How to Propose Marriage in a Restaurant By Darryl Beeson, Cellar Master, The Mansion on Turtle Creek What does proposing marriage in a restaurant have to do with drinking wine? Should she say yes, a bottle of Champagne is in order. More importantly, in my years of walking the floor as sommelier, I have observed the practice done well, and not so well. Here is some advice. Have a plan, and drop by the restaurant a few days before to confer with the manager or maitre'd. One, they have seen the best approach in their particular venue. Two, for this to be a success, everyone must be on the same page that fateful night. Realize that restaurant staffs receive a vicarious enjoyment from being a behind the scenes part of something about which, knock on wood, you may someday tell to your grandchildren. Also realize that if they go to special efforts, a discrete tip to those directly involved is in order. Theoretically, the proposal should be a surprise to your intended. If you take her to a restaurant well out of the range of your usual expenditure, you are telegraphing goings on. Better then to go to a quaint, meaningful restaurant, or, better yet, have splurged a bit through the courtship. The ring should be big enough to show that you are serious, but not so big that you later have suspicions that she said yes only because of the huge setting. The ring is between you, your jeweler, and your wallet. One of the risky ways I have seen to present the ring is to have it placed in the bottom of a glass of Champagne served to your beloved. In a darkly lit room she may not notice the ring. Imagine your surprise, if upon saying yes to your marriage proposal, she slams back the glass of bubbly, resoundingly! Stomach pumps and blissful memories do not, together, reside. My favorite proposal approach calls for the ring to be artfully situated on a china plate, perhaps with flower petals and such, and if the restaurant has this on hand, the plate should be covered with a silver cover for drama. This should arrive to the table at the time she expects dessert to arrive. The time before allows you to gain composure for the eloquence to follow when you seek said hand in matrimony. Have something eloquent prepared, to avoid blurting out clumsy ramblings that you will have to live with a long time. Be short and sincere, but do not make the dangerous mistake that I have observed repeatedly. Though the romance of the moment may overwhelm you, think carefully before getting down on one knee in busy restaurant to propose. Don't misunderstand, she will love the gesture. Often I have observed this knee-jerk but sentimental behavior exhibited while I am topping off refills of wine at a nearby table. The lady at the nearby table, predictably, will ask her husband, "Why didn't you propose that way to me, dear?" I once observed a proud new husband-to-be being followed later, after excusing himself to go to the restroom, by an ensuing group of angry husbands. I usually try to alert hotel security before these situations escalate. Returning to the most important matter at hand, what Champagne do you select for the occasion? My advice to pick something within your range of price that you can afford to order again, often, to remember this moment. Nothing cheap and of poor quality. Perhaps consider a nice California producer owned by a more expensive French counterpart that you can step-up to as the community property blossoms years later. Domaine Chandon could evolve into Moët, or Dom Perignon. Mumm Napa could evolve into French Mumm Champagne. Don't rule out a California sparkler that has firmly placed roots in California. Sonoma's Iron Horse makes an appropriate "Wedding Cuvée" that is world class. Recall that President Bush toasted the demise of the Iron Curtain with a bottle of Iron Horse at the famed summit.  A wine that can mark world peace might be an excellent preventative of marital disputes to come. It couldn't hurt. For more great "Wine Guy" suggestions, click here Darryl Beeson, in addition to his duties overseeing the Wine Spectator "Grand Award" wine cellar at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, can be heard weekly as the "Wine Guy" in Dallas on the KRLD-CBS RADIO1080 Restaurant Show with Jim White, Sundays from noon until 2pm; and in Denver on ABC RADIO-KHOW 's "The Gabby Gourmet" program, Saturdays in the 2:00 PM hour. Click here to see a great rundown of wine bargains for the holiday from the "Wine Guy" on WineToday.com. Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.