 6th-grade teacher when 'a kid found a ring in the parking lot and proposed to her.'
Kudos to this kid for seeing the signs that the universe was presenting him and taking action to fulfill his fate. Unfortunately, he's a few years too early and a few dollars short of affording something a little better than a parking-lot ring. Hopefully, whoever's ring it was got it back before someone else proposed with it.
The 'Are You Paying Attention To Me?'
Sometimes these things just don't come at the right time. You can be tied up at the airport, in the middle of a business call, or down an Instagram rabbit hole while waiting for your McDouble. Not even a siren can break you out of your concentration in these moments, so naturally, this proposal was doomed from the start.
I wonder if he repeated himself because she said no or because she didn't hear him. Either way, I hope they got their meals and he decided to try again in a classier location than a McDonald's. Maybe a Wendy's for example.
Coke Doesn't Want You To Get Engaged
This might be the most niche corporate marketing strategy, and the most niche group of people for who this proposal would work for. The higher-ups at Coke would appreciate the sentiment immensely I'm sure. But everyone else?
We can't tell from the photo how many bottles are left on the shelf, but I hope all of the stock is there. It would be an awful proposal idea, but also an awful coincidence if you stumble to the convenience store at 3 am to blindly pick up some Coke and you accidentally propose to your roommate.
You're The Bella To My Edward
Reddit user FetchingOliver recalls when they went to the Twilight New Moon opening night and a guy was up front proposing to his girlfriend. They said he gave 'a speech about how she was his lamb and he was a lion, a la the first Twilight cringe Edward speech to Bella. She said yes and they then proceeded to sit down and watch that mess of a movie.'
This one is great for a Twilight sueprfan couple, but awful for everyone watching. This screams more Twilight Zone than Twilight New Moon, but whatever, congratulations to the happily bonded vampires.
The Distractor
This guy just invented a new way to dodge uncomfortable questions - just propose. It's a sound plan of attack if you want to live without dealing with your problems, though, you might run out of money for rings if you use this strategy too often.
I wonder if this worked or if it was a 'maybe later' type thing? Whatever the case, I'm glad he got some help. They tried to make him go to rehab and he said, 'will you marry me?'
Because the relationship is only kind of spicy?
Don't get me wrong, I love me some Taco Bell, but this just seems like a bad idea through and through. If you are going to do this AT LEAST do it with Fire Sauce as we all know it is the superior sauce.
I don't even know what to say...
On one hand, you have to give it to them for creativity. On the other hand, i feel like this story will not age well. Having to explain a lot to explain the story means the impact will be lost. I guess as long as they're happy.
Preparing For The Worst
This guy prepared for every possible answer and he had the answer ready in order. I wonder if he pulled them up one by one as she was talking.
During the pause, he pulled the "why say no when you can say yes." And as she was about to leave he gave her "I knew you'd come back for me."
Hopefully, She's Not Expected To Type The Answer
Maybe this couple is really into computers and that's what brought them together. That still doesn't take away from the fact that she's not going to see it unless she goes to use the computer, and she can't type her answer because all the letters are mismatched.
Love Is Basically A Game Anyway
I don't remember seeing these two cards ever in the pile while playing the game before. So at least he wet through the effort of getting them custom made for the proposal.
Before we judge, the game might have sentimental significance to them.
There's A Time And A Place
And for some reason, the middle of Walmart doesn't seem like it. Odds are the ring is also from Walmart and he figured might as well ask her right there and then and save the effort of having to possibly return it later.
Parking Lot Romance
This lucky passenger got dinner and a show at Wendy's. Out of all the places you could propose, a parking lot shouldn't even be on the list. Unless she was about to leave you and you felt like proposing in that moment was the only way to keep her.