When a ring isn't enough: the new ways to propose

When a ring isn't enough: the new ways to propose

Pressure is on for big gestures as celebrities find ever grander ways to pop the question

Pressure is on for big gestures as celebrities find ever grander ways to pop the question

Prince William rented a remote African lodge, singer Seal took a helicopter to a private igloo, and Tom Cruise borrowed the Eiffel Tower and its restaurant for the night.

And last year a flux of newly engaged celebrities flaunted some of the biggest diamonds ever seen on a finger, from Angelina Jolie's £500,000 ring to Keira Knightley's at £40,000.

And last year a flux of newly engaged celebrities flaunted some of the biggest diamonds ever seen on a finger, from Angelina Jolie's £500,000 ring to Keira Knightley's at £40,000.

And last year a flux of newly engaged celebrities flaunted some of the biggest diamonds ever seen on a finger, from Angelina Jolie's £500,000 ring to Keira Knightley's at £40,000.

All very well for the rich, but now even the average Mr who wants his Miss to be a Mrs is catching on to the fad for a gesture when they pop the question, creating a new industry out of planning the proposal.

All very well for the rich, but now even the average Mr who wants his Miss to be a Mrs is catching on to the fad for a gesture when they pop the question, creating a new industry out of planning the proposal.

All very well for the rich, but now even the average Mr who wants his Miss to be a Mrs is catching on to the fad for a gesture when they pop the question, creating a new industry out of planning the proposal.

Websites and agencies that have become prolific in the US are springing up here .

Websites and agencies that have become prolific in the US are springing up here .

"Men are getting competitive, they want their mates to be impressed as well as the girl.

"Men are getting competitive, they want their mates to be impressed as well as the girl.

At the other end we organise the whole thing, plan it, research and find a venue.

At the other end we organise the whole thing, plan it, research and find a venue.

"We launched in May and have been overrun by demand.

"We launched in May and have been overrun by demand.

"Like the one who wanted to be a knight in shining armour, we had to find him a castle and decorate it and persuade him out of wearing the complete helmet.

The pressure is on to come up with something spectacular.

Think location, think buildup, think romance, think a whole lot of rose petals.

Overblown shows of sentiment are never going to be everyone's cup of tea, however.

Overblown shows of sentiment are never going to be everyone's cup of tea, however.

And Amodio does recommend that people think carefully about making a public proposal: "It's not to everyone's liking", as a baseball fan found out last year when he proposed in front of 10,000 people in a US stadium, along with a viewer who asked US TV show host Ellen DeGeneres to propose on his behalf on national television – they both scored a "no thanks".

And Amodio does recommend that people think carefully about making a public proposal: "It's not to everyone's liking", as a baseball fan found out last year when he proposed in front of 10,000 people in a US stadium, along with a viewer who asked US TV show host Ellen DeGeneres to propose on his behalf on national television – they both scored a "no thanks".