I've said it before and I'll say it again: spring is the absolute perfect time to get engaged. It's the time of year everyone begins to feel freer and happier -- winter is gone and summer is just around the corner. verything is in bloom, signifying the new life that you're about to start with your sweetheart. The scent of flowers wafts through the air, and the weather is perfect for an outdoor proposal. As the weather gets warmer, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy being outside just in time for all the vibrant flowers to bloom. Want to propose this spring, but not sure how? I've rounded up some creative ways to propose for you!

1. Picnic

Is there anything that screams spring more than a picnic? As soon as the weather warms up, go in search for the best spot you can find. Check the parks, school campuses, and gardens. You want to find the most picturesque spot possible to get on one knee. For an extra dose of ambiance, choose to have your picnic at a time of day when the birds will be chirping. Cook your sweetheart's favorite foods beforehand and then surprise her with the picnic idea one weekend. After you two eat, present her with a princess cut engagement ring and ask her to be your wife.

2. Marathon

If you and your love are active runners, consider running in a marathon this spring. Or, if you're not runners, suggest trying to start a daily running and walking routine with your partner so you can both work up to a 5K. You can either sign up for a local marathon or use the marathon as an excuse to go somewhere you've both always wanted to visit. If you're doing a local race, you can have your families at the finish line waiting for you and the proposal. Once you and your partner reach the end, smile and ask her to spend the rest of your life with you!

3. Easter Egg Hunt

Easter is coming up soon, and Easter egg hunts present a perfect opportunity for a creative and fun proposal. You'll have to do some coordinating on your end to pull this off. One idea is to coordinate a family-wide Easter egg hunt and let your family in on the secret. If the eggs you are hiding are fake, put the engagement ring in the fake egg. Instead of actually hiding the egg somewhere, put the ring in your pocket. (After all, we don't want someone else to find that sparkling princess cut engagement ring!) Then, get far enough away from her to drop it, tell her you found one, and give it to her to open. If you use real eggs, just securely tie the ring to the egg and use the same plan.

4. Weekend Road Trip

Roll down the windows, and get out town for a few days! Pick a peaceful location within a drive of a few hours, and book a room at a hotel or bed and breakfast. Make sure your schedule is clear for the weekend, but pack the car up and surprise her with the idea as a last-minute whim. If she enjoys a little spontaneity, she'll be excited about the change of scenery. Do research in advance to find a spot for a scenic walk or picnic where you can propose with a sparkling diamond engagement ring. (Browse our bridal ring sets to select her complementary pair of rings, or take advantage of our She Said Yes! special to get a discount when you buy an engagement ring now and wedding bands later.)

5. Stargazing

When the weather is warm enough to allow it, popping the question while gazing up at the stars is one of the most romantic (and simplest) proposal ideas to plan. All you need is a blanket and a few other items. Tell her you have a surprise date planned, and head out to a quiet area - a field, the mountains or even your own backyard. Sit on a blanket or folding chairs, snuggle up together under a blanket and enjoy a picnic dinner and a glass of wine or a thermos of hot cocoa. Use a smartphone app or book to try to pick out the different constellations in the sky. When she is distracted looking up at the stars, get down on one knee and propose.

6. Photo Hunt

On a sunny spring day, enlist the help of a friend or two and set up a photo scavenger hunt around your city or neighborhood. Each clue should be a photo of the two of you in a location she has to identify. Add a cute story, poem or memory to accompany the photo, and put them both in an envelope. Have the scavenger hunt end at a place that is particularly meaningful to you, such as where you met or had your first date. Ask her to marry you, then go out to celebrate.

7. Nature Walk

We say "nature walk" rather than "hike," because only the fittest and most outdoorsy of folks find sweat and sore muscles romantic! A pleasantly paced stroll, where you can walk hand in hand, is a safer bet. Choose a scenic park with tree-lined trails, or a local botanical garden. If your first date was out in nature, or on a pretty university campus, take her back to that spot. If there's space to spread out a blanket, pack a picnic. If you can make sure she won't open the basket in advance, tape a love note to each picnic item and have her pull them out one by one. Write "Will You Marry Me?" on the last note. Extra points if it's attached to her favorite food!

8. Scavenger Hunt

A creative proposal idea for temperate weather is planning a scavenger hunt around town. Make a list of places that are special to both of you: the place where you met, where you shared your first kiss, and your favorite restaurant, for example. Then write clues that will lead her from one place to another (don't make them too hard!) and place them shortly before you propose. If you leave the clues with any people, make sure that they know about their important role in your proposal, and the approximate time you'll be arriving. In the last location, plan to get down on one knee and surprise her with a sparkling diamond cluster ring!

9. Buried Treasure

If your lady loves the beach, find a spot with a nearby landmark and bury a message in a bottle in the sand. In the message, write how much she means to you. Make sure that the bottle is fully covered, so no one else digs it up! When you arrive at the beach, give your sweetie a treasure map and have her dig at the X. After she reads your letter, take a knee in the sand and pop the question.  Bonus: Get your dog involved in the proposal! See our previous post, "Creative Proposal Ideas Involving Her Dog." Do you have any creative ways to propose that are ideal for spring? Browse our selection of diamond engagement rings before you get down on one knee!