Ring too small? No flash mob? Why one in five women hated their proposals.

Apparently, 20 per cent of women were disappointed in the way they were proposed to. Should men try harder, or are our priorities all wrong?

Once upon a time, proposals were simple affairs. Generally a man would purchase a ring, ask his girlfriend’s parents for permission, then propose to her on a bended knee. Or over dinner. If he really wanted to make a statement, he’d pop the ring in a glass of champagne, because nothing screams ‘love’ like almost choking on a diamond.

But now? It’s all about flash mobs and lip synching and skywriting and professing your love in the middle of a football stadium with an orchestra playing Lana Del Rey (hello, Kanye and Kim). These intimate proposals – oh, who are we kidding, festivals of love – are then transmitted to the world via Youtube and Hollywood to be absorbed by thousands of us every day.

So is it really any wonder one fifth of women are left disappointed by the way their mere mortal husbands pop the question?

A survey released last month indicated 21 per cent of engaged, divorced or widowed women thought their partner's proposal was a bit of a bummer, but never told him the truth. Of this group, 13% were so let down they wanted to cry - and we're not talking tears of joy.

So why the sadness? The top 5 reasons cited by the survey respondents were as follows:

1. Engagement rings that were too small

2. Not proposing with a ring at all (over one third

3. Man not proposing on bended knee

4. Failing to organise a 'special' proposal

5. Not asking parents' permission

So: rolling over in bed and thrusting a Cheezel onto your beloved's finger while mumbling something about "happiest man in the world" probably isn't a winning option.

Or is it? As with just about anything, proposals are deeply personal. While some people might love their significant other to drop to his/her knees in the middle of a packed Tiffany's store, or to orchestrate a public flashmob that would later go viral online, others would break out in hives at the mere thought of it. For them, an intimate, off-guard moment at home is the very definition of romantic.

The whole 'viral proposal' phenomenon has added yet another layer of pressure to what should really be a celebration of love and commitment, not a ploy for 15 minutes of fame.

So, tell us: How did your partner propose to you?

Speaking of unique, this wedding rings are a little bit different. CLICK THROUGH this gallery to see why: