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Let's face it, ladies, getting a guy to propose is never easy. Don't think for a moment that he doesn't love you, or even that he's afraid of the commitment; the majority of the time the guy just needs to see that marriage is the next logical step and that it is an important step to take. Here are some ways that you can get your man thinking in the right direction when it comes to offering a proposal.

Don't be obvious

You know how guys never look at maps or consult instruction or assembly manuals? This has less to do with them knowing what they're about and more to do with men just not liking being told what to do. This is as true about their personal lives as it is about new household implements.

And to be clear, guys dislike the indirect approach even more. Leaving bridal magazines around the house or insisting on looking at rings every time you go out will only entrench him against a proposal. You might think it's subtle, but if he can figure out that you're hinting at something, it needs to be more subtle than it is.

So what qualifies as subtle?

The best way to be subtle about a marriage proposal is to never let the guy know what you are thinking, what he is starting to think, and most of all never let him know that you know what he is starting to think. If you think that sounds hard, you're right. Think if it sort of like the opposite of when you first started dating and you may have made him wait for certain things. You are going to have to commit to a long term campaign of subterfuge.

The best strategy is in offering comments that are directed towards the idea of marriage, but which do not necessarily pertain to you as individuals. For example, if you see a couple celebrating their 50th anniversary in the local paper, you might remark (offhandedly -- again, don't be obvious )how sweet that is. Be certain to make an offhand remark about how old they were when they got married. It will help plant a little seed in his mind. Don't expand further or he will be on to you.

When you are out, just glance at jewelry stores. Don't go in. Trust me, he'll notice the glances and he will think that he has solved the puzzle all on his own. When you meet up with friends who are recently engaged or married, make sure to look at her rings. Again, make comments but limit them to the subtle. He'll realize that you would love one of your own without being told.

The coup d'etat

Getting a guy to propose can be a long campaign. While most of it may be waged on a level that is the relationship equivalent of tactical engineering, the final battle will need to be unmistakable. If you have been dating or living together for a long time, and still there has been no proposal, it is time to take a trip. This does not mean that you have to break up, or even declare a break. Just schedule a vacation by yourself. It should be long enough that he has plenty of time to work the joy of freedom out of his system and start to realize that he misses you; ten days is usually more than sufficient. If he is the man you want to marry, he will realize in this time that he does not want to be apart from you for this length again. A proposal will definitely be in the offing.

Now all you will have to do is set a wedding date.

Alex consults for an online gift shop offering cheap wedding favors along with bridesmaids "gifts for her". Alex is recently married.