CNN) -- Admit it. Just once in your life you'd like to feel like the hero in a chick flick, with all the schmaltzy romance, the elaborate plots, the happy endings.

Even if it's just for the amount of time it takes to say those big four words: Will. You. Marry. Me.

You want it to be in someplace exotic: in a romantic setting, away from family and friends, on a vacation never to forget.

Prince William certainly wanted it that way. He trekked around Kenya carrying Princess Diana's ring in his backpack until he found just the right place to propose to Kate Middleton. In a remote log cabin with no electricity that was accessible only by air or -- bizarrely -- horseback, Wills got down on one knee and asked Kate to be the future queen of England.

It was the ultimate destination proposal, and it shows William knew exactly what was expected of a 21st-century proposal.

The proposal trip: cashing in on the trend

If there wasn't already a growing trend for guys to pop the question on vacation, then this single event made it one. It was one royal move that men everywhere could confidently copy (if not in Kenya, exactly).
 

When Phil Govey asked Rachel Amamoo to marry him in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Rachel says time stopped, just like in the movies.

"It was kind of like we were in a little bubble, because there were lots of people around, but it was like it was just us two," she says. "It was so romantic."

David Mendelsohn got it equally right when he proposed to his girlfriend, Isika, in Lake Como, Italy.

"Everything fell into place like it was prewritten," says David.

He proposed beneath a 200-year-old oak tree made famous by the James Bond film "Casino Royale."

Isika said yes, and, she added, "By the way, I'm pregnant."

Destination proposals are now de rigeur in the story of a couple's romance, according to Jonathan Krywicki, whose Melbourne, Australia-based company Pitch & Woo helps guys create unforgettable proposals for their girlfriends.

Krywicki says one in three of his clients plan to propose while away from home, often while abroad.

A consumer survey by American Express found a similar result, with 30% of consumers citing a weekend trip or vacation as the best time to pop the question.

"It's a really popular thing to propose while you're away from home because it's all about creating that fairytale fantasy," says Krywicki. "There's something about being in an unknown area that adds to the allure of the moment."

The right way to ask

The proposal doesn't have to be overly complicated, as long as the setting is right.

Just ask Naomi Tarszisz, whose husband proposed to her in Central Park. They were visiting friends in New York at the time and Phil Rushton was carrying a diamond in his pocket.
 

Walking around the city on an overcast April day, Rushton decided all his ideas -- the top of the Empire State Building had been at the head of the list -- were lame, so he guided Naomi to a green patch of lawn in Central Park. They sat down for a chat and the sun suddenly appeared.

When Naomi stood to leave, Rushton got on one knee and said, "Naomi, will you do something for me? Will you make me the happiest man in the world; will you marry me?"

Being asked was nice, says Naomi. Being on holiday in the couple's favorite city was great, but being able to look directly into her future husband's eyes made it perfect.

"He got up on one knee," says Naomi, who is a foot shorter than Rushton. "I appreciate the down-on-one-knee gesture, but it's also just the easiest way to look into my eyes.

"I hadn't imagined a proposal, but if I did it probably would have been on an escalator or something."

Knowing your partner -- and her expectations about the proposal -- are the key to proposal success, says Krywicki.

In his booklet, "The Seven Biggest Mistakes Men Make When Proposing," Krywicki says the first mistake is timing. Is she ready? Is your relationship ready?

The second is expectation. lire la suite

Consultez la source sur Veille info tourisme: Les meilleures destinations pour une proposition de mariage Paris en tête Proposal destinations 10 best places to pop the question