In Western cultures, a proposal is traditionally made by a man to a woman, while genuflecting in front of her.
and the presentation of an engagement ring (often in a small velvet box), which he may place on her finger if she accepts.
[1][2] Before proposing, a man traditionally asks permission from the father of the woman he hopes to marry.
[14] Same-gender couples, to whom gendered proposal traditions do not apply, usually keep some elements of customary ritual while altering others.
Historically, many marriages have been arranged by parents or matchmakers, and these customs are still sometimes practiced in the modern day.