The marriage proposal has been one of the most important events in a woman's life since the dawn of civilization. Different cultures have had wildly varying customs, some of which are still practiced today. Many cultures require an exchange of gifts from the future groom to the potential bride - items of value and other luxurious gifts provided to the bride's family for having the honor of her hand in marriage.

Some other cultures flip the script - requiring the bride's family to provide the groom's family with an incentive for accepting a new daughter into the family unit. Whatever the case, the tradition has always assumed that it's a man proposing to a woman - but we are now living in the year 2018 and it's time for ladies to take charge of their own destinies. Here's a guide for the bold ladies who are ready for marriage and taking matters into their own hands.

Take Your Time

There's nothing worse than a stressed-out marriage proposal. So if you're planning on asking your special someone to tie the knot with you, make sure that you give yourself plenty of breathing room to make the arrangements sans panic. Experts recommend that for a dream-worthy proposal you allow yourself at least eight weeks of time for all the details. Make sure to use your work computer and cell phone to search stuff - definitely don't look up engagement rings on a shared desktop computer!

The Perfect Setting

Just like in real estate, location is everything. If your sweetie is on the shy side, then definitely don't do it in public (Jumbotron at a sports game can be a real-life nightmare for the more private among us!) A great idea is to do the proposal in a restaurant or other place where you had one of your earliest dates.