Congratulations on your decision to ask your girlfriend to be your wife! From now on, everything will be different for you. No doubt you’ve probably considered the decision from lots of different angles and now you’re sure that you want to do it. Now the next step is… figuring out how to propose to your girlfriend.

Remember that the way you propose will be a story that your girlfriend tells her friends and family over and over for the next several years to come. It will come up at your engagement party, her bachelorette party, her bridal shower, and don’t forget the wedding night itself. The way you propose will become immortalized as history, so it’s something to put a lot of thought into before you do it.

The ring is the biggest practical concern you need to think about. If you haven’t already, it’s probably a good idea to talk about it with your girlfriend. Some girls like to be surprised with a ring chosen by their man, some like to give a few general guidelines but want him to do the final purchase, and others like to pick out the ring together at the jeweler’s. You probably don’t want to just come right out and ask, because then she’ll know you are planning to propose. But try to work it into a conversation. Maybe mention a friend of yours who is going to buy his girlfriend a ring and try to get her opinion about it.

If she doesn’t know that you are planning on proposing then the element of surprise is working in your favor. She’ll be so taken aback by your popping the question that a lack of a creative proposal probably won’t be a big deal. But if she already knows that you’re proposing in the immediate future, the element of surprise is already gone. What you’ll need to make the moment really special now is a very creative and unique way to propose that will put a smile on her face, even though she knows it’s coming.

There are so many possibilities for creative proposals. You can go low-key by hiding the ring in a home-cooked meal for two, or you can go all out and rent a plane to trail a "will you marry me?" banner. It’s all up to you—and of course, the girl you will be proposing to. Remember that this is her special moment, so be sure to pick something that will make a good story for her to retell over the years.